Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T20:13:20.740Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of captive-bolt guns as a killing method without exsanguination for horned and unhorned sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

TJ Gibson ,
AL Ridler ,
CR Lamb ,
A Williams ,
S Giles  and
NG Gregory
TJ Gibson*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
AL Ridler
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Pamerston North 4442, New Zealand
CR Lamb
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
A Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
S Giles
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, School of Clinical Veterinary Science, Bristol University, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
NG Gregory
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: tgibson@rvc.ac.uk
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.

The current study aims to make welfare-based recommendations for gun/cartridge combinations and shooting positions that will ensure death of the sheep (horned, unhorned, rams and ewes), without the need for either sticking or pithing. The study examined the pathophysiology of captive-bolt gun (CBG) injuries that result in incomplete concussion leading to death. Behavioural, brainstem and cranial/spinal responses were examined along with gross pathology in 489 animals (116 polled ewes, 134 horned ewes, 117 polled rams and 122 horned rams) following a variety of CBG-cartridge combinations. Shooting horned rams was more challenging than unhorned sheep, partly because minor movements of the head at the time of shooting can result in deflection of the gun by the horns. Marksmanship was the definitive factor: 100% of animals that showed signs of incomplete concussion were found to have been shot incorrectly. The findings will have application when it is necessary to kill sheep on farms for disease control or euthanasia purposes.

Keywords

animal welfarecaptive boltdisease controlewesramssheep horned and polled
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. 35 - 42
Copyright
© 2012 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Aarabi, B and Cook, J 2005 Missile wounds of the head. In: Reilly, PL and Bullock, R (eds) Head Injury, Pathophysiology and Management, Volume 2 pp 384–405. Hodder Arnold: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Adams, JH and Graham, DI 1985 Nervous system and voluntary muscle. In: Anderson, JP (ed) Muir's Textbook of Pathology, Volume 12 pp 21.21-21.86. Edward Arnold: London, UKGoogle Scholar
ADAS 2007 A study to design a holding pen for group stunned animals. Defra report MH0133 pp 1–25. Defra: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Blackmore, DK 1979 Non-penetrative percussion stunning of sheep and calves. Veterinary Record 105: 372–375. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.105.16.372CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blackmore, DK 1984 Differences in behavior between sheep and cattle during slaughter. Research in Veterinary Science 37: 223–226CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blackmore, DK and Newhook, JC 1982 Electroencephalographic studies of stunning and slaughter of sheep and calves 3. The duration of insensibility induced by electrical stunning in sheep and calves. Meat Science 7: 19–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(82)90094-8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Daly, CC and Whittington, PE 1986 Concussive methods of pre-slaughter stunning in sheep : effects of captive-bolt stunning in the poll position on brain-function. Research in Veterinary Science 41: 353–355CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daly, CC, Gregory, NG and Wotton, SB 1987 Captive bolt stunning of cattle : effects on brain-function and role of bolt velocity. British Veterinary Journal 143: 574–580CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Daly, CC, Gregory, NG, Wotton, SB and Whittington, PE 1986 Concussive methods of pre-slaughter stunning in sheep: assessment of brain-function using cortical evoked-responses. Research in Veterinary Science 41: 349–352CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Finnie, JW 1997 Traumatic head injury in ruminant livestock. Australian Veterinary Journal 75: 204–208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j. 1751-0813.1997.tb10067.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fricker, CH and Riek, W 1981 Die betäubung von rindern vor dem schlachten mit hilfe des bolzenschuß-apparates. Fleischwirtschaft 61: 124–127Google Scholar
Gibson, TJ, Johnson, CB, Murrell, JC, Mitchinson, SL, Stafford, KJ and Mellor, DJ 2009 Amelioration of electroen-cephalographic responses to slaughter by non-penetrative captive-bolt stunning after ventral-neck incision in halothane-anaes- thetised calves. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 57: 96–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2009.36885CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gouveia, KG, Ferreira, PG, Roque de Costa, JC, Vaz-Pires, P and Martins da Costa, P 2009 Assessment of the efficiency of captive-bolt stunning in cattle and feasibility of assoicated behavioural signs. Animal Welfare 18: 171–175CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gregory, NG 2005 Recent concerns about stunning and slaughter. Meat Science 70: 481–491. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. meatsci.2004.06.026CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gregory, NG, Spence, JY, Mason, CW, Tinarwo, A and Heasman, L 2009 Effectiveness of poll stunning water buffalo with captive bolt guns. Meat Science 81: 178–182. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2008.07.016CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nikolic, S, Zivkovic, V and Jukovic, F 2011 Planned complex occupation-related suicide by captive-bolt gunshot and hanging. Journal of Forensic Sciences 56: 248–251. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.10.01507.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Owen, R and Young, B 2005 Brain death: clinical and confirmatory tests. In: Reilly, PL and Bullock, R (eds) Head Injury, Pathophysiology and Management, Volume 2 pp 472–485. Hodder Arnold: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Perdekamp, MG, Kneubuehl, BP, Ishikawa, T, Nadjem, H, Kromeier, J, Pollak, S and Thierauf, A 2010 Secondary skull fractures in head wounds inflicted by captive bolt guns: autopsy findings and experimental simulation. International Journal of Legal Medicine 124: 605–612. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00414-010-0450-8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Teasdale, E and Hadley, DM 2005 Imaging the injury. In: Reilly, PL and Bullock, R (eds) Head Injury, Pathophysiology and Management, Volume 2 pp 169–214. Hodder Arnold: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Viel, G, Schroder, AS, Puschel, K and Braun, C 2009 Planned complex suicide by penetrating captive-bolt gunshot and hanging: case study and review of the literature. Forensic Science International 187: e7–e11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.01.022CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wei, G, Lu, XCM, Yang, XF and Tortella, FC 2010 Intracranial pressure following penetrating ballistic-like brain injury in rats. Journal of Neurotrauma 27: 1635–1641. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/neu.2010.1378CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed