A method of stunning an animal for inducing unconsciousness and insensibility enabling processing or handling of the animal, the method including the steps of: introducing a live subject animal to be processed or handled to a stunning station and locating the animal in a generally confined position, characterised in that the method further includes: locating an applicator in an operative position so that the applicator is in contact with an application point on the animal's head immediately overlying the frontal portion of the subject animal's brain, the applicator having peripheral portions which define an opening and which contact the animals head to surround the application point when the applicator is in its operative position, the applicator having a coupling conformation to couple microwave radiation passing through the applicator and emerging from the opening of the applicator when located in its operative position at the application point so that the emerging microwave radiation passes to the head and to the frontal portion of the brain of the subject animal, generating microwave radiation of a suitable power level and frequency and directing that radiation through a waveguide to and through the applicator which is located at an operative end of the waveguide so that the radiation emerging through the opening thereby heats the frontal portion of the brain of the subject animal, detecting reflected power of microwave radiation in the waveguide and, in response to the level of reflected power, tuning the waveguide so as to reduce the reflected power being detected by changing the impedance of the waveguide and applicator to better match the impedance of the head and thereby increase the transfer of microwave power to the head, and continuing the application of the microwave radiation and continuing to tune the waveguide to effect the heating for a period of time to raise the temperature of the frontal portion of the brain, the period being sufficient to induce insensibility. introducing a live subject animal to be processed or handled to a stunning station and locating the animal in a generally confined position, characterised in that the method further includes: locating an applicator in an operative position so that the applicator is in contact with an application point on the animal's head immediately overlying the frontal portion of the subject animal's brain, the applicator having peripheral portions which define an opening and which contact the animals head to surround the application point when the applicator is in its operative position, the applicator having a coupling conformation to couple microwave radiation passing through the applicator and emerging from the opening of the applicator when located in its operative position at the application point so that the emerging microwave radiation passes to the head and to the frontal portion of the brain of the subject animal, generating microwave radiation of a suitable power level and frequency and directing that radiation through a waveguide to and through the applicator which is located at an operative end of the waveguide so that the radiation emerging through the opening thereby heats the frontal portion of the brain of the subject animal, detecting reflected power of microwave radiation in the waveguide and, in response to the level of reflected power, tuning the waveguide so as to reduce the reflected power being detected by changing the impedance of the waveguide and applicator to better match the impedance of the head and thereby increase the transfer of microwave power to the head, and continuing the application of the microwave radiation and continuing to tune the waveguide to effect the heating for a period of time to raise the temperature of the frontal portion of the brain, the period being sufficient to induce insensibility. locating an applicator in an operative position so that the applicator is in contact with an application point on the animal's head immediately overlying the frontal portion of the subject animal's brain, the applicator having peripheral portions which define an opening and which contact the animals head to surround the application point when the applicator is in its operative position, the applicator having a coupling conformation to couple microwave radiation passing through the applicator and emerging from the opening of the applicator when located in its operative position at the application point so that the emerging microwave radiation passes to the head and to the frontal portion of the brain of the subject animal, generating microwave radiation of a suitable power level and frequency and directing that radiation through a waveguide to and through the applicator which is located at an operative end of the waveguide so that the radiation emerging through the opening thereby heats the frontal portion of the brain of the subject animal, detecting reflected power of microwave radiation in the waveguide and, in response to the level of reflected power, tuning the waveguide so as to reduce the reflected power being detected by changing the impedance of the waveguide and applicator to better match the impedance of the head and thereby increase the transfer of microwave power to the head, and continuing the application of the microwave radiation and continuing to tune the waveguide to effect the heating for a period of time to raise the temperature of the frontal portion of the brain, the period being sufficient to induce insensibility.