Captive Bolt Pistol Research Articles

A preclinical model for osteoarticular fracture fragment preservation for delayed re-implantation

BackgroundOpen articular fractures often include contaminated, devascularized osteoarticular fragments that are critical for joint reconstruction. Definitive treatment is often delayed such that decontamination and preservation of critical fragments for joint reconstruction is highly desirable. To validate decontamination and preservation protocols for safe and effective preservation of osteoarticular fragments for re-implantation, a preclinical animal model for inducing type 3 open articular fractures with contaminated, devascularized osteoarticular fragments was developed and validated. Materials and methodsWith IACUC approval, purpose-bred hounds (n = 5) were humanely euthanized. Immediately following euthanasia, a penetrating captive bolt pistol with 1.25 grain cartridge centered on the cranial aspect of each distal humerus was discharged to create open fractures in 3 dogs (6 elbows). In 2 dogs, matched osteoarticular tissues from non-injured elbows (controls) were retrieved for comparison. Distal humerus, proximal radius, and proximal ulna osteoarticular fragments (n = 27) were immediately placed in Missouri Osteochondral Preservation System (MOPS) solution and stored at room temperature. Radiographic, chondrocyte viability, and quantitative microbial culture assessments were performed immediately (time-0) and at 7 and 14 days of storage. ResultsThis preclinical canine model reliably produced type 3 open distal humeral fractures characterized by devascularized and contaminated osteoarticular fracture fragments. All fragments produced extensive microbial growth through 14 days of storage. Without decontamination, viable chondrocyte density in the fragments decreased significantly within 7 days, likely attributable to the profound contamination. ConclusionThese data highlight the importance of developing a reliable method for point-of-care decontamination and preservation of osteoarticular fracture fragments for safe and effective reimplantation of articular fracture fragments for joint reconstruction.

The use of a penetrative captive bolt device during the killing of farmed saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus)

ABSTRACT Killing of farmed saltwater crocodiles involve stunning with a penetrative captive bolt device, followed by a cut across the nape of the neck and physical destruction of the brain to ensure death. This study was a welfare-based assessment of the use of a penetrative captive bolt device in saltwater crocodiles, to determine whether it satisfies the criteria of a humane stunning method and can be regarded as a direct killing method without the need for the application of an adjunct method. Methods used were electroencephalogram (EEG), observation of post-stun behavior, and postmortem examination of gross pathology of the cranium and brain. 30 of 30 animals, demonstrated immediate and irreversible loss of consciousness. There was extensive damage to the brain in all animals, deemed to be inconsistent with cortical function and possible recovery. The CASH Special 0.22 penetrative captive bolt pistol (1.25 grain cartridge), applied to the top of the cranial plate, produced immediate and irreversible unconsciousness in all the animals studied. This method satisfies animal welfare expectations, providing crocodile processors with a technique that contributes to a humane killing process.

A CASE OF SELF-HARM USING A DEVICE TO STUN FARM ANIMALS

There are several types of devices used to stun cattle before slaughter or stunner (captive bolt pistol, cattlegun, stunner). This device consists of a heavy impact rod made of corrosion-resistant alloys such as stainless steel. It is held inside the case with the help of rubber washers and does not protrude from it. The rod is actuated by the trigger and is advanced by compressed air, a spring mechanism, or a blank cartridge charge that is ignited by the firing pin. After a shallow but strong blow to the animal's forehead, the spring tension causes the rod to roll back into the housing. In forensic medical practice, such devices usually appear as instruments of death in cases of suicidal or accidental injuries. Moreover, when reviewing the Ukrainian-language literature, the authors did not come across reports of deaths caused by stunners for stunning animals. Such situations are described in English-language professional periodicals, but they are extremely rare. Killings are generally isolated, apparently due to the fact that fatal wounds when fired from these devices occur from a distance of less than 10 cm, which follows from the design, namely the length of the rod. That is why the authors decided to report on a case from their expert work.
 A 58-year-old man was found unconscious in a beam and was taken to the hospital with a severe open penetrating brain injury, a hole-multifragmentary fracture of the left temporal bone, where he died 10 hours later. No additional data was provided by the police
 According to the autopsy data, a wound of a slightly irregular, rounded shape, with a diameter of about 0.9 cm, with small scalloped edges, which were unevenly beveled due to the "minus-tissue" defect towards the center, was found. Around the wound, there was an irregular, rectangular-shaped, brown-brown, dried-up scab, which was more pronounced on the lower edge. On the bow of the right temporal bone there is a hole-fragmentary fracture with the formation of a bone defect in the central part. The defect had a rounded shape, its edges are finely serrated, beveled like a trapezoid in the direction of the skull cavity, around the defect there is a funnel-shaped depression of the bone, which is formed by three incomplete fragments of an irregular shape. The total length of the wound canal was about 9 cm, and there were small bone fragments in the brain detritus along its entire length. No striking elements of the projectile or the projectile itself were found within the wound channel.
 According to the medical criminalistics investigation, the following were found: intermittent overlays of small dust-like dull particles of dark gray and black color, similar to soot shot, within the sedimentation belt, on the walls of the hole, and on the area of an irregular oval shape, located below and to the right of the above-mentioned damage. A diphenylamine test with dust-like particles gave a positive result. Traces of compounds of iron (characteristic form), lead, nickel and copper were also detected by the contact-diffusion method.
 Conclusions:
 
