Effect of neck cut position on time to collapse in halal slaughtered cattle without stunning

Gibson, T J; Dadios, N; Gregory, N G

Abstract

This study examined the effect of neck cut position on the time to physical collapse in upright restrained halal slaughtered cattle (n = 644). Time to collapse was used as an indirect indicator of the early stages of onset of unconsciousness. Cattle were slaughtered with either a conventional low (LNC) (n = 561) or a high neck cut (HNC) (n = 83). Mean time to final collapse was higher in the LNC compared to HNC group (18.9 ± 1.1 s and 13.5 ± 1.3 s respectively (P < 0.01)). The mean false aneurysm scores were higher in the LNC cattle (0.8 ± 0.0) compared to the HNC (0.6 ± 0.1) (P < 0.01). Animals that took > 20 s to final collapse had larger false aneurysms. In summary, the HNC reduced the mean time to final collapse and the frequency of animals that took longer than 20 s to collapse.

Citation

Gibson, T. J., Dadios, N., & Gregory, N. G. (2015). Effect of neck cut position on time to collapse in halal slaughtered cattle without stunning. Meat Science, 110, 310-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.03.026

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 30, 2015
• Publication Date: Apr 4, 2015
• Deposit Date: Sep 3, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 28, 2018
• Journal: MEAT SCIENCE
• Print ISSN: 0309-1740
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 110
• Pages: 310-4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.03.026
• Public URL: https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/output/1401302