As a result of some abattoirs' failure to use best practice, a number of calves regain consciousness from the stun before they die. For some years the law has required abattoirs killing cattle, sheep and pigs to use a fail-safe stunning device. If insufficient current is used, the animal is likely to receive a painful electric shock instead of being made instantaneously unconscious. Despite the legal requirement to use such a device few, if any, abattoirs use them. CIWF believes MAFF must start to insist on compliance with this law.
Scientific research shows that severing both carotids is essential to produce a rapid death.
Slaughterhouses are aware of the importance of severing both carotid arteries, but fail to do so as this makes automatic processing of the carcase a little more difficult. For example, if both carotids are severed the head will be loose and will tend to come off in the automatic feather-plucking machine. Loose heads amongst the feathers make it difficult to sell the feathers. In short, in order to increase their returns, slaughterhouses use a neck-cutting method which causes welfare problems. The main reason for these pre-stun shocks is as follows.