 Unfortunately, police very often do not provide important, and sometimes critically important, information, especially before the examination, so it is necessary to request the provision of criminal proceedings materials in any case with undetermined or unspecified circumstances.
 Forensic medical experts must use all available verified sources of information, within the framework allowed by legislation of Ukraine.
 In this case, the injuries were caused by a device with a firearm mechanism of operation, therefore, in unclear cases, it is necessary to use the term "device" and not "weapon" in the results.

Surviving the Scene in Civilian Penetrating Brain Injury: Injury Type, Cause and Outcome in a Consecutive Patient Series in Austria.

BackgroundPenetrating brain injury (PBI) is a heterogeneous condition with many variables. Few data exist on civilian PBI. In some publications, PBI differentiation between low-velocity injury (LVI) and high-velocity injury (HVI) is made, but exact definitions are not given yet. The incidence of PBI depends heavily on the country of origin. Furthermore, captive bolt pistol (CBP) injuries represent a rare type of LVI and almost no reports exist in the human medical literature. Treatment of PBI has been controversially discussed due to high morbidity and mortality with results varying considerably between series. Prognostic factors are of utmost importance to identify patients who presumably benefit from treatment.MethodsA retrospective, single-center analysis of a consecutive patient series was performed from September 2005 to May 2018. We included all patients with PBI who reached our hospital alive and received any neurosurgical operative procedure.ResultsOf 24 patients, 38% died, 17% had an unfavourable outcome, and 46% had a favourable outcome. In total, 58% of patients with PBI were self-inflicted. Leading causes of injury were firearms, while captive bolt pistols were responsible for 21% of injuries. LVI represented 54%, and HVI represented 46%. The outcome in HVI was significantly worse than that in LVI. A favourable outcome was achieved in 69% of LVI and 18% of HVI. Low GCS and pathological pupillary status at admission correlated significantly with an unfavourable outcome and death.ConclusionsPBI is a heterogeneous injury with many variables and major geographical and etiological differences. Differentiation between LVI and HVI is crucial for decision-making and predicting outcomes. In patients presenting with object trajectories crossing the midline, no favourable outcome could be achieved. Nevertheless, in total, a favourable outcome was possible in almost half of the patients who succeeded in surgery.

Establishing an Economical and Widely Accessible DCD Animal Abattoir Model for Donor Lungs Using Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion

<h3>Purpose</h3> We present a research model that uses abattoir sheep lungs on ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP). To best draw parallels, an EVLP animal model should be of comparable lung size, structure, circulatory and respiratory function. Especially, PaO₂/FiO₂, pulmonary artery- and left atrial pressures (PAP and LAP) and airway pressures should meet clinical standards. <h3>Methods</h3> Contact was made with an abattoir willing to sell animal lungs for research. A faster procurement was negotiated, as well as on-site flushing and sampling. Six lungs from 20-30kg sheep were used. Pig lungs were unusable due to the boiling process they undergo. Sheep were stunned by a captive bolt pistol prior to exsanguination. Lungs were flushed and submerged in Perfadex Plus for 3 (n=4) or 7 hours (n=2) (hrs) of static cold storage (SCS). Each perfusion a home-made set was primed with 1.7L of buffered dextran-albumin solution (BDAs). Low flow (20% cardiac output) and tidal volume (6ml/kg BW) were chosen. Perfusion was run for 3 (n=4) or 7 (n=2) hrs. No extra perfusate was added in the 3hr runs. Lung biopsies, respiratory values, PAP and LAP were recorded and hourly blood gas analyses were performed. <h3>Results</h3> Mean oxygenation capacity remained stable with 47.1kPa pO₂ at 1hr and 47.2kPa pO₂ at 3hrs, <i>p</i> = 0.97. Our 7hrs perfusion case also remained stable between the 1st hr (47.8 kPa pO₂) and the 7th hr (pO₂ 45.2 kPa). Furthermore pressures remained adequate both after 3hrs and 7hrs, a PAP ≤ 15 mmHg, LAP 3-5 mmHg and peak pressures ≤ 20 cmH₂O. Mean wet weight/dry weight analyses showed an overall increase in oedema, 81.8% at procurement to 86.1% 3hrs post perfusion, <i>p</i> < 0.01. However, post-SCS (84.1%) versus 3hrs (86.1%) was not different, <i>p</i> = 0.14. When exchanging 1L of BDAs in the 7hrs experiment, fluid concentrations dropped from 85.9% at 2hrs post perfusion to 82.3% at 6hrs post perfusion. (Fig. 1) <h3>Conclusion</h3> Abattoir animal lungs on EVLP are a good source for testing donor lung treatments. Three and 7hrs of SCS, as well as 3 and 7hr perfusions are possible.

Quantification of cooling effects on basic tissue measurements and exposed cross-sectional brain area of cadaver heads from market pigs.

The objective of this project was to determine the impact of cooling on the soft tissue thickness, cranial thickness, and cross-sectional brain area of cadaver heads from market pigs. Documenting the effect of cooling on tissue dimensions of swine heads is valuable and important for future investigations of physical stunning and euthanasia methods that use cadaver heads. Scalded and dehaired cadaver heads with intact jowls were sourced from market pigs stunned with CO2 gas. After transport to the data collection location, a penetrating captive bolt (PCB) shot (Jarvis Model PAS—Type P 0.25R Caliber Captive Bolt Pistol with Medium Rod Assembly and Blue Powder Cartridges) was applied in the frontal position. Following PCB application, each head (n = 36) underwent an UNCHILLED treatment followed by CHILLED treatment. The UNCHILLED treatment involved images collected immediately after splitting each head along the bolt path, and the CHILLED treatment involved images of the same heads after storage in a walk-in cooler for 24 h at 2 to 4°C. All measurements for each treatment were collected from images of the heads on the plane of the bolt path immediately prior to and immediately after the refrigeration treatment. Measurements were performed by two observers. Across all measurements, mean interobserver coefficient of variation was 11.3 ± 0.6%. The soft tissue caudal to the bolt path was different (P = 0.0120) between treatments (CHILLED: 6.4 ± 0.2 mm; UNCHILLED: 7.2 ± 0.2 mm). The soft tissue thickness rostral to the bolt path was different (P = 0.0378) between treatments (CHILLED: 5.5 ± 0.2 mm; UNCHILLED: 6.1 ± 0.2 mm). Cranial thickness caudal to the bolt path was not different (P = 0.8659; CHILLED: 18.1 ± 0.6 mm; UNCHILLED: 18.3 ± 0.6 mm), nor was there a significant difference (P = 0.2593) in cranial thickness rostral to the bolt path between treatments (CHILLED: 16.2 ± 0.6 mm; UNCHILLED: 15.2 ± 0.6 mm). Cross-sectional brain area did not differ (P = 0.0737; CHILLED: 3633.4 ± 44.1 mm; UNCHILLED: 3519.9 ± 44.1 mm). A correction factor of 1.12 was determined from this study for cases where estimation of UNCHILLED soft tissue thickness from CHILLED soft tissue thickness is necessary.

Evaluation of the animal welfare during religious slaughtering.

