PUBLIC VETERINARY-MEDICINE - FOOD SAFETY AND HANDLING - OBJECTIVE SCORING OF ANIMAL HANDLING AND STUNNING PRACTICES AT SLAUGHTER PLANTS

Objective-To develop objective methods for monitoring animal welfare a t slaughter plants to ensure compliance with the Humane Methods of Sla ughter Act. Design-Survey of existing procedures. Sample Population-24 federally inspected slaughter plants. Procedure-6 variables evaluated at each plant were stunning efficacy, insensibility of animals hangin g on the bleeding rail, vocalization, electric prod use, number of ani mals slipping, and number of animals falling. Results-Of 11 beef plant s, only 4 were able to render 95% of cattle insensible with a single s hot from a captive-bolt stunner. Personnel at 7 of 11 plants placed th e stunning wand correctly on 99% or more of pigs and sheep. At 4 beef plants, percentage of cattle prodded with an electric prod ranged from 5% at a plant at which handlers only prodded cattle that refused to m ove to 90% at another plant. Use of electric prods at 6 pork plants sc ored for prod use ranged from 15 to almost 100% of pigs. Percentage of cattle that vocalized during stunning and handling ranged from 1.1% a t a plant at which electric prods were only used on cattle that refuse d to move to 32% at another plant at which electric prods were used on 90% of cattle and a restraint device was inappropriately used to appl y excessive pressure. Clinical Implications-To obtain the most accurat e assessment of animal welfare at slaughter plants, it is important to score all of the aforementioned variables.