An immobilisation unit for use during the halal slaughter of cattle

Summary

The use of an immobilisation unit for the humane processing of Halal slaughtered cattle which have received an electrical stun is discussed in this paper, as is the description of the immobilisation unit that should conform to Australian electrical standards.

Presently, available immobilisation units do not satisfy Australian electrical standards and this project outlines the improvements required to meet industry objectives.

Objectives

It is for the following reasons that an immobilisation unit was developed for the Halal slaughter of cattle in Australian and confirming the validity of these are the primary objectives:

• ensuring the animal is slaughtered humanely
• ensuring safety to slaughter personal by control of animal movements produced by the epileptic seizure.

Key findings

An approved electrical stun may be used in the Halal slaughter of cattle in Australia to overcome the problems associated with percussion stunners.

The use of an electrical stun in the Halal slaughter process can be made more humane by the introduction of an approved supplementary procedure to extend the period of insensibility after the stun until succumbing to the effects of exsanguination.

The use of the immobilisation unit described will meet this requirement.

The immobilising current also produces a continuous muscle tetany, which results in a much safer operating environment for the slaughter personnel.

Benefits to industry

There is significant potential to increase market access to growing markets with Halal specific requirements while also improving domestic consumer acceptability of the practices thereby ensuring maximum value for the red meat industry through flexibility of market choice.

The immobilisation unit will have a secondary benefit of producing a much safer operating environment for the slaughter personnel.

MLA action

Further MLA work conducted has examined Halal slaughter of cattle including investigations into the stunning and sticking of calves in 2006 and a review of stunning and Halal slaughter in 2009. 

Related MLA projects

P.PIP.0195; P.PIP.0180; V.EQT.1407; A.MQT.0044; P.PIP.0165; P.PIP.0176; P.PIP.0177; P.PIP.0178; P.PIP.0188; P.PIP.0189; P.PIP.0209; P.PIP.0237; P.PIP.0238; P.PIP.0239; P.PIP.0240; P.PIP.0246; P.PIP.0252; P.PSH.0252; P.PSH.0270; P.PIP.0142; A.SCT.0014; P.PSH.0231; P.PSH.0221; A.PNT.0052; A.PNT.0050; P.COM.0120

Future research

There are still some limitations associated with the use of this immobilisation unit. At present, the immobilisation unit is activated for a period of 35 seconds which slows the animal production rate to a point which is uneconomical in some works.

Research is being carried out to decrease the on-time of the unit and to determine if the unit can be used at a different stage in the slaughter process.

The length of the present nasal electrode also causes the nose to occasionally bleed. Research is being carried out into the redesign of the electrode to overcome this problem.