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Report 398

Report on restraining and neck cutting or
stunning and neck cutting in pink veal calves

September 2010

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Abstract
Neural and physiological assessment of welfare
during restraining and rotation, after neck
cutting, neck cutting followed by captive bolt
stunning and electrical stunning followed by
neck cutting in pink veal calves
Keywords
Cattle, neck cutting, stunning, mechanical,
electrical, welfare
Reference
ISSN 1570 - 8616
Author(s)
E. Lambooij
J.T.N. van der Werf
H.G.M. Reimert
V.A. Hindle
Title
Report on restraining and neck cutting or
stunning and neck cutting in pink veal calves
Report 398

Report 398

Report on restraining and neck cutting or
stunning and neck cutting in pink veal calves

E. Lambooij
J.T.N. van der Werf
H.G.M. Reimert
V.A. Hindle

September 2010

Dit onderzoek is uitgevoerd in opdracht van het Ministerie van Landbouw,
Natuurbeheer en voedselkwaliteit. BO-07-011-038-004 Bedwelmd ritueel
slachten van runderen volgens de Islamitische ritus

Preface
According to the Dutch legislation (Gezondheids- en Welzijnswet, 1993; Besluit ritueel slachten), the
EU Council Directive (1993) and future Council Regulation (2009) on the protection of animals at the
time of killing it is stated that, horses, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry brought into abattoirs for
slaughter shall be a) moved and if necessary temporarily housed, b) restrained and c) stunned before
slaughter. Animals must be restrained in an appropriate manner, so as to spare them any avoidable
pain, suffering, agitation, injury or contusions. The Directive makes an exception for omitting stunning
during ritual slaughter. The different religious groups have established their own rules. There are many
different rules used in Halal slaughter. This variation is due to different interpretations of the Koran and
Hadjis. The first step for slaughter is restraining the animal in the conventional restrainers in the
slaughterhouse. After restraining the animal is exsanguinated by cutting the major blood vessels in
the neck.
The question remains whether or not the animal suffers during exsanguination. It is difficult to measure
pain in an animal and results from different experiments show a different duration of consciousness
after the neck cut. The results of a minimal anesthesia model in calves showed that the impact of
ventral-neck incision was associated with significant noxious sensory input that would have been likely
to be perceived as pain in conscious animals. In cattle the duration is longer compared to other
species due to the anastomes of the aa. vertebrales and occurrence of ballooning or false aneurisms
during bleeding.
The government should establish requirements for handling during ritual slaughter and facilitate a
dialogue with those religious groups involved.

Samenvatting
Inleiding
Internationale en nationale wetgeving bepalen dat slachtdieren voorafgaand aan het doden door
verbloeden op een adequate manier moeten worden verdoofd, waarbij een uitzondering wordt
gemaakt voor ritueel slachten. Voor het verdoven dienen de dieren zodanig te worden gefixeerd, dat
pijn, lijden, agitatie of beschadiging wordt vermeden. Met een adequate verdoving wordt een methode
bedoeld, die zonder aanvaardbare opwinding of pijn lijdt tot bewusteloosheid, gevolgd door een
dodingshandeling die leidt tot de dood. Toegestane methoden voor het verdoven zijn schietmasker,
kopslag, elektronarcose en gassen. Wanneer dieren zonder bedwelming worden gedood moet
gecontroleerd worden dat het dier bewusteloos is voordat het uit de fixatie mag worden vrij gelaten.
Het doel van het onderzoek is het effect op de hersen- en hart activiteit te beoordelen gedurende
o
o
o
fixatie en 90 , 120 of 180 draaien en vervolgens wel of niet bedwelmen voor het verbloeden. Tevens
zijn bloed waarden gerelateerd aan de energievoorziening gemeten.
Materiaal en methoden
Eenendertig rosé vlees kalveren afkomstig van verschillende mest bedrijven werden voor het
onderzoek gebruikt. Het waren rood- en zwartbonte dieren van een gemengd ras met een warm
slachtgewicht van gemiddeld 185 ± 26 kg. De dieren werden in de wachtruimte geselecteerd, uit de
staart bloed getapt en uitgerust met EEG en ECG apparatuur. Daarna werden zij naar de
verdovingsplaats gedreven, bloed getapt en in het kantel apparaat gedreven. Na fixatie van de kop
werden de kalveren 90o, 120o of 180o gedraaid en werd direct de hals ingesneden, de hals
ingesneden gevolgd door verdoven met het schietmasker of elektrisch verdoofd en de hals
ingesneden voor het verbloeden.
Resultaten
Na het insnijden van de hals vertoonde de CD (Correlatie Dimensie) score een langzame daling
evenals het %power van de hogere frequenties (bewustzijn). De oogreflex verdween 135 ± 57 s na
toediening van de halssnede. De regressie coëfficiënt R tussen de CD score en het %power was 0,6
(P < 0.01). Na het verdoven met het schietmasker na de halssnede daalt de CD score en het power %
sterk. De R tussen beide parameters was 0.8 (P< 0.01) Dit was ook het geval als de kalveren
elektrisch werden verdoofd gevolgd door de halssnede. De R was 0.4 (P < 0.01)
De hartslag in de wachtruimte na het aanbrengen van de ECG elektroden was 84 – 92 slagen/min en
rees significant (p<0.05) naar 113 -118 slagen/min na drijven naar de fixatie apparatuur en rees verder
o
o
o
naar 126 – 150 slagen/min tijdens 90 , 120 of 180 draaien. De hartvariabiliteit veranderde sterk
tijdens draaien in die zin dat de L/R waarde (maat voor stress) daalde naar een erg lage waarde
(p<0.05).
Belangrijke verhogingen in de bloedwaarden werden aangetoond in de zuurstof druk tussen
wachtruimte en ingang van het kantelapparaat en in de BE waarde (maat voor verzuring) na 180o
draaien.
Conclusies
Door het draaien tijdens de fixatie steeg de hartslag en veranderde de hartvariabiliteit (daling L/R
waarde), waardoor het welzijn mogelijk wordt geschaad. Er was geen verschil in rotatie van het dier
tot 90o, 120o of 180o.
Bewusteloosheid trad bij de rosé vleeskalveren op
na gemiddeld ongeveer 80 s na het toedienen van alleen de halssnede,
4 s na de halssnede door verdoving met het schietmasker
voor het toedienen van de halssnede na elektrische bedwelming.
De oogreflex bleek een trage klinische indicator voor het bepalen van bewusteloosheid.

