title: A comparison of the effects of electrical, captive bolt or percussion stunning on the incidence of blood splash in lambs.
abstract: Three-hundred-and-three lambs were divided into three equal groups. Half the lambs in each group were not weaned before slaughter and the weaned half were slaughtered a week later. Lambs in one group were head stunned electrically before slaughter; in the second group lambs were stunned with a captive bolt pistol and in the third group they were percussion stunned before slaughter. Carcasses, gall-bladders, hearts and duodenums were inspected for blood splash after slaughter. A few small haemorrhages were detected in 57% of the electrically stunned lambs, in 30% of the captive bolt stunned lambs and in only 16% of the percussion stunned animals. Although no splash of commercial significance was found in any carcass, 25% of the electrically stunned lambs had detectably splashed carcasses, whilst only 1% of percussion-stunned lambs had splashed carcasses with captive bolt stunned lambs being intermediate in carcass splash incidence. These results show that stunning method affects the incidence of blood splash.
authors: Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors: A H
authors: AH
authors: Kirton
authors: L F
authors: LF
authors: Frazerhurst
authors: W H
authors: WH
authors: Bishop
authors: G W
authors: GW
authors: Winn