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Improving the poultry shackle line

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

JA Lines ,
P Berry ,
P Cook ,
CP Schofield  and
TG Knowles
JA Lines*
Affiliation:
Silsoe Livestock Systems, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS, UK
P Berry
Affiliation:
PB Technical, 67 Rosamond Road, Bedford MK40 3UG, UK
P Cook
Affiliation:
Food Animal Initiative, The Field Station, Wytham, Oxford OX2 8QJ, UK
CP Schofield
Affiliation:
Silsoe Livestock Systems, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS, UK
TG Knowles
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
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Abstract

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The most significant welfare problems associated with the current design of the shackle lines and water-bath stunners are the pain caused by compression of the birds’ legs in the shackles, the stress caused by being inverted and suspended by the legs, poor or inadequate stunning caused by the commercial need to minimise carcase damage, and poor water-bath entry. Research is described in which some practical solutions to these problems were investigated. The aim is to identify solutions that individually, or jointly, could be retro-fitted to existing plants, or incorporated into the design of new, small processing plants to improve poultry welfare. The development and commercial availability of such systems would enable small, local and niche market poultry processing lines to continue operating following the implementation of EC Council Regulation No 1099/2009.

Keywords

animal welfarebroilerspoultryshackle lineslaughterwater-bath
Type
Papers
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 21 , Issue S2: Proceedings of the HSA Centenary International Symposium ‘Recent Advances in the Welfare of Livestock at Slaughter’ Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK, 2011 , June 2012 , pp. 69 - 74
Copyright
© 2012 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

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