Plasma cortisol and its metabolites are physiological indicators for stress assessment and slaughtering method may affect their levels, playing an important role in the correct acidification of meat. The aim of the study was to determine and compare plasma cortisol values in animals slaughtered using traditional procedures, which include stunning (using captive bolt pistol), with those in animals slaughtered using Halal method, which does not involve stunning. The study was carried out on a total of 60 Charolais male beef cattle of eight months of age, bred in free paddock outdoors. The animals were divided into two experimental groups, each consisting of 30 individuals, on the basis of the slaughtering method, i.e. traditional or Halal, to verify the whole production chain and to ensure that the product conformed to Muslim rules. Plasma cortisol levels (detected by Elisa test) were evaluated at two different times of animal productive life: on the farm, one week before slaughter (T0) and during bleeding (T1). The 30 calves slaughtered after stunning showed plasma cortisol values of 4.06±1.94 and 43.72±12.09 nmol/L, respectively on the farm and during exsanguination. Conversely, the average values found in the 30 calves subjected to ritual slaughter were 3.26±1.01 and 88.81±41.02 nmol/L. The study demonstrated that throughout the animal’s productive life (from pasture to slaughter) the greatest variation between slaughter with and without stunning was observed during bleeding.

Evaluation of the CASH Dispatch Kit combined with alternative shot placement landmarks as a single-step euthanasia method for cattle of various ages

AbstractHumane euthanasia of cattle under field conditions presents special challenges for veterinarians and producers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the CASH Dispatch Kit captive-bolt system combined with improved shot placement landmarks as a single-step euthanasia method for cattle. Cattle destined for euthanasia for reasons unrelated to the study were utilised. Adult (&gt; 2 years), young (6-24 months) and neonatal (&lt; 1 month) cattle each received a single shot from the CASH penetrating captive-bolt pistol. An additional group of neonatal animals was shot with a non-penetrating muzzle attachment. The shot was placed on midline halfway between the top of the poll and an imaginary line connecting the lateral canthus of each eye. Following the shot, the animals were immediately assessed for loss of consciousness based upon: i) immediate collapse (if standing); ii) loss of eye reflexes with a centered, dilated pupil; iii) lack of co-ordinated respiration; iv) lack of vocalisation; and v) lack of a righting reflex. Lack of consciousness and heartbeat were assessed at 1-min intervals until cardiac arrest. All animals were adequately stunned by a single shot. Euthanasia via a single shot was successful in 28/31, 17/19, 8/10, and 9/10 adult, young, neonate (penetrating) and neonate (non-penetrating) animals, respectively. Reasons for failure included return of co-ordinated respiration and prolonged time until cardiac arrest. A single shot from the CASH Dispatch captive-bolt system will humanely euthanase most animals. However, the results of this study indicate that application of a follow-up step to ensure death is still needed in certain instances.

The Effect of On-Farm Slaughter via Gunshot and Conventional Slaughter on Sensory and Objective Measures of Beef Quality Parameters

&lt;p&gt;Beef quality parameters can be negatively affected by pre-slaughter stress. Slaughter via gunshot directly on the pasture appears to be suitable for the reduction of pre-slaughter stress by avoiding stressors such as transportation, lairage and human contact. The effect of slaughtering via gunshot on sensory and objective measures of beef quality parameters for the &lt;em&gt;Musculus longissimus dorsi &lt;/em&gt;of Galloway steers was analyzed and compared to conventional slaughter at the abattoir using captive-bolt stunning. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was significantly (P &amp;lt; 0.01) lower for the meat of the animals slaughtered via gunshot (arithmetic mean (AM) gunshot: 4.34 kg; AM captive-bolt pistol: 4.77 kg). However, trained assessors were not able to recognize this difference (P &amp;gt; 0.05). No significant differences (P &amp;gt; 0.05) were observed for cooking loss and the sensory quality evaluation of juiciness. As measured by the WBSF, the meat of the animals slaughtered via gunshot was slightly more tender than was the meat of the animals stunned with a captive-bolt pistol. However, for the cooking loss and sensory evaluations, no effect of the slaughter methods was observed. Nevertheless, this study reveals the potential that slaughter via gunshot provides for the improvement of beef quality.&lt;/p&gt;

Quality Assessment of Longissimus and Semitendinosus Muscles from Beef Cattle Subjected to Non-penetrative and Penetrative Percussive Stunning Methods.