Aanbevelingen
Het verdient aanbeveling om fixeren, verdoven en aan snijden op een dragende restrainer met aan
het einde een kopfixatietoestel te laten plaats vinden bij runderen om de stress tijdens het draaien te
voorkomen.
Uit de literatuur en het huidige onderzoek blijkt dat bewustzijn bij runderen na alleen een halssnede
gemiddeld ongeveer 1,5 minuut aanhoudt en kan oplopen tot 4 minuten. Gedurende deze periode kan
het dier mogelijk pijn ervaren Er wordt aanbevolen mechanisch of elektrisch te bedwelmen voor of
direct na de halssnede.

Summary
Introduction
According to the EU Council Directive on the protection of animals, horses, ruminants, pigs, rabbits
and poultry brought into abattoirs for slaughter shall be a) moved and if necessary temporarily housed,
b) restrained and c) stunned before slaughter. Animals must be restrained in an appropriate manner,
so as to spare them any avoidable pain, suffering, agitation, injury or contusions. Placement in the
restrainer is potentially very stressful and requires special attendance by the operative. Permitted
methods for stunning are 1) captive bolt pistol, 2) concussion, 3) electro-narcosis and 4) exposure to approved
gas mixtures. The Directive makes an exception to stunning for ritual slaughter. Some Halal groups accept

captive bolt stunning after the cut and/or electrical stunning. Where animals are killed without prior
stunning checks shall be carried out to ensure that the animals do not present any signs of
consciousness or sensibility before being released from restraint.
The aim of this study is to assess brain and heart activity during restraining and rotating the animal
90o, 120o or 180o and before and after neck cutting, neck cutting followed by captive bold and
electrical stunning before neck cutting. In addition, blood values related to energy metabolism were
measured and analyzed.
Materials and methods
Thirty-one pink veal calves of different breeds were delivered at the slaughterhouse from different
commercial farms. Before the experiment the animals were placed in specially separated lairage to
sample blood and equip them with EEG and ECG electrodes. Afterwards they were driven to the
restrainer, blood sampled once again, fixed head restrained, rotated to 90o, 120o or 180o and were
either immediately neck cut, neck cut and captive bolt stunned or stunned electrically and then neck
cut.
Results
After neck cutting the CD score fell slowly as did the %power of the higher frequencies. The corneal
reflex response ceased 135 ± 57 s after the neck cut. A correlation coefficient of R = 0.6 (P < 0.01)
was determined between CD values and %power of beta waves. The CD scores and the %power of
beta waves decreased sharply after captive bolt stunning. A correlation coefficient of R = 0.8 (P <
0.01) was determined between CD scores and beta wave %power. After electrical stunning a general
epileptiform insult was observed and characterized with EEG by tonic, clonic and exhaustion phases.
Both CD scores and beta wave %power decreased sharply, delta waves increased after electrical
stunning. R = 0.04 (P < 0.01)
The heartbeat rate in lairage was 84 - 92 beats/min and increased significantly (p<0.05) to 113 - 118
o
o
at the entrance of the restrainer and further on to 126 – 150 beats/min when rotated at 90 , 120 and
o
180 . Heartbeat variability also decreased significantly (P<0.05).
Interesting increases were observed in blood oxygen values between lairage and entrance to the
restrainer and in BE values after rotation to 180o.
Conclusions
It can be concluded that rotation of the restrainer compromised pink veal calf since the heartbeat rate
increased and variability in heartbeat rate fell after rotation. A difference between rotation of 90o, 120o
and 180o was not observed.
Unconsciousness could be achieved
on average approximately 80 s after the neck cut,
4 s after the neck cut by captive bolt stunning
before the neck cut after electrical stunning.
The corneal reflex appeared to be a very conservative clinical parameter for measuring the state of
consciousness.

Recommendations
A double rail conveyor restrainer for cattle was developed, which makes it possible to cut the neck in
an upright position using head restraining. It is recommended to use such a restrainer, because
rotating increased the stress.
It is reported in literature and observed in our study that unconsciousness in cattle occurred on
average 1.5 minute after the neck cut and may remain up to 4 minutes during which pain sensation
may be present. It is recommended to stun mechanically or electrically before or just after neck
cutting.

Table of contents
Preface
Summary
1

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1

2

Materials and methods. ...................................................................................................................3
2.1 Animals......................................................................................................................................3
2.2 Experimental design..................................................................................................................3
2.3 Ethics.........................................................................................................................................4
2.4 Statistical analyses....................................................................................................................4

3

Results. .............................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Brain activity..............................................................................................................................6
3.2 Heart activity .......................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Blood parameters................................................................................................................... 10

4

Discussion. .................................................................................................................................... 12

5

Conclusions and recommendation ............................................................................................. 14

Report 398

1 Introduction
According to the EU Council Directive (1993) and future Council Regulation (2009) on the protection of
animals, horses, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry brought into abattoirs for slaughter shall be a)
moved and if necessary temporarily housed, b) restrained and c) stunned before slaughter. Animals
must be restrained in an appropriate manner, so as to spare them any avoidable pain, suffering,
agitation, injury or contusions. Placement in the restrainer may cause a lot of stress and require
additional attention from the operator. Fear is a major cause for stress in cattle due to the new
environment and the fixation of the body. (Grandin, 1997; von Wenzlawowicz and von Holleben,
2007). The degree of fear is related to the breed, sex, age and experience of the animal. The animal
can be calmed by the operators and other companion animals (Grandin, 1997; von Wenzlawowicz and
von Holleben, 2007). Cattle can be neck cut in the restrainer in a standing position or rotated in e.g. a
Weinberg apparatus. Blood cortical values increased significantly and O2 saturation decreased
significantly after rotation to 180o (Dunn, 1990; Tagawa et al., 1994). The Federation of Veterinarians
in Europe (FVE) proposed the prohibition of the 180o rotation (FVE, 2005). Another detrimental aspect
they suggest is the pressure that the intestines can place on heart and lungs causing additional stress.
Permitted methods for stunning are 1) captive bolt pistol, 2) concussion, 3) electro-narcosis and 4)
exposure to approved gas mixtures. The Directive makes an exception to stunning for ritual slaughter
Some Halal groups do not accept any form of stunning whereas others do accept captive bolt stunning
after the cut or electrical stunning before the cut. The animal needs to be intact before slaughter and
captive bolt or electrical stunning may affect the integrity of the animal.
In captive bolt stunning methods the important aim is to cause tissue damage by transmitting the
energy from the missile to the brain. In general, penetration of a missile into the brain can cause injury
in one of three ways, depending on its velocity and shape: by laceration and crushing (< 100 m/s), by
shock waves (about 100 to 300 m/s) and by temporary cavitation (> 300 m/s) (Hopkinson & Marshall,
1956).
Missiles used for stunning and killing of animals are a bullet, a bolt, water jet and air pressure.
Immediately after penetration the animals express a tonic spasm for approximately 10 s prior to
relaxation, however, excessive convulsions may occur (Eichbaum et al., 1975). When immediately
after shooting major changes (delta and theta waves tending towards an iso-electric line) are seen on
the EEG (electro encephalogram) it is assumed that the animal is unconscious by analogy to similar
EEG changes described in humans (Lambooy, 1982; Lopez da Silva, 1983; EFSA, 2004). Also
immediately after captive bolt stunning veal calves express a tonic spasm for approximately 10 s prior
to relaxation, however, excessive convulsions often follow (Lambooy & Spanjaard, 1981).
Electrical stunning is a commonly used method for farmed species, however use is limited for cattle. It
involves electrical stimulation of the brain by placing electrodes on either side of the head, or on the
head and body so that current passes through the brain and heart. It is important that an adequate
voltage is used to drive sufficient current through the animal. This stimulation of the brain causes the
equivalent of a generalized epileptiform brain activity accompanied by seizures indicative of
unconsciousness and insensibility (Lambooij, 2004). The epileptic process is characterized by rapid
and extreme depolarization of the membrane potential and development of a synchronized electrical
response. This can be measured and observed on the recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) as such
an insult produces relatively small waves increasing in amplitude in the tonic phase (rigid), and
decreasing in frequency in the clonic phase (high motor activity in muscles) resulting ultimately in a
period of strong depression of electrical activity in pigs, sheep and calves (Lambooy, 1982; Anil, 1991,
Anil and McKinstry, 1992). The eye-reflex can not be used, because the reflex is blocked during the
tonic phase and may occur spontaneously during the clonic phase (Roos & Koopmans, 1936). During
epilepsy the brain remains in a highly stimulated state being unable to respond to stimuli. Another
contributing factor is the release of several neurotransmitters in the brain during such an insult. The
first phase induced by the stun produces the tonic phase through release of the excitatory
neurotransmitter glutamate. This is followed by the release of GABA that assists in the recovery if the
animal is not killed. (Cook et al., 1996)

1

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The time period to unconsciousness lasts longer when the neck cut is performed in unstunned animals
as compared to animals that are stunned by electric shock or mechanically (penetrating captive bolt).
The neck cut has to be performed in two fluent movements, but during Jewish slaughter a mean of 3.2
cuts were needed and with Halal slaughter a mean of 5.2 cuts was reported. Even then the main
arteries in the neck were not completely or incorrectly severed in one out of ten animals (Gregory et
al., 2008). During regular stunned slaughter there are also concerns about the restraining method prior
to mechanical stunning, which is often stressful for the animals (Grandin, 2001).
The aim of this study is to assess brain and heart activity during restraining and rotating the animal
90o, 120o or 180o and before and after neck cutting, neck cutting followed by captive bold and
electrical stunning before neck cutting. In addition, blood values related to energy metabolism were
measured and analyzed.

2

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2 Materials and methods.
2.1 Animals.
Thirty-one pink veal calves delivered at the slaughterhouse from different commercial farms and mixed
breeds (red or black and white) were randomly selected from groups in lairage. It was possible to
perform experiments with approximately 4 to 6 animals per day divided over 7 days After slaughter
the carcasses were weighed. The warm slaughter weight averaged 185 ± 26 kg.

Photo 1: A pink veal calf was equipped with EEG and ECG electrodes.
2.2 Experimental design
At the start of the experiment the animals were placed and fixed individually to sample blood and
equip them with EEG and ECG electrodes. (Photo 1). The rotation and stunning procedures were
randomly allocated between animals. After the preparations they were driven to the restrainer, blood
sampled once again, fixed-head restrained, rotated and immediately either neck cut or neck cut and
captive bolt stunned or stunned electrically and throat cut (Table 1). Blood was sampled during
exsanguination. In the two minutes after the cut the corneal reflex was measured every 30 s (except
after electrical stunning), there after the calf was expelled from the restrainer, bled out further and
slaughtered.
Table 1

Rotating and neck cutting or stunning and neck cutting procedures

Rotation
90o
120o
180o

Neck cutting / stunning
Neck cutting
Neck cutting followed by captive bolt
Electrical stunning followed by neck cutting
Neck cutting
Neck cutting followed by captive bolt
Electrical stunning followed by neck cutting
Neck cutting
Neck cutting followed by captive bolt
Electrical stunning followed by neck cutting

3

N
3
5
3
4
4
3
3
3
3

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Each calf was selected at random from a group, fastened with a rope halter and blood was sampled
from the vena in the tail (V. caudalis media) (70 μml). Blood was also sampled before entering the
restrainer and during exsanguination. Directly after sampling, the blood was analyzed using an ABL80
Flex (Radiometer Medical ApS Brønshøj, Denmark)
The following parameters were analyzed:
pH
acidity or alkalinity of the venous blood
pressure of carbon dioxide in the venous blood
pCO2
pressure of oxygen in the venous blood
pO2
saturation of oxygen in the venous blood
sO2
BE
base excess (indication of acidity / alkalinity in the blood)
Hb
hemoglobin content
Ht
heamatocriet
Glucose
level of glucose in the venous blood
Each calf was equipped with EEG and ECG electrodes covered by a cloth on the head, protective
tubing on the electrode leads and an elastic band around the body to hold the logging device in
position (Photo 1). The measuring equipment used was specially designed by the Royal Veterinary
College in London (Lowe et al, 2007). The measurement equipment was placed in a steel box covered
by a leather bag. Before positioning the band and the electrode pads the skin was shaved, cleaned
o
with 70 alcohol and surgical glue applied to secure the electrode pads to the surface of the skin. The
EEG electrode pads were placed on the skin of the skull: one electrode 2 cm to the right and one
electrode 2 cm to the left of the sagittal suture and 3 cm of the imaginary transverse line at the caudal
margin of the eyes. The ECG electrodes were placed caudal the olecranon on both sides of the brest.
The earth electrode for both EEG and ECG was placed on the breast dorsally to the left electrode.
Recording started immediately after the equipment was installed and ended after the animal was
expelled from the restrainer. Both EEG and ECG were recorded from activation of equipment until 2
minutes after neck cutting. The EEG and ECG recordings were later analyzed for changes in the
waveforms, frequency and suppression.
The electrical activity recorded on the EEG can be classified into delta (0 -4 Hz), theta (4-7 Hz), alpha
(8-13 Hz) and beta (> 13 Hz) frequency bands. In alpha and beta rhythms, the animal is considered
conscious (Kooi et al., 1978).
The ECG was analyzed for heart rate in beats per minute and heart rate variability i.e. the LF/HF ratio.
This is the ratio of the absolute powers in the low frequency and high frequency bands (American
Heart Association, 2009).
o

