AVERSIVE REACTIONS OF TURKEYS TO ARGON, CARBON-DIOXIDE AND A MIXTURE OF CARBON-DIOXIDE AND ARGON

The reactions of turkeys to the presence of either 90 per cent argon i n air (anoxia), 72 per cent carbon dioxide in air or a mixture of 30 p er cent carbon dioxide and 60 per cent argon in air with 3 per cent re sidual oxygen were tested. The majority of the turkeys did not avoid a feeding chamber containing either argon or the mixture of carbon diox ide and argon, but 50 per cent of the turkeys avoided a feeding chambe r containing 72 per cent carbon dioxide in air. It is concluded that f rom the point of view of welfare, either 90 per cent argon in air or a mixture of 30 per cent carbon dioxide and 60 per cent argon in air, w ould be preferable to a high concentration of carbon dioxide for stunn ing/killing turkeys.