This study provides a comparative analysis of the effects of pre-slaughter penetrative and non-penetrative stunning and post-slaughter stunning on meat quality attributes in longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles in heifers. Ten animals were assigned to each of four treatment groups: i) animals were subjected to conventional Halal slaughter (a clean incision through the structures at the front of the upper neck - the trachea, oesophagus, carotid arteries and jugular veins) and post-cut penetrating mechanical stun within 10 to 20 s of the neck cut (Unstunned; US); ii) high power non-penetrating mechanical stunning followed by the neck cut (HPNP); iii) low power non-penetrating mechanical stunning followed by the neck cut (LPNP); and iv) penetrative stunning using a captive bolt pistol followed by the neck cut (P). For each carcass, muscle samples were removed within 45 min of slaughter, portioned and analysed for pH, cooking loss, water holding capacity (WHC), tenderness (WBS), lipid oxidation (TBARS) and color, over a two week storage period. Stunning did not affect pH and cooking loss. Significant differences in water holding capacity, tenderness, lipid oxidation and color were present at different storage time points. HPNP stunning resulted in lower WHC and color values, particularly lightness (L*), higher TBARS values and peak force values compared with those stunned using LPNP, P and US. These adverse effects on quality were mostly encountered in the ST muscle. In conclusion, the meat quality achieved using P, LPNP and US treatments was comparable, and no treatment stood out as considerably better than another.

Brain Injury by Captive Bolt Pistol

A 70-year-old man with a history of depressive syndrome was referred after being shot with a captive bolt pistol designed for killing livestock (Figure 1). The wound was suspected to be self-inflicted. The patient was admitted with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 6 and a left fixed dilatated pupil. He had a left temporal entry wound. A head computed tomography scan revealed a bloody trajectory with bone shards in the left temporal lobe and injury of the deep white substance, hippocampal region, thalamus, and mesencephalon.

Serum cortisol and haematological, biochemical and antioxidant enzyme variables in horse blood sampled in a slaughterhouse lairage, immediately before stunning and during exsanguination

The aim of the study was to determine changes of serum cortisol and biochemical, haematological and antioxidant enzyme variables in the blood of horses sampled during the pre-slaughter period (in the lairage and in the stunning box) and during exsanguination. A total of 24 Slovenian warm-blooded horses were observed. Blood samples for determination of serum cortisol and biochemical, haematological (red blood cell count, haematocrit, haemaglobin concentration) and antioxidant enzyme (whole blood superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) variables were collected by venipuncture of the left jugular vein in the lairage pen, 60 min before stunning (lairage) and immediately before stunning (stunning box). At exsanguination, blood samples were collected from the wound at the time of jugular vein sticking. During blood collection in the lairage pen and in the stunning box, horses were gently restrained with a halter. They were stunned using a penetrating captive bolt pistol impelled by air and were bled by jugular vein sticking. Horses were physically active in the lairage pen and in the race before entering the stunning box. After stunning, the horses showed paddling movements with their legs. In horses, the plasma lactate and glucose concentrations, the serum potassium concentration, the activities of the serum muscle enzymes aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase, and values of most of the other biochemical (Table 1) and haematological variables (Table 2), were significantly (P < 0.05) higher at exsanguination, than in blood sampled while they were in the lairage and in the stunning box. The serum concentrations of cortisol and chloride and the activities of alanine aminotransferase and antioxidant enzymes were not significantly different between the pre-slaughter period and exsanguination. All selected blood variables were not significantly different between the lairge and the stunning box sampling time, indicating no physiological stress responses of the investigated horses to stressors, such as novelty of the pre-slaughter environment and handling, present in the slaughterhouse between the lairage and the stunning box. However, the significantly higher values, at exsanguination, for the plasma lactate and glucose concentrations, serum muscle enzyme activities and haematological variables, than during the pre-slaughter period, might partially be attributed to stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, caused by stunning and bleeding.

Eficácia do sistema de contenção (automatizado e mecânico) no atordoamento de bovinos

Um total de 800 bovinos machos (nelore/anelorados), com idade entre 28 e 36 meses, foi atordoado com pistola pneumática, com pressão de operação de 11 a 12bar e haste de penetração de 15.9mm de diâmetro, em sistemas de contenção diferentes (mecânico e atomatizado). O box de contenção mecânico tradicional (2,53x0,88x2,20m) não permitiu a contenção da cabeça do animal; no segundo tratamento utilizou-se box de contenção automatizado (2,60x0,85x2,30m), com parede lateral e piso móveis, guilhotina e elevador de cabeça. O box automatizado proporcionou menor número de disparos necessários para o atordoamento (1,0625±0,013) em comparação ao mecânico(1,2025±0,026), (P≤0,0001), reduziu a distância em relação ao ponto ideal no primeiro disparo (1,246±0,918 e 2,357±1,246) e no segundo (3,042±0,141 e 4,016±0,101), (P 0,0001), assim como proporcionou ausência de reflexo respiratório comparativamente ao sistema mecânico (0,0275±0,008), (P≤0,001). O box automatizado apresentou maior bem-estar e maior eficácia na contenção e insensibilização dos bovinos

