Electric Prod Research Articles

Electrical Prod Use on Behavioral Activities and Physiological Characteristics of Weaned Beef Cattle

The objective of the experiment was to determine the effects of an electrical prod application on behavioral and physiological characteristics of weaned beef cattle. Twenty-one crossbred beef cattle (avg. age and wt., 273 ± 4.3 d and 313 ± 8.6 kg) were randomly allotted into seven trios with stratification by weight and breed. One animal from each trio was then randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: 1) touched with electric prod, but not buzzed or shocked (o); 2) touched and buzzed simultaneously, but not shocked (b); and 3) simultaneously touched, buzzed and shocked (s). The (s) group was touched, shocked, and buzzed on d 2 and d 8 of the trial; on d 1, d 3 to d 7, and d 9 to d 13 the s group was touched and buzzed, and the o and b groups received their assigned treatments. Blood samples were taken on d 1, 7, and 13. Treatments were imposed as each individual entered the chute system. Behavior scores, length of time the calves spent in each section of the chute system, and videorecordings were obtained for each animal as they passed through the chute. Daily heart rate, respiration, and rectal temperatures were not affected by treatment (P>0.05). Effects of treatment applications on blood (erythrocyte, leukocyte, serum protein), and prompting scores (5 = no handler; 4 = handler sound; 3 = handler slap; 2 = handler twist tail; 1 = handler push) were not different among treatments (P>0.05). Some animal behaviors (5 = quiet, little reaction; 4 = docile, easy to handle; 3 = alert, slight resistance; 2 = excitable, difficult to handle; 1 = uncontrollable, resists handling), and time to move through the chute system were significantly different among treatment groups. Effects of electrical prod application (shock) apparently did not cause additional measurable distress compared to the distress from handling and moving calves with no mechanical handling aids. However, in this study, the electrical prod was applied sparingly and in a controlled manner.

The feasibility of using vocalization scoring as an indicator of poor welfare during cattle slaughter

Vocalizations of cattle in six commercial slaughter plants were tabulated during handling in the forcing pen stunning box and single file race. Each animal was scored as being either a vocalizer or nonvocalizer. Vocalizations that occurred in the lairage pens were not counted. A total of 1125 animals were observed during normal operations and 112 cattle vocalized. All vocalizations, with the exception of two, occurred immediately after a stressful event such as electric prodding, slipping on the stunning box floor, missed captive bolt stuns, or excessive pressure exerted on the animal's body by a restraining device powered by pneumatic cylinders. Electric prodding was associated with vocalization in 72 animals. In four plants, cattle were moved quietly at a walk in small groups, and electric prods were used only on cattle that refused to move. The percentages of cattle that vocalized in the stunning box, single file race and forcing pen in these four plants were 1.1%, 2.6%, 6.6% and 7.5%. Vocalizations were associated with slipping on the stunning box floor, excessive pressure from a powered tailgate and electric prodding when an animal balked because it saw a moving person up ahead. In two other plants, 90% and 76% of the cattle were prodded with an electric prod. When this excessive prod usage was stopped, vocalizations dropped from 32% to 12% of the cattle in the first plant, and from 12% to 3% in the second plant. The remaining vocalizations were due to missed stuns and excessive pressure from a restraining device. Vocalization scoring could be used as a simple method for detecting welfare problems that need to be corrected.

Objective scoring of animal handling and stunning practices at slaughter plants

Objective To develop objective methods for monitoring animal welfare at slaughter plants to ensure compliance with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. Design Survey of existing procedures. Sample Population 24 federally inspected slaughter plants. Procedure 6 variables evaluated at each plant were stunning efficacy, insensibility of animals hanging on the bleeding rail, vocalization, electric prod use, number of animals slipping, and number of animals falling. Results Of 11 beef plants, only 4 were able to render 95% of cattle insensible with a single shot from a captive-bolt stunner. Personnel at 7 of 11 plants placed the stunning wand correctly on 99% or more of pigs and sheep. At 4 beef plants, percentage of cattle prodded with an electric prod ranged from 5% at a plant at which handlers only prodded cattle that refused to move to 90% at another plant. Use of electric prods at 6 pork plants scored for prod use ranged from 15 to almost 100% of pigs. Percentage of cattle that vocalized during stunning and handling ranged from 1.1 % at a plant at which electric prods were only used on cattle that refused to move to 32% at another plant at which electric prods were used on 90% of cattle and a restraint device was inappropriately used to apply excessive pressure. Clinical Implications To obtain the most accurate assessment of animal welfare at slaughter plants, it is important to score all of the aforementioned variables. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998;212:36–39)

Adapting Bovine Behavior to Improve Performance

The relationship between a stockman and his cattle will affect productivity. Quiet, gentle handling will reduce stress on animals and improve production. Dairy cattle and other livestock readily adapt to many handling procedures. This paper will review how livestock adapt to handling procedures and ways to reduce handling stress.
 Reducing stress is important because stresses imposed during handling can have a detrimental effect on reproduction, milk production, immune function and rumen function. Restraint, electric prods and other handling stresses lowered conception rates.69,38,70 Transportation and restraint stress reduced the immune function in cattle and pigs.44,5,53 Rumen function was impaired by transit stress.19 In the studies conducted by Galyean,19 Kelley,44 and Blecha,5 the stress imposed by transit had a greater detrimental effect on the animal's physiology than the stress of feed and water derivation for the same length of time. Handling sheep with dogs and transport and sorting two to three weeks after mating caused early embryonic losses.11

Selection of Wavelengths at Which to Measure Paleness in Pork by Fiber-Optic Spectrophotometry

A Colormet fiber-optic spectrophotometer, developed for the measurement of meat color, was tested on small groups of pork carcasses given different treatments to generate a range of pH-related coloration. Pigs were slaughtered with and without overnight rest, with and without the use of an electric prod to move them to the stunning pen, and with and without postmorterm electrical stimulation of their carcasses. These treatments produced effects on both the shape and overall intensity of reflectance spectra. The subjective appearance of paleness was caused by either or both of two changes: (1) increased reflectance towards the red end of the visible spectrum, and (2) decreased reflectance of violet light. Hence, the 400/700nm ratio was more useful than either wavelength alone. For the prediction of paleness at 24h from measurements made at 45min postmortem, Colormet measurements made on the unshackled side of the carcass which was free to move during postmortem reflex activity were better than measurements made on the shackled side.

Oxygen consumption in treadmill-exercised Yucatan miniature swine.

Oxygen consumption was measured in Yucatan miniature swine during various intensities of treadmill exercise. Nine animals were evaluated at rest and at various treadmill velocities ranging from 2.5-4.5 mph. Oxygen consumption was linearly related to treadmill speed during sub-maximal exercise work loads (r = 0.92, P less than 0.01). Maximal oxygen consumption was also determined in two groups of animals. In one group (N = 6) the highest attainable oxygen consumption was 24.0 +/- 1.31 ml . min-1 . kg-1. In the second group (N = 9) an electric prod was utilized to encourage the animals to run. Their maximal oxygen consumptions ranged from 33.9-51.1 ml . min-1 . kg-1 with a mean of 41.7 +/- 1.8 ml . min-1 . kg-1. These data indicated that Yucatan swine have a relatively low aerobic capacity compared to the rat or dog, but their oxygen consumptions are similar to that observed in untrained man.