Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T04:49:24.089Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of the efficacy of a non-penetrating captive bolt to euthanase neonatal goats up to 48 hours of age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

MA Sutherland ,
TJ Watson ,
CB Johnson  and
ST Millman
MA Sutherland*
Affiliation:
AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
TJ Watson
Affiliation:
AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
CB Johnson
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
ST Millman
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic & Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, IA 5011, USA
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: mhairi.sutherland@agresearch.co.nz
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Manual blunt force trauma is a common method of euthanasia or culling of goat kids, however it is difficult to apply consistently and may vary in effectiveness. Therefore, a controlled mechanical method is needed. The overall objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of a non-penetrating captive bolt (NPCB) to euthanase goats (Capra hircus) up to 48 h of age. In a pilot study (n = 27), the optimum anatomical site for placement of the NPCB was evaluated using signs of insensibility and death, and post mortem assessment of traumatic brain injury. Three different anatomical sites (frontal bone, poll or behind the poll) were evaluated. In Experiment 1 (n = 100), goats were euthanased using the optimum anatomical placement determined in the pilot study and the presence of brainstem reflexes, rhythmic respiration, convulsions and cardiac activity were recorded. In Experiment 2 (n = 7), electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded to assess awareness following application of the NPCB. Results from the pilot study showed that immediate insensibility followed by death was achieved when the muzzle of the NPCB was positioned behind the poll and the goat's head was bent so that the chin touched the chest. In Experiment 1, all goats were rendered immediately insensible without return to sensibility prior to cessation of cardiac activity. In Experiment 2, application of the NPCB resulted in the immediate onset of EEG activity which was incompatible with awareness. In conclusion, the NPCB reliably caused immediate insensibility and death in goats up to 48 h of age.

Keywords

animal welfareelectroencephalogrameuthanasiagoatsinsensibilitynon-penetrating captive bolt
Type
Articles
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , November 2016 , pp. 471 - 479
Copyright
© 2016 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

American Veterinary Medical Association 2013 AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition. https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Documents/euthanasia.pdfGoogle Scholar
Bager, F, Braggins, TJ, Devine, CE, Graaghuis, AE, Mellor, DJ, Tavener, A and Upsdell, MP 1992 Onset of insensibility at slaughter in calves: effects of electroplectic seizure and exsan-guination on spontaneous electrocortical activity and indices of cerebral metabolism. Research in Veterinary Science 52: 162–173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0034-5288(92)90005-MCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blackmore, DK 1984 Differences in behavior between sheep and cattle during slaughter. Research in Veterinary Science 37: 223–226CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blackmore, DK and Delany, MW 1988 Slaughter of Stock. A practical Review and Guide. Veterinary Continuing Education Massey University: Palmerston North, New ZealandGoogle Scholar
Blackmore, DK and Newhook, JC 1982 Electroencephalographic studies of stunning and slaughter of sheep and calves 3. The duration of insensibility induced by elec-trical stunning in sheep and calves. Meat Science 7: 19–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(82)90094-8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casey-Trott, TM, Millman, ST, Turner, PV, Nykamp, SG, Lawlis, PC and Widowski, TM 2014 Effectiveness of a non-pen-etrating captive bolt for euthanasia of 3-9 kg pigs. Journal of Animal Science 92: 5166–5174. http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2014-7980CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casey-Trott, TM, Millman, ST, Turner, PV, Nykamp, SG and Widowski, TM 2013 Effectiveness of a nonpentrating captive bolt for euthanasia of piglets less than 3 d of age. Journal of Animal Science 91: 5477–5484. http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-6320CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, DKC, Novitzky, D and Wicomb, WN 1989 The pathophysiological effects of brain death on potential donor organs, with particular reference to the heart. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 71: 261–266Google ScholarPubMed
Erasmus, MA, Lawlis, P, Duncan, IJH and Widowski, TM 2010a Using time to insensibility and estimated time of death to evaluate a non-penetrating captive bolt, cervical dislocation, and blunt force trauma for on-farm killing of turkeys. Poultry Science 89: 1345–1354. http://dx.doi.org/10.3382/ps.2009-00445CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erasmus, MA, Turner, PV, Nykamp, SG and Widowski, TM 2010b Brain and skull lesions resulting from use of percussive bolt, cervical dislocation by stretching, cervical dislocation by crushing and blunt force trauma in turkeys. Veterinary Record 167:850–858. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.c5051CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finnie, JW, Blumbergs, PC, Manavis, J, Summersides, GE and Davies, RA 2000 Evaluation of brain damage resulting from the penetrating and non-penetrating captive-bolt stunning using lambs. Australian Veterinary Journal 78: 775–778. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2000.tb10451.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gaetz, M 2004 The neurophysiology of brain injury. Clinical Neurophysiology 115: 4–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1388-2457(03)00258-XGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ganong, WF 1993 Respiratory adjustments in health and dis-ease. Review of Medical Physiology, 16th Edition. Appleton & Lange: Norwalk, Connecticut, USAGoogle Scholar
Gibson, TJ, Johnson, CB, Murrell, JC, Hulls, CM, Mitchinson, SL, Stafford, KJ, Johnstone, AC and Mellor, DJ 2009 Electroencephalographic responses of halothane-anaesthetised calves to slaughter by ventral-neck incision without prior stun-ning. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 57: 77–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2009.36882CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibson, TJ, Ridler, AL, Lamb, CR, Williams, A, Giles, S and Gregory, NG 2012 Preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of the captive-bolt guns as a killing method without exsanguination for horned and unhorned sheep. Animal Welfare 21: 35–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/096272812X13353700593446CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilliam, JN, Shearer, JK, Woods, J, Hill, J, Reynolds, J, Taylor, JD, Bahr, RJ, Crochik, S and Snider, TA 2012 Captive-bolt euthanasia of cattle: determination of optimal-shot placement and evaluation of the Cash Special Euthanizer Kit® for euthanasia of cattle. Animal Welfare 21(S2): 99–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/096272812X13353700593806CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grandin, T 2010 Auditing animal welfare in slaughter plants. Meat Science 86: 56–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2010.04.022CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gregory, NG 2004 Respiratory system. Physiology and Behaviour of Animal Suffering. Blackwell Science: Oxford, UK. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470752494CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gregory, NG 2005 Recent concerns about stunning and slaugh-ter. Meat Science 70: 481–491. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2004.06.026CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanley, JA and Lippman-Hand, A 1983 If nothing goes wrong, is everything all right? Interpreting zero numerators. Journal of the American Medical Association 249: 1743–1745. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1983.03330370053031CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Humane Slaughter Association 2008 Captive-bolt stunning of livestock. HSA: Wheathampstead, Herts, UKGoogle Scholar
Murrell, J and Johnson, C 2006 Neurophysiological techniques to assess pain in animals. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology Therapy 295: 325–335. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2885.2006.00758.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rault, J-L, Hemsworth, P, Cakebread, P, Mellor, DJ and Johnson, CB 2014 Evaluation of microwave energy as a humane stunning technique based on electroencephalography (EEG) of anesthetized cattle. Animal Welfare 23: 391–400. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.23.4.391CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rault, J-L, Kells, NJ, Johnson, CB, Dennis, R, Sutherland, MA and Lay, DC Jr 2015 Nitrous oxide as a humane method for piglet euthanasia: behavior and electroencephalography (EEG). Physiology and Behaviour 151: 29–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.06.026CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sadler, LJ, Hagen, CD, Wang, C, Widowski, TM, Johnson, AK and Millman, ST 2014 Effects of flow rate and gas mixture on the welfare of weaned and neonate pigs during gas euthanasia. Journal of Animal Science 92: 793–805. http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-6598CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sandercock, DA, Auckburally, A, Flaherty, D, Sandilands, V and McKeegan, DEF 2014 Avian reflex and electroencephalo-gram responses in different states of consciousness. Physiology and Behavior 133: 252–259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phys-beh.2014.05.030CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) 2015 Killing of animals for disease control purposes. Terrestrial Animal Health Code. http://www.oie.int/international-standard-setting/terrestri-al-code/access-online/Google Scholar