Stunning, Handling, Stunning, Handling, and Determining and Determining

Insensibility in PigsInsensibility in Pigs

Temple GrandinTemple GrandinDepartment of Animal SciencesDepartment of Animal Sciences

Colorado State UniversityColorado State University

Trouble Shooting Trouble Shooting HandlingHandling

1.1. Distractions that cause balkingDistractions that cause balking2.2. Slick floor causes agitationSlick floor causes agitation3.3. Facility design problemFacility design problem4.4. Employee training issueEmployee training issue

Most Common Most Common DistractionsDistractions

1.1. Reflections on water or metalReflections on water or metal2.2. Air blowing towards approaching pigsAir blowing towards approaching pigs3.3. Moving people or equipmentMoving people or equipment4.4. Chute entrance too darkChute entrance too dark5.5. Visual cliff in conveyor restrainerVisual cliff in conveyor restrainer

Electric Prod Use on Pigs Was Reduced By Electric Prod Use on Pigs Was Reduced By Adding Lighting at the Restrainer EntranceAdding Lighting at the Restrainer Entrance

38

40

10

20

30

40

50

% P

igs

Elec

tric

Pro

dded

Dark Entrance Well Lit Entrance

All handlers were well

trained and only pigs that

balked or backed up

were prodded

IndirectIndirect Lighting Lighting Works BestWorks Best

This lamp is pointed in the sameThis lamp is pointed in the samedirection as the pigsdirection as the pigs

Pig Baulking at Pig Baulking at Metal StripMetal Strip

Quiet Quiet handling in handling in

the stunning the stunning chutechute

== 10 %10 %less PSEless PSE

Benjamin et al., 2001Benjamin et al., 2001

Aggressive HandlingAggressive Handling

Quiet HandlingQuiet Handling

25 mmol/L25 mmol/L

4 mmol/L4 mmol/L

Blood Blood LactateLactate

Pigs that get jammed in Pigs that get jammed in chutes have very high chutes have very high

stress levelsstress levels

Training Training EmployeesEmployees

1.1. Flight Zone PrinciplesFlight Zone Principles2.2. Point of BalancePoint of Balance3.3. No YellingNo Yelling4.4. Move Pigs in Small GroupsMove Pigs in Small Groups5.5. Fill Crowd Pen Half FullFill Crowd Pen Half Full6. Get Electric Prods Out of People6. Get Electric Prods Out of People’’s s

HandsHands

Use Use Alternative Alternative

Driving AidsDriving Aids

Trouble Shooting Trouble Shooting StunningStunning

1.1. Excessive electric prod use Excessive electric prod use due to distractionsdue to distractions

2.2. Stunner settingsStunner settings3.3. Employee trainingEmployee training4.4. Wand ergonomicsWand ergonomics5.5. Line speedLine speed6.6. Poor bleedingPoor bleeding

Both sides of restrainer must Both sides of restrainer must run at the same speedrun at the same speed

Two Types of Two Types of Electric StunningElectric Stunning

Head Only Head Only –– Must bleed Must bleed within 15 sec.within 15 sec.

Cardiac Arrest Cardiac Arrest –– Must bleed Must bleed within 60 sec.within 60 sec.

Head Only Reversible Head Only Reversible Stun Correct PositionStun Correct Position

Head to body cardiac Head to body cardiac arrest stunnerarrest stunner

Incorrect Head/Heart Saddle Incorrect Head/Heart Saddle Stunner PlacementStunner Placement

Electrodes must be positioned so the Electrodes must be positioned so the current goes through the braincurrent goes through the brain

Location of Location of Pig BrainPig Brain

EEG brainwaves used to determine EEG brainwaves used to determine that a proper stun induces that a proper stun induces

a grand mal epileptic seizurea grand mal epileptic seizure

Minimum Stunner Minimum Stunner Amperage SettingsAmperage Settings

1.251.25 amps for pigsamps for pigs

1.001.00 amps for sheep and cattleamps for sheep and cattle

Blood Splash Caused By Blood Splash Caused By Poor Electric StunningPoor Electric Stunning

Center Track Center Track RestrainerRestrainer

May have less May have less blood splashblood splash

than a V Conveyor than a V Conveyor because because

there is lessthere is lesspressure pressure

on the bodyon the body

Electric Stunning TroubleshootingElectric Stunning TroubleshootingBlood Splash (manual and automatic)Blood Splash (manual and automatic)

1.1. Sliding wand during the stunSliding wand during the stun2.2. Hot Hot wandingwanding3.3. Frayed wires inside the cordsFrayed wires inside the cords4.4. Corroded switchesCorroded switches5.5. Water in switches or cordsWater in switches or cords6.6. Dirty electrodesDirty electrodes7.7. Animal grounds out through restrainerAnimal grounds out through restrainer8.8. Hold Down pushing down on the animalHold Down pushing down on the animal9.9. One side of restrainer runs fasterOne side of restrainer runs faster

Blood splash trouble shootingBlood splash trouble shooting

Automatic Electric Automatic Electric StunnersStunners

Properly Properly Stunned Stunned

Insensible Insensible PigsPigs

Righting Reflex in Righting Reflex in a Fully Sensible Piga Fully Sensible Pig

Picture not from U.S.

