Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T06:53:40.778Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Pain perception at slaughter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

CB Johnson ,
TJ Gibson ,
KJ Stafford  and
DJ Mellor
CB Johnson*
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare Sciences and Bioethics Centre, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
TJ Gibson
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Herts AL9 7TA, UK
KJ Stafford
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare Sciences and Bioethics Centre, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
DJ Mellor
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare Sciences and Bioethics Centre, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: c.b.johnson@massey.ac.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.

Recent developments related to quantitative analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG) have allowed the experience of pain to be assessed more directly than has hitherto been possible. Variables derived from the EEG of animals anaesthetised using our minimal anaesthesia model respond to noxious stimulation in a manner similar to those from conscious animals. This methodology has been used in a variety of applications including the evaluation of analgesic options for painful husbandry procedures and investigation of developmental aspects of the perception of pain. We have now applied the minimal anaesthesia model to the question of the slaughter of calves by ventral-neck incision. A series of studies evaluated the magnitude of EEG response to the noxious stimulus of ventral-neck incision and the physiological mechanisms that underlie this response. We also investigated the EEG effects of stunning by non-penetrating captive bolt and the ability of such stunning to ameliorate the response to ventral-neck incision. The results demonstrate clearly, for the first time, that the act of slaughter by ventral-neck incision is associated with noxious stimulation that would be expected to be painful in the period between the incision and subsequent loss of consciousness. These data provide further support for the value of stunning in preventing pain and distress in animals subjected to this procedure. We discuss the development of the minimal anaesthesia model and its adaptation for use in the investigation of slaughter by ventral-neck incision as well as considering the contributions of these studies to the ongoing development of international policy concerning the slaughter of animals.

