EFFECT OF THE METHOD OF STUNNING AND THE INTERVAL BETWEEN STUNNING AND NECK CUTTING ON BLOOD-LOSS IN TURKEYS

Turkey hens were stunned by inducing anoxia with either argon (with ap proximately 2 per cent residual oxygen) or 30 per cent carbon dioxide in argon with 2 per cent residual oxygen, and the carcases were bled e ither immediately or five or 10 minutes after they had been stunned. A control group of turkeys was stunned electrically (250 mA for about f our seconds) and had their necks cut immediately after stunning. The a mount of blood lost was measured and expressed as a percentage of live weight. The results showed that the necks of gas-stunned turkeys can b e cut up to 10 minutes after they have been stunned without reducing t he total blood loss significantly.