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Preliminary investigations into the use of microwave energy for reversible stunning of sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

A Small ,
D McLean ,
H Keates ,
JS Owen  and
J Ralph
A Small*
Affiliation:
CSIRO Livestock Industries, FD McMaster Laboratory, Locked bag 1, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia
D McLean
Affiliation:
Advanced Microwave Technologies, University of Wollongong, Building 42, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia
H Keates
Affiliation:
University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
JS Owen
Affiliation:
PO Box 5227, Manly, QLD 4179, Australia
J Ralph
Affiliation:
Wagstaff Cranbourne Pty Ltd, 15 Moorakyne Avenue, Malvern, VIC 3144, Australia
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
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Abstract

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Stunning prior to slaughter is commonly used to render the animal insensible to pain. However, for certain markets, stunning is disallowed, unless the animal can fully recover if not slaughtered. There are very few available methods of inducing a fully recoverable stun. This preliminary study investigates the potential for microwave energy application to be used to induce a recoverable stun in sheep. Cadaver heads were used to demonstrate that brain temperature could be raised to a point at which insensibility would be expected to occur (44°C). Trials on four anaesthetised sheep confirmed this finding in a live animal model where brain temperatures between 43 and 48°C were achieved with 20 s of microwave energy application. Although the applicator and process variables require some further development, this technology seems eminently suitable for use as an alternative method of inducing a recoverable stun.

Keywords

animal welfareelectromagnetichumane slaughterinsensibility stunsheepsyncope
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , May 2013 , pp. 291 - 296
Copyright
© 2013 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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