o

When entered in the restrainer the head was restrained and the calf rotated to either 90 , 120 or 180
(Table 1).Thereafter the animal was stunned by captive bolt (Cash Bulldozer .25; Accles & Shelvoke,
West Midlends, UK), at 300 V during 3 s or just neck cut. The power supply (Stork RMS,
Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands) delivered a constant voltage (50 Hz a.c., sinusoidal). After stunning the
calves were neck cut as soon as possible while restrained.

o

2.3 Ethics
The experiment was approved beforehand by the Ethical Committee of the Animal Sciences Group of
Wageningen UR.
2.4 Statistical analyses.
The EEG traces were subjected to correlation dimension (CD) analysis. This analysis provides a nonlinear (fractal) measure of signal complexity (for algorithm see Broek et al., 2005). Correlation
dimension analysis is a relatively new technique that has been customized to measure depth of
anesthesia in humans (Broek, 2003). The small amplitude, high frequency (awake) EEG signal is
more complex than the large amplitude, low frequency (unconscious) EEG signal. Therefore, high CD
values are taken to indicate awareness while low values indicate a state of unconsciousness. It is
suggested that a reduction in CD to 60% of the baseline value was an indicator of unconsciousness
(Broek, 2003).

4

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The EEG signals were computed by FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) using Hanning type (LabChart7
Pro. V7.1.2, AD Instruments, Cologne, Germany). The power spectrum was calculated by means of
512 points with an input averaging factor of 5 and a power smoothing factor of 32. An FFT was
computed before and after neck cutting. The frequencies of the waves recorded on the EEG were
divided into 4 subgroups: theta waves 1-4 Hz, delta waves 4-8 Hz, alpha waves 8-13 Hz and beta
waves 13-32 Hz (Kooi et al., 1978).
An analysis of variance was used to analyze the heart rate and blood parameters (Genstat, 2008). A
correlation (R) between the CD and %power of the beta waves was analyzed including a T-test.

5

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3 Results.
3.1 Brain activity
Rotation of the animals in the restrainer did not affect CD analyses scores or EEG analyses.
Neck cutting
At the beginning of the EEG recording in the lairage the pink veal calves showed a high CD score and
a high %power of beta waves. After neck cutting there was a slow decrease in both values (Figure 1a
and 1b). The correlation was R = 0.6 (P< 0.01) between CD values and the %power of beta waves. An
iso-electric line on the EEG was observed 42 ± 7 s after the neck cut, whereas the corneal reflex
response ceased after 135 ± 57 s.
Neck cutting followed by captive bolt stunning
The CD scores and the %power of beta waves varied during waiting and driving to the stunner. Both
values decreased sharply after captive bolt stunning and the %power of delta and theta waves
increased sharply (Table 2a and 2b). The correlation was R = 0.8 (P < 0.01) between CD scores and
beta waves %power. An iso-electric line was observed 7 ± 2 s post neck cutting and the corneal reflex
was disappeared after the first trial (30 s after the neck cut).
Electrical stunning before neck cutting
After electrical stunning a general epileptiform insult was observed EEG characterized by tonic, clonic
and exhaustion phases. Both CD scores and beta wave %power decreased sharply, whereas delta
waves increased after electrical stunning. However this decrease was followed by an opposite
increase and decrease, respectively. Thereafter a slow decrease and increase was observed,
respectively (Table 3a and 3b). The correlation was R = 0.4 (P < 0.01) between CD scores and beta
waves %power.

6

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Figure 1a Correlation dimension analyses (average ± SD) of pink veal calves before and after neck
cutting. It is suggested that a reduction in score to 60% of the baseline value was an
indicator of unconsciousness (Broek, 2003).

