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Large scale killing of poultry species on farm during outbreaks of diseases: evaluation and development of a humane containerised gas killing system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2008

M. RAJ ,
M. O'CALLAGHAN ,
K. THOMPSON ,
D. BECKETT ,
I. MORRISH ,
A. LOVE ,
G. HICKMAN  and
S. HOWSON
M. RAJ*
Affiliation:
School of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, United Kingdom
M. O'CALLAGHAN
Affiliation:
School of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, United Kingdom
K. THOMPSON
Affiliation:
Veterinary Advisor, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), 1A Page Street, London, SW1P 4PQ, United Kingdom
D. BECKETT
Affiliation:
Procurement and Contracts Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), 3-8 Whitehall Place West, London, SW1A 2HH, United Kingdom
I. MORRISH
Affiliation:
Procurement and Contracts Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), 3-8 Whitehall Place West, London, SW1A 2HH, United Kingdom
A. LOVE
Affiliation:
Animal Health, Health and Safety Manager, Foss House, Kings Pool, 1-2 Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PX, United Kingdom
G. HICKMAN
Affiliation:
Animal Health, Contingency Planning Division, 1A Page Street, London, SW1P 4PQ, United Kingdom
S. HOWSON
Affiliation:
Animal Health, Contingency Planning Division, 1A Page Street, London, SW1P 4PQ, United Kingdom
*
Corresponding author: M.Raj@bristol.ac.uk
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Abstract

Various forms of containerised gas killing systems have been used to slaughter large numbers of poultry on farms during outbreaks of notifiable diseases. However, none of the systems have been fully evaluated to assess bird welfare, operators’ health and safety and biosecurity during operation. In addition, standard operating procedures associated with containerised gas killing systems are lacking in the literature. Therefore, a research and development project was initiated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK with the primary objective being to develop humane systems for culling poultry on farm and to produce operating procedures based on sound scientific principles. A series of studies have been conducted to achieve the objective and relevant observations and operating procedures are reviewed in this paper.

Keywords

poultrykillinggas mixturesdisease controlcontainerised gas killing
Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 64 , Issue 2 , June 2008 , pp. 227 - 244
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2008

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