Electro-thermal injuries in ruminants caused by electrical equipment during pre-slaughter operations: Forensic case reports from an animal welfare science perspective

Abstract

The use of electrical equipment for herding and moving livestock (electric batons) or for stunning animals before slaughter (electric stunners) is widespread in the livestock and meat industries worldwide. The use of these equipment is restricted to specific procedures and/or exceptional circumstances that justify their rational use. However, these restrictions can be underestimated or disregarded due to ignorance, inexperience, incompetence or irresponsibility on the part of users, resulting in pain and suffering to the animals and, in some cases, electro-thermal injury. This report presents four forensic cases of electro-thermal injuries identified during post-mortem animal welfare assessments in slaughterhouses in Colombia, Mexico and Spain. Electro-thermal injuries caused by contact (accidental or intentional) of equipment electrodes with skin and subcutaneous tissue are presented. Although our cases are isolated events detected over a 5-year period, they provide a useful visual guide for technicians and veterinarians interested in the differential diagnosis between bruises and electro-thermal injuries. The differentiation of the equipment causing the injuries allows the identification and control of critical points for animal welfare along the pre-slaughter logistic chain and the elimination of inappropriate animal handling practices.