Figure 1b %Power of the different EEG frequency groups of pink veal calves just before and after
neck cutting. In alpha (8 – 13 Hz) and beta (13 – 32 Hz) rhythms, the animal is considered
conscious (Kooi et al., 1978).

70
%Power (0-4Hz)
%Power (4-8 Hz)
%Power (8-12 Hz)
%Power (12-32 Hz)

60

%Power

50

40

30

20

10
neck cut

0
0

100

200

300
seconds

7

400

500

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Figure 2a Correlation dimension analyses (average ± SD) of pink veal calves before and after neck
cutting followed by captive bolt stunning It is suggested that a reduction in score to 60% of
the baseline value was an indicator of unconsciousness (Broek, 2003).

Figure 2b %Power of the different EEG frequency groups of pink veal calves before and after neck
cutting followed by captive bolt stunning. In alpha (8 – 13 Hz) and beta (13 – 32 Hz)
rhythms, the animal is considered conscious (Kooi et al., 1978).

70

60

%Power (0-4 Hz)
%Power (4-8 Hz)
%Power (8-12 Hz)
%Power (13-32 Hz)

%Power

50

40

30

20

10
neck cut
0
0

100

200

300
Seconds

8

400

500

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Figure 3a Correlation dimension analyses (average ± SD) of pink veal calves before and after
electrical stunning and neck cutting. It is suggested that a reduction in score to 60% of the
baseline value was an indicator of unconsciousness (Broek, 2003).

16.0

neck cut

14.0
12.0

Scores

10.0
8.0
6.0

in restrainer

4.0
2.0
0.0
2

18

34

50

66

82

98

114 130 146 162 178 194 210

-2.0
Seconds

Figure 3b %Power of the different EEG frequency groups of pink veal calves before and after
electrical stunning followed by neck cutting. In alpha (8 – 13 Hz) and beta (13 – 32 Hz)
rhythms, the animal is considered conscious (Kooi et al., 1978).

70
%Power (0-4Hz)
%Power (4-8 Hz)
%Power (8-12 Hz)
%Power (12-32 Hz)

60

50

40

30

20

10
neck cut
0
0

100

200

300

9

400

500

Report 398

3.2 Heart activity
The heart rate during lairage was recorded at 84 - 92 beats/min and increased significantly (p<0.05) to
113 - 118 beats/min during driving to the restrainer (Table 2a, b). The heart rate increased further on
significantly (p<0.05) to 126 - 138 beats/min when rotated to 90o, 120o and 180o. After rotation heart
variability (LF/HF ratio) also changed significantly (P<0.05) (Table 2a, b).
The heart rate increased further when the animals were neck cut or neck cut combined with stunning
after or before the cut. Due to the electrical stunning the heart rate increased to a high level (Table 3).
Table 2a Heart rate in beats/min and heart variability (LF/HF ratio) after the start of recording, at the
entrance to the restrainer and after rotation of pink veal calves
Rotation
90o

120o

Heart rate
beats/min
LF/HF ratio
Heart rate
beats/min
LF/HF ratio

180o

Heart rate
beats/min
LF/HF ratio

Start
92

Entrance
113

Rotating
126

5.1 ± 5.7

9.3 ± 12.0

0.6 ± 0.4

84

115

150

5.4 ± 9.0

27.3 ± 46.3

0.6 ± 0.7

85

118

138

2.9 ± 3.2

7.8 ± 9.1

0.5 ± 0.3

Table 2b Statistical differences (P value) in heart rate in beats/min and heart variability (LF/HF ratio)
at the beginning of recording, at the entrance to the restrainer and after rotation of pink veal
calves. (See Table 2a).
Rotation
90o

120o

180o

Table 3

Start/entrance
0.02

Entrance/rotating
0.08

0.35

0.06

Heart rate
beats/min
LF/HF ratio

0.00

0.01

0.26

0.18

Heart rate
beats/min
LF/HF ratio

0.00

0.04

0.14

0.03

Heart rate
beats/min
LF/HF ratio

Heart rate in beats/min (mean ± SD) just after neck cutting.

procedure
Neck cutting
Captive bolt stunning after neck cutting
Electrical stunning before neck cutting

Seconds after cutting
just
30 s
60 s
166 ± 16 173 ± 61 202 ± 51
173± 31 163 ± 47 140 ± 23
239 ± 57
238
282 ± 76

3.3 Blood parameters
Differences in blood parameters were not observed between stunning or non- stunning methods.
Significant differences were observed between the beginning, entrance to the restrainer and rotating
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and between the degrees of rotation (Table 4a, b). Noticeable increase was observed in oxygen value
from the beginning and during entrance to the restrainer and in BE values after rotation to 180o.
Table 4a Value of blood parameters after the starting recording, at the entrance to the restrainer and
after rotation of pink veal calves.
Parameter
pH

Start
7.45

Entrance
7.48

Rotating
7.46

SE
0.02

P value
0.13

pCO2
kPa
pO2
kPa
sO2
%
BE
mmol/l
Hb
mmol/l
Ht
%
Glucose
mmol/l

5.49

5.23

5.67

0.30

0.55

2.21

2.46

2.09

0.13

0.01

89.3

92.7

84.9

3.2

0.02

4.06

4.76

4.91

0.39

0.16

1.86

1.84

1.93

0.04

0.08

34.5

34.5

35.2

0.4

0.08

6.20

6.09

6.11

0.17

0.91

Table 4b Value of blood parameters after beginning of recording, and after rotation of pink veal
calves to 90o, 120o and 180o.
180o
7.46

SE
0.03

P value
0.02*

pCO2
5.81
4.94
5.63
kPa
pO2
2.31
2.38
2.07
kPa
sO2
89.4
93.0
84.5
%
BE
3.98
3.93
5.81
mmol/l
Hb
1.83
1.91
1.87
mmol/l
Ht
34.4
35.2
34.8
%
Glucose
6.14
5.93
6.31
mmol/l
* Interaction driving to restrainer/rotation

0.55

0.05

0.16

0.22

3.5

0.06

0.87

0.02*

0.06

0.38

0.6

0.36

0.44

0.66

Parameter
pH

90o
7.44

120o
7.48

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4 Discussion.
Humane slaughter regulations aim to minimize anxiety, pain, distress or suffering at slaughter. In
mammals, stunning and stun-to-kill methods should induce unequivocal and immediate loss of
consciousness and pain sensation and when not immediate non-aversive (EFSA-AHAW/04-027,
2004). The insight into the process of attaining unconsciousness after neck cutting with or without
stunning provided by neural and physiological studies is very important. Assessment of neural and
physiological parameters may elucidate the humaneness of the stunning and killing procedure. EEG,
rhythm analyses (FFT, CD) and neurotransmitter release measurements have been used to assess
the effectiveness of mechanical and electrical head-only stun duration on welfare and the effect on
pain sensation and suffering immediately after neck cutting. CD analysis is a relatively new technique
that has been customized to measure depth of anesthesia in humans (Broek, van den 2003). The
small amplitude, high frequency (conscious) EEG signal is more complex than the large amplitude, low
frequency (unconscious) EEG signal. Therefore, high CD values are taken to indicate awareness
while low values indicate a state of unconsciousness. Studies with chickens suggest that they were
asleep at a score of 6 and during gas stunning a reduction in CD to 60% of the baseline value was
seen as indicator of an unconsciousness level similar to anaesthetized humans (Coenen & van den
Broek, 2005; McKeegan et al., 2007).
According to the CD scores there is a slow decrease after neck-cutting and an immediately large
decrease after captive bolt and electrical stunning (Figures 1, 2 and 3) which indicate a slow induction
of unconsciousness after neck cutting and a possible pain sensation during neck cutting. Since CD
score analyses have not yet been validated for cattle frequency power analyses were performed,
which show the same characteristics. Quantitative analyses of components of the EEG are used to
assess painful procedures due to noxious sensory inputs. FFT is a mathematical process that
changes the raw EEG signal from the time domain to the frequency domain, generating a power
spectrum (Murrell & Johnson, 2006; Mellor et al., 2009). It is stated that consciousness is awareness
of the world around and of the own body, where unconsciousness means unarguable
unresponsiveness. In a state of unconsciousness the EEG is always abnormal (Lopes da Silva, 1984).
Appearance of theta and delta waves and spikes towards an iso-electric line (minimal brain activity)
indicate cessation of brain activity (Lopes da Silva 1983). Since theta and delta waves tending toward
no brain activity occurred after captive bolt stunning and a general epileptiform insult occurred after
electrical head only stunning in veal calves consciousness and the possibility of perception of pain
could be excluded (Lambooij & Spanjaard, 1981, 1982). In our study we observed a slow decrease
and increase in higher and lower frequencies on the EEG, respectively after neck cutting (Figures 1a,
1b)) and an immediate change after captive bolt stunning (Figures 2a, 2b) and after electrical stunning
(Figures 3a, 3b). The results of a minimal anesthesia model in calves showed that the impact of
ventral-neck incision was associated with significant noxious sensory input that would have been likely
to be perceived as pain in conscious animals (Gibson et al., 2009a; Mellor et al., 2009). When
applying a non-penetrative captive bolt stun 5 seconds after the ventral-neck incision ameliorated the
noxious sensory input caused by the incision (Gibson et al., 2009d), and showed that the stun
prevented the subsequent development of responses in the EEG to noxious sensory input in most of
the animals (Mellor et al., 2009). These results support our findings using CD scores.
In Figure 1a the 60% score (score 8) and in Figure 1b a decrease in alpha / beta rhythms in the EEG
or unconsciousness was reached after approximately 80 s and an iso-electric line approximately 42 s
after the neck cut, whereas the corneal reflex response ceased after 135 ± 57 s. This indicates that
this clinical parameter is very conservative. Cattle have a basi-occipito plexus that allow blood to pass
via an alternative routing (Baldwin, 1960), moreover they are prone to develop aneurisms (Gregory at
al., 2006). This combination presents a risk of prolonged periods of consciousness following neck
cutting. A study in an abattoir (Gregory et al., 2009) showed that 90% of cattle collapsed in 34 s after
the neck cut and 8% took longer than 60 s which is in the same order of the 50%power found by
Gibson (2009a) and the occurrence of the iso-electric line in our study. Seventy-one percent of the
cattle that took more than 75 s (up to 4 minutes) to collapse had ballooning or false aneurysms in the
cardiac ends of the carotid arteries (Gregory et al., 2009). In our study ballooning or false aneurysms
might play a role in the prolonged duration of occurrence of unconsciousness. During exsanguination
after electrical stunning there was an increase in the CD score and power% at higher frequencies.
Once again this may be due to ballooning or false aneurisms. The same phenomenon was observed
in salmon showing that one out of 3 fish recovered during exsanguination after electrical stunning.
(Lambooij et al 2009)

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A restraining device which is generally used in Europe is the Weinberg casting pen which consists of a
narrow stall that slowly inverts the animal until it is lying on its back (Dunn, 1990; Grandin, 2005)
For our experiments this restrainer was adapted to also rotate to a 90o and 120o position. The head of
the calves were restrained before they were rotated in our experiments since it was found that there
was more vigorous struggling when head was restrained after inversion (Gregory, 2005). Animals in
this casting pen had much higher vocalization and cortisol levels compared to cattle restrained in an
upright position and blood O2 saturation decreased significantly after rotation for 180o (Dunn, 1990;
Tagawa et al., 1994; Grandin, 2005). We found significant effects on blood parameters, decreasing
oxygen level after increased angle of rotation and also an effect on BE after rotation to 180o. However,
interaction with driving to the restrainer compounded these latter observations. The effects could be
explained by the pressing of the rumen on the diaphragm and thoracic organs (Farm Animal Welfare
Council, 1985). The heart rate variability reduced significantly after rotation. Reduced heart rate
variability is characterized by signs of sympathetic activation such as faster heart rates and high levels
of catecholamine’s (Malik, 1996). Neck cutting, however, is easier to perform in cattle in a rotated
position but it leads to increased stress and an un-natural position when turned dorsally. Turning to
positions between upright and lateral recumbency (e.g. 45o or 90o) has the potential to decrease
stress (Velarde et al., 2010). A double rail conveyor restrainer for cattle or sheep in an upright position
with the legs straddling and the body supported by the belly has been developed, however never
applied in practice. The animals experienced less stress in this system (Giger et al., 1977). Later a
similar system was constructed for cattle for stunning by captive bolt which can also be used for nonstunning (Grandin, 1986, 1989). Recently, a double rail was also developed for single cattle and sheep
in small slaughter houses (Regenstein, pers. comm.).

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5 Conclusions and recommendation
Conclusions
It can be concluded that rotation of the restrainer compromised pink veal calf since the heartbeat rate
increased and variability in heartbeat rate fell after rotation. A difference between rotation of 90o, 120o
and 180o was not observed.
Unconsciousness could be achieved
- on average approximately 80 s after the neck cut,
- 4 s after the neck cut by captive bolt stunning
- before the neck cut after electrical stunning.
The corneal reflex appeared to be a very conservative clinical parameter for measuring the state of
consciousness.
Recommendations
A double rail conveyor restrainer for cattle was developed, which makes it possible to cut the neck in
an upright position using head restraining. It is recommended to use such a restrainer, because
rotating increased the stress.
It is reported in literature and observed in our study that unconsciousness in cattle occurred on
average 1.5 minute after the neck cut and may remain up to 4 minutes during which pain sensation
may be present. It is recommended to stun mechanically or electrically before or just after neck cutting

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Acknowledgement
This research was performed for and sponsored by the Dutch Ministry for Agriculture, Nature and
Food Quality. BO-07-011-038_004 Stunned slaughter of cattle in accordance with Islamic rites
The authors are very grateful to Henk Gunnink, Henk Schilder, Leonie Workel, Bert Venema, and Dirk
Anjema for their assistance during the performance of the experiments. The statistical analyses are
performed by Dr. J.W. van Riele. A special word of gratitude is for Bert van Riele for arranging for us
to use the slaughter facilities of KSA (Van Drie Group) in Aalten.

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