Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• McKeegan, D.E.F
• Abeyesinghe, S.M
• McLeman, M.A
• Lowe, J.C
• Demmers, T.G.M
• White, R.P
• Kranen, R.W
• Bemmel, H. van
• Lankhaar, J.A.C
• Wathes, C.M

Titel

Controlled atmosphere stunning of broiler chickens. II. Effects on behaviour, physiology and meat quality in a commercial processing plant

Ist Teil von

• British poultry science, 2007-08, Vol.48 (4), p.430-442

Ort / Verlag

England: Taylor & Francis Group

Erscheinungsjahr

2007

Quelle

Taylor & Francis

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• 1. The effects of controlled atmosphere stunning on behavioural and physiological responses, and carcase and meat quality of broiler chickens were studied experimentally in a full scale processing plant. 2. The gas mixtures tested were a single phase hypercapnic anoxic mixture of 60% Ar and 30% CO 2 in air with <2% O 2 , and a biphasic hypercapnic hyperoxygenation mixture, comprising an anaesthetic phase, 40% CO 2 , 30% O 2 , 30% N 2 , followed by an euthanasia phase, 80% CO 2 , 5% O 2 , 15% N 2 . 3. Birds stunned with Ar + CO 2 were more often observed to flap their wings earlier, jump, paddle their legs, twitch and lie dorsally (rather than ventrally) than those stunned with CO 2  + O 2 . These behaviours indicate a more agitated response with more severe convulsions during hypercapnic anoxia, thereby introducing greater potential for injury. 4. Heart rate during the first 100 s of gas stunning was similar for both gases, after which it remained constant at ≈230 beats/min for CO 2  + O 2 birds whereas it declined gently for Ar + CO 2 birds. 5. In terms of carcase and meat quality, there appeared to be clear advantages to the processor in using CO 2  + O 2 rather than Ar + CO 2 to stun broiler chickens, for example, a much smaller number of fractured wings (1·6 vs. 6·8%) with fewer haemorrhages of the fillet. 6. This study supports the conclusions of both laboratory and pilot scale experiments that controlled atmosphere stunning of broiler chickens based upon a biphasic hypercapnic hyperoxygenation approach has advantages, in terms of welfare and carcase and meat quality, over a single phase hypercapnic anoxic approach employing 60% Ar and 30% CO 2 in air with <2% O 2 .