Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-25wd4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-29T12:29:24.217Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Observations of Cattle Restraint Devices for Stunning and Slaughtering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

T Grandin
T Grandin*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Proper design of restraint equipment is essential to prevent stress on animals during handling, stunning and slaughter. A small design mistake which may appear to be insignificant to the engineer can be extremely detrimental to animal welfare. Operators of restraint equipment must be properly trained. Cattle will place their heads into stanchion (yoke) or chin-lift types of head-restrainers if they are gently moved forward by a rear pusher gate. Cattle confined in an upright ASPCA pen for religious slaughter will remain calmer if the apparatus is gently closed around them. The vertical travel of the belly lift should be restricted to 71 cm (28 in) — it should not lift the animals off the floor. The rear pusher gates should be equipped with a separate regulator to prevent excessive pressure from being applied. Stunning or ritual slaughter should be carried out within 10 seconds of the animal's head being restrained. The modified ASPCA pen described in the paper was seemingly humane when operated by people concerned about animal welfare.

Keywords

animal welfarehead-restraintreligious slaughterslaughterstunning
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , May 1992 , pp. 85 - 90
Copyright
© 1992 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Dunn, C S 1990 Stress reaction of cattle undergoing ritual slaughter using two methods of restraint. Veterinary Record 126: 522–525Google Scholar
Ewbank, R, Parker, M J, Mason, C W 1992 Reactions of cattle to head-restraint at stunning: a practical dilemma. Animal Welfare 1: 55–63Google Scholar
Grandin, T 1980 Livestock behavior as related to handling facility design. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems 1: 33–52Google Scholar
Grandin, T 1990 Humanitarian aspects of shechitah in the United States. Judaism 39: 436–446Google Scholar
Marshall, M, Millbury, E E, Shultz, E W 1963 Apparatus for Holding Cattle in Position for Slaughtering. US Patent 3,087,195. Washington D CGoogle Scholar