Pre-slaughter conditions, animal stress and welfare: current status and possible future research

The present paper describes the main procedures used to slaughter fowl, pigs, calves and adult cattle, sheep, and farmed fish, starting on the farm and ending with the death of the animal at the abattoir. It reviews the currently known causes of stress, indicated by behavioural and physiological measurements on the animal level, and by post-mortem muscle metabolism. During the pre-slaughter period, psychological stress is due to changes of environment, social disturbances and handling, and physical stress is due to food deprivation, climatic conditions, fatigue, and sometimes pain. The exact causes of stress depend, however, on the characteristics of each species, including the rearing system. For fowl, bird catching and crating, duration and climatic conditions of transport and of lairage and shackling are the main known pre-slaughter stress factors. For pigs, stress is caused by fighting during mixing of pens, loading and unloading conditions, and introduction in the restrainer. Handling and novelty of the situation contribute to the stress reactions. For veal calves and adult cattle, disruption of the social group, handling, loading and sometimes unloading conditions, fatigue, novelty of the situation and for calves mixing with unfamiliar animals are known stress factors. Gathering and yarding of extensively reared lambs and sheep causes stress, particularly when shepherd dogs are used. Subsequent transport may induce fatigue, especially if sheep are commercialised through auctions or markets. In farmed fish, stress is predominantly related to environmental aspects such as temperature, oxygen, cleanliness of the water and, to a certain extent, stocking density and removal of the fish from the water. If transport and lairage conditions are good and their durations not too long, they may allow pigs, calves and adult cattle, sheep, and fish to rest. For certain species, it was shown that genetic origin and earlier experience influence reactions to the slaughter procedure. Stunning techniques used depend on the species. Pigs and fowl are mostly electrically or gas-stunned, while most adult cattle are stunned with a captive bolt pistol. Calves and sheep may be electrically stunned or with a captive bolt pistol. Various stunning methods exist for the different farmed fish species. Potential causes of stress associated with the different stunning procedures are discussed. The paper addresses further consequences for meat quality and possible itineraries for future research. For all species, and most urgently for fish, more knowledge is needed on stunning and killing techniques, including gas-stunning techniques, to protect welfare.

Suicide with a Butcher's Bolt

The captive bolt pistol is an atypical firearm exclusively produced and used for butchery of breeding animals, but in some rare cases, it has been used as a lethal weapon for committing suicide by butchers, breeders and other people who have access to such weapons during their professional activities. This study describes the suicide committed by a butcher in the province of Udine (N. Italy) in 2001 who shot himself with his own captive bolt pistol that produced in the right temporal region a circular wound and a bone lesion of the temporal squama with a groove involving the frontal lobe; he died five days later of the fatal consequences of the meningo-encephalic lesions. The medico-legal issues implicated in this case, seen in the light of the data reported in the international literature, illustrate the difficulties faced when diagnosing these types of lesions, bearing in mind their rarity and peculiar nature, and introduce elements of differential diagnosis regarding lesions produced by similar weapons that lead to ascertainment of the event as accidental, suicidal, or homicidal.

Suicide with the latest type of slaughterer's gun.

The authors describe a case of suicide by a single shot to the head from the latest type of captive bolt pistol (which has lateral instead of frontal gas outlets), with the aim of finding criteria to identify correctly the lesions caused by this type of weapon correctly and to distinguish them from those caused by typical firearms.

