Development and evaluation of a stress-free slaughter system for outdoor cattle - Subproject 1 | FISA - Forschungsinformationssystem Agrar und Ernährung

Development and evaluation of a stress-free slaughter system for outdoor cattle - Subproject 1

Project

Project code: 2816800111
Contract period: 15.04.2012 - 14.04.2015
Budget: 253,155 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development

Established slaughtering systems include capture, transportation, confrontation with foreign conspecifics and eventually the delivery to the stunning box and an immobilization inside the box. All these aspects imply tremendous stress for animals. Outdoor cattle kept on free-range pastures are especially exposed to premortal strain and frequently generate handling-problems at the day of the slaughtering. However, as an alternative, the technique of free-bullet rifle shooting can be applied under the terms of German as well as EU regulations. The cow gets stunned in its familiar environment on the pasture and de-bleeds immediately. Aim of the project is to improve the method of free-bullet rifle shooting together with public authorities, veterinarians, farmers, butchers, the hunting sector and well-respected consultants and advisors for free-bullet rifle shooting in order to get the method field-ready. Besides the construction of a de-bleeding and transportation device as a decentralized part of EU certified slaughterhouses, investigations in order to develop a save stunning-effect are scheduled to be carried out. Based on these findings a 'proof of competence for the stunning and killing method via free-bullet rifle shooting for cattle' is going to be developed. Finally, the effect of the free-bullet rifle shooting on meat-quality will be investigated.

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