Interpreting Eye Blinks in Interpreting Eye Blinks in Electrically Stunned PigsElectrically Stunned Pigs

Under plant conditions, avoid touching the eye with Under plant conditions, avoid touching the eye with fingers. Watch for normal blinks which look like blinks on a fingers. Watch for normal blinks which look like blinks on a live pig. The following are not blinks:live pig. The following are not blinks:

1.1. NystagmusNystagmus –– vibrating eye or lidvibrating eye or lid2.2. Eye clenched shut Eye clenched shut –– pops openpops open3.3. Opens when touched but does not closeOpens when touched but does not close

In captive bolt stunned cattle, In captive bolt stunned cattle, nystagmusnystagmus is a sign of a is a sign of a possible poor stun.possible poor stun.

Troubleshooting Return to Sensibility Troubleshooting Return to Sensibility Signs in Electrically Stunned AnimalsSigns in Electrically Stunned Animals

1.1. Insufficient amperageInsufficient amperage2.2. Poor bleedingPoor bleeding3.3. Poor initial contact that results in insufficient timePoor initial contact that results in insufficient time4.4. Interrupted current which results in insufficient timeInterrupted current which results in insufficient time5.5. Wrong placement on the headWrong placement on the head6.6. StunningStunning--toto--bleed interval too long with head only bleed interval too long with head only

stunningstunning

Trouble shooting return to sensibilityTrouble shooting return to sensibility

Improving Stun Wand Improving Stun Wand Surface Area Can Increase Surface Area Can Increase

the Stun Efficacythe Stun Efficacy

Prone bleed may Prone bleed may reduce blood reduce blood splashsplash because the stun to bleed because the stun to bleed

interval is under 10 secondsinterval is under 10 seconds

BleedingBleeding

Good bleeding with Good bleeding with Poor bleeding withPoor bleeding withhigh blood flow small blood flowhigh blood flow small blood flow

Genetics May Affect Genetics May Affect Pig's Reaction to COPig's Reaction to CO22

COCO2 2 StunnerStunner

Low Stress Group Low Stress Group Handling With COHandling With CO22

Best Practice:Best Practice:Inspection port Inspection port

on COon CO22 machine machine for observing for observing

anesthesia inductionanesthesia induction

Control of forward movements Control of forward movements of crowd gate by a person of crowd gate by a person

prevents overcrowdingprevents overcrowding

COCO22 Pigs Limp and FloppyPigs Limp and Floppy

Slight limb movements and Slight limb movements and gasping may occurgasping may occur

Order of Events During Return to Order of Events During Return to Sensibility in COSensibility in CO22 Stunned PigsStunned Pigs

Average TimeAverage Time

Corneal reflex (touch eye)Corneal reflex (touch eye) 42 sec42 secRhythmic breathingRhythmic breathing 68 sec68 secExcitationExcitation 76 sec76 secNystagmusNystagmus (vibrating eye)(vibrating eye) 86 sec86 secSpontaneous natural blinking (donSpontaneous natural blinking (don’’t touch)t touch) 93 sec93 secConscious movement (righting reflex)Conscious movement (righting reflex) 171 sec171 secAttempt to stand upAttempt to stand up 387 sec387 sec

These events are very variableThese events are very variable

Danish Meat Research Institute, Danish Meat Research Institute, HolstHolst (2001)(2001)

COCO22 return to sensibility sequencereturn to sensibility sequence

There is Zero Tolerance There is Zero Tolerance for Hoisting an for Hoisting an

Animal that is Showing Obvious Animal that is Showing Obvious Signs of SensibilitySigns of Sensibility

There is There is Zero ToleranceZero Tolerance for :for :Skinning, Scalding, Dehairing or Skinning, Scalding, Dehairing or

Removal of any Body Part Removal of any Body Part on an Animal that Shows on an Animal that Shows anyany Sign of Sign of

Partial Return to SensibilityPartial Return to Sensibility

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