Spread of microbial contamination associated with penetrative captive bolt stunning of food animals

To determine whether penetrative stunning of animals can result in internal and/or external microbial contamination of meat, experimental animals (lambs) were inoculated with a marker organisms (nalidixic acid resistant Escherichia coli K12 or Pseudomonas fluorescens) into the brain through the stun wound immediately after stunning by a cartridge-operated, penetrative captive bolt pistol. After the animals were slaughtered and dressed, the marker organisms were found, on average, in blood and liver of 90% animals, lungs and spleen of 80%, lymph nodes of 30%, in deep muscle of 20% and on carcass surface of 50% of brain-inoculated animals. When the pistol which had been used to stun one brain-inoculated lamb was used to stun consecutive, non-inoculated lambs, the marker organisms were found, on average, in stun wounds of 100%, in blood of 30% and on the carcass surface of 40% consecutively stunned animals. No marker organisms were detected in their muscle or organs. When the stun spot on the surface of the head of some lambs was inoculated with marker organism and subsequently stunned through the same spot, the marker organism was detected in the air, on hands, and aprons of the worker in the stunning area. Overall, the results from this study indicate that penetrative stunning of food animals can carry risks of internal and/or external microbial contamination of edible tissues and organs.

Brain damage in sheep from penetrating captive bolt stunning.

To determine the severity and distribution of structural changes in the brains of adult sheep stunned by penetrating captive bolt. The unconstrained heads of ten, anaesthetised, unhorned, 2-year-old Merino sheep were impacted at the summit of the head with a penetrating captive bolt pistol. Six sheep were ventilated and four received no respiratory support. Two hours after impact, brains from the six ventilated sheep were perfusion-fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde. Sixteen whole, serial coronal sections from each brain were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemically for amyloid precursor protein, a sensitive marker of axonal and neuronal reaction in the brain after trauma. Pathological changes in these brains were then quantified by morphometric analysis. Structural change in all impacted brains was a mixture of focal injury around the wound track and more widely distributed damage in the cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum and brainstem, but varied considerably in severity between individual sheep. All nonventilated sheep died rapidly following respiratory arrest. After penetrating captive bolt stunning, damage to the central reticular formation, axonal connections, and the cortical mantle is the likely reason for failure of respiratory control and traumatic loss of consciousness.

Post mortem energy metabolism and meat quality of porcine M. longissimus dorsi as influenced by stunning method — A 31P NMR spectroscopic study

Post mortem changes in phosphorus metabolites and pH were studied in M. longissimus dorsi from pigs ( n=10) stunned either by CO 2 ( n=3), electrical ( n=2), captive bolt pistol ( n=2) or by anesthesia (ketamine) ( n=3). 31P-NMR spectroscopy revealed significant effects of stunning method on changes of the various phosphorus metabolites in the muscle post mortem, with the effect being most pronounced on the degradation of phosphocreatine (PCr). Moreover, the four stunning methods gave rise to large differences in the progress of pH as determined by 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Using anesthesia as the reference showed that the captive bolt pistol caused the highest rates of post mortem degradation of phosphorus metabolites, electrical stunning intermediate, and CO 2-stunning causing the lowest post mortem degradation rates, even though CO 2-stunning also was associated with higher post mortem degradation rates compared with anesthesia. Finally, it was demonstrated that the water-holding capacity (WHC) of the meat was affected by the applied stunning method, as CO 2-stunning, electrical stunning and captive bolt pistol resulted in mean drip losses of 6.4, 8.3 and 8.6%, respectively ( P=0.02). The result displays the significance of induction and progress in post mortem changes on WHC in meat.

Penetrating Captive Bolt Stunning and Exsanguination of Cattle in Abattoirs

Abattoirs commonly use penetrating captive bolt pistols to stun cattle. Humane slaughter requires that an animal immediately becomes unconscious and does not regain consciousness. In this review we consider the concepts of concussion, unconsciousness, and return to consciousness. We conclude that an animal effectively stunned with a penetrating captive bolt pistol, as indicated by the presence of certain signs and the absence of others, has little possibility of brain function returning. Appropriate monitoring at all stages between stunning and sticking would ensure immediate detection and restunning on those few occasions when brain function was returning. When a captive bolt irreversibly stuns animals, sticking has no role in terms of animal welfare; its only function is to relieve the carcass of blood. With effective initial stunning and subsequent monitoring, specifying a stun-to-stick interval appears unnecessary. Abattoir surveys have indicated that it is possible to approximate, or even actually obtain, 100% successful stunning from a single shot. Furthermore, low prevalence of recovery follows. Thus, penetrating captive bolt stunning can form part of a process for the humane slaughter of cattle. This article outlines an approach to implementing standard operating procedures for checking the effectiveness of captive bolt stunning.