Keywords

animal welfarecattleEEGpainslaughterstunning
Type
Papers
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 21 , Issue S2: Proceedings of the HSA Centenary International Symposium ‘Recent Advances in the Welfare of Livestock at Slaughter’ Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK, 2011 , June 2012 , pp. 113 - 122
Copyright
© 2012 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Anon 2010 Amendment to the Code of Welfare (Commercial Slaughter) 2010: effective 16 December 2010. http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/animal-welfare/codes/commercial-slaughterGoogle Scholar
Blackmore, DK and Delany, MW 1988 Slaughter of Stock. A Practical Review and Guide. Veterinary Continuing Education. Massey University: Palmerston North, New ZealandGoogle Scholar
Chen, ACN, Dworkin, SF, Haug, J and Gehrig, J 1989 Topographic brain measures of human pain and pain responsivity. Pain 37: 129–141. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(89)90125-5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Daly, CC, Kallweit, E and Ellendorf, F 1988 Cortical function in cattle during slaughter: conventional captive bolt stunning followed by exsanguination compared with Shechita slaughter. Veterinary Record 122: 325–329. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.122.14.325CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Debenedittis, G and Degonda, F 2003 Hemispheric specialization and the perception of pain: a task-related EEG power spectrum analysis in chronic pain patients. Pain 22: 375–384. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(85)90043-0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Diesch, TJ, Mellor, DJ, Johnson, CB and Lentle, RG 2009 Electroencephalographic responses to tail clamping in anaesthetised rat pups. Laboratory Animals 43: 224–231. http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/la.2008.0080083CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Diesch, TJ, Mellor, DJ, Johnson, CB and Lentle, RG 2010 Developmental changes in the electroencephalogram and responses to a noxious stimulus in anaesthetised tammar wallaby joeys (Macropus eugenii eugenii). Laboratory Animals 44: 79–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/la.2009.009045CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gibson, TJ, Johnson, CB, Stafford, KJ, Mitchinson, SL and Mellor, DJ 2007 Validation of the acute electroencephalographic responses of calves to noxious stimulus with scoop dehorning. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 55: 152–157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2007.36760CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gibson, TJ, Johnson, CB, Murrell, JC, Hulls, CM, Mitchinson, SL, Stafford, KJ, Johnstone, AC and Mellor, DJ 2009a Electroencephalographic responses of calves to slaughter by ventral neck incision without prior stunning. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 57: 77–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2009.36882CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gibson, TJ, Johnson, CB, Murrell, JC, Chambers, PJ, Stafford, KJ and Mellor, DJ 2009b Components of EEG responses to slaughter: effects of cutting neck tissues compared to major blood vessels. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 57: 84–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2009.36883CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gibson, TJ, Johnson, CB, Murrell, JC, Mitchinson, SL, Stafford, KJ and Mellor, DJ 2009c Electroencephalographic response to concussive non-penetrating captive bolt stunning in halothane anaesthetised calves. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 57: 90–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2009.36884CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibson, TJ, Johnson, CB, Murrell, JC, Mitchinson, SL, Stafford, KJ and Mellor, DJ 2009d Amelioration of electroencephalographic responses to slaughter by non-penetrating captive bolt stunning after ventral neck incicion in halothane anaesthetised calves. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 57: 96–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2009.36885CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haga, HA and Ranheim, B 2005 Castration of piglets: the analgesic effects of intratesticular and intrafunicular lidocaine injection. Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 32: 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2995.2004.00225.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB 1996 Some effects of anaesthesia on the electrical activity of the equine brain. PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge, UKGoogle Scholar
Johnson, CB and Taylor, PM 1997 Effects of alfentanil on the equine electroencephalogram during anaesthesia with halothane in oxygen. Research in Veterinary Science 62: 159–163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0034-5288(97)90139-9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB and Taylor, PM 1998 Comparison of the effects of halothane, isoflurane and methoxyflurane on the electroencephalogram of the horse. British Journal of Anaesthesia 81: 748–753CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB and Taylor, PM 1999 Effects of ketamine on the equine electroencephalogram during anaesthesia with halothane in oxygen. Veterinary Surgery 28: 380–385. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950X.1999.00380.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB, Bloomfield, M and Taylor, PM 2000a Effects of guaiaphenesin on the equine electroencephalogram during anaesthesia with halothane in oxygen. Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 27: 6–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.J467-2995.2000.00011.×CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB, Bloomfield, M and Taylor, PM 2000b Effects of thiopentone on the equine electroencephalogram during anaesthesia with halothane in oxygen. Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 27: 82–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1467-2995.2000.00022.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB, Bloomfield, M and Taylor, PM 2003 Effects of midazolam and sarmazenil on the equine electroencephalogram during anaesthesia with halothane in oxygen. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 26: 105–112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2885.2003.00459.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB, Woodbury, WM, Caulkett, N and Wilson, P 2005a Comparison of lidocaine and antler pedicle compression for analgesia during antler removal in red deer (Cervus elaphus) anaesthetised by halothane in oxygen: EEG effects. Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 32: 16–71Google Scholar
Johnson, CB, Stafford, KJ, Sylvester, SP, Ward, RN, Mitchinson, S and Mellor, DJ 2005b Effects of age on the electroencephalographic response to castration in lambs anaesthetised using halothane in oxygen. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 53: 433–437. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2005.36589CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB, Sylvester, S, Stafford, K, Mitchinson, S, Ward, R and Mellor, DJ 2009 Effects of age on the electroencephalographs response to castration in lambs anaesthetised using halothane in oxygen from birth to six weeks old. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 36: 273–279. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2995.2009.00448.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnston, GM, Eastment, JK, Wood, JLN and Taylor, PM 2002 The confidential enquiry into perioperative equine fatalities (CEPEF): mortality results of Phases 1 and 2. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 29: 159–170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.J467-2995.2002.00106.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, CB, Young, SS and Taylor, PM 1994 Spectral analysis of the equine electroencephalogram during halothane anaesthesia. Research in Veterinary Science 56: 373–378. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0034-5288(94)90155-4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kongara, K, Chambers, JP and Johnson, CB 2010 Electroencephalographic responses of tramadol, parecoxib and morphine to acute noxious electrical stimulation in anaesthetised dogs. Research in Veterinary Science 88: 127–133. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2009.05.012CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levinger, IM 1961 Untersuchungen zum Schächtproblem. PhD Thesis, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland. [Title translation: Investigations of the Schechita problem]Google Scholar
Murrell, JC, Johnson, CB, White, KL, Taylor, PM, Haberham, ZL and Waterman-Pearson, AE 2003 Changes in the EEG during castration in horses and ponies anaesthetised with halothane. Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 30: 138–146. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1467-2995.2003.00138.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Murrell, JC, White, KL, Johnson, CB, Taylor, PM and Waterman-Pearson, AE 2005 Spontaneous EEG changes in the equine surgical patient: the effect of an intravenous infusion of lidocaine. Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 32: 212–221. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2995.2005.00201.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murrell, JC and Johnson, CB 2006 Neurophysiological techniques to assess pain in animals (Review). Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 29: 325–335. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2885.2006.00758.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murrell, JC, Waters, D, Mitchinson, SL and Johnson, CB 2007 Comparative effect of thermal, mechanical and electrical noxious stimuli on the electroencephalogram of the rat. British Journal of Anaesthesia 98: 366–371. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bja/ael377CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Newhook, JC and Blackmore, DK 1982 Electroencephalographic studies of stunning and slaughter of sheep and calves 2. The onset of permanent insensibility in calves during slaughter. Meat Science 6: 295–300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(82)90040-7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ong, RM, Morriss, JP, O’Dwyer, JK, Barnett, JL, Hemsworth, PH and Clark, IJ 1997 Behavioural and EEG changes in sheep in response to painful acute electrical stimuli. Australian Veterinary Journal 75: 189–193CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stafford, KJ and Mellor, DJ 2005 Dehorning and disbudding distress and its alleviation in calves. Veterinary Journal 169: 337–349. Veterinary Journal 169: 337–349 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2004.02.005CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed