title: Feather retention force in broilers ante-, peri-, and post-mortem as influenced by electrical and carbon dioxide stunning.
abstract: Stunning and slaughter trials were conducted to evaluate the influence of stunning method (electrical 50 V alternating current, CO2 gas: 0 to 40% for 90 s or 40 to 60% for 30 s) on feather retention force (FRF) in commercial broilers. Feathers from the pectoral, sternal, and femoral feather tracts were sampled with a force gauge before stunning (ante-mortem) and contralaterally either after stunning (peri-mortem from 0.5 to 4 min) or after stunning and bleeding (post-mortem from 2 to 6 min). Prior to stunning, ante-mortem FRF values varied among assigned stunning methods only for the pectoral (7%) feather tract. After stunning, peri-mortem FRF values were higher only for the sternal tract (11% for 40 to 60% CO2 for 30 s); whereas after stunning and bleeding, post-mortem FRF values were lower than ante- or peri-mortem only for the sternal tract (10% lower for 40 to 60% CO2 for 30 s). Peri- and post-mortem FRF values did not differ among stunning methods for the pectoral and femoral feather tracts. Small changes in FRF values occurred from ante-mortem to peri-mortem (-1 to +12%), and from ante-mortem to post-mortem (-2 to +8%) across stunning methods. A significant increase was determined for only the pectoral tract (7%) from ante- to peri-mortem across stunning methods. Electrically stunned broilers that were not bled gained weight in excess of the 36 feathers removed (0.16%), apparently due to body surface water pickup during the brine-stunning process, whereas CO2-stunned broilers lost weight due to excretion of cloacal contents (-0.31 to -0.98%). The change in body weight among stunning methods was significant (P < 0.0233). Peri- and post-mortem FRF, in addition to bleed-out body weight loss, were not substantially influenced by electrical or CO2 stunning methods, and, therefore, carcass defeathering efficiency may not differ after scalding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-4875, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Buhr
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cason
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Rowland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002645:Chickens; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005241:Feathers; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005524:Food Technology / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide