Evaluation of mechanical cervical dislocation, captive bolt, carbon dioxide, and electrical methods for individual on-farm euthanasia of broiler breeders

R.S. Boyal; R.J. Buhr; C.E. Harris; L. Jacobs; D.V. Bourassa

Poultry Science (Sep 2022)

Evaluation of mechanical cervical dislocation, captive bolt, carbon dioxide, and electrical methods for individual on-farm euthanasia of broiler breeders

R.S. Boyal,
R.J. Buhr,
C.E. Harris,
L. Jacobs,
D.V. Bourassa

Affiliations

R.S. Boyal: Department of Poultry Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
R.J. Buhr: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, Athens, GA 30605, USA
C.E. Harris: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, Athens, GA 30605, USA; Department of Poultry Science, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
L. Jacobs: Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
D.V. Bourassa: Department of Poultry Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; Corresponding author:

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 101, no. 9
p. 102000

Abstract

Read online

ABSTRACT: Efficacious euthanasia by applying manual cervical dislocation can be difficult on large and mature poultry. The challenge with using manual cervical dislocation is that the strength required to hold heavy poultry and swiftly apply cervical dislocation can be physically impossible for most people. Therefore, alternative methods of euthanasia are needed for mature and large poultry. Mechanical cervical dislocation using the Koechner Euthanizing Device (KED), captive bolt using the Turkey Euthanasia Device (TED), carbon dioxide (CO2), and electrical euthanasia were evaluated for use on 65-wk-old broiler breeders at flock termination. Following application of each method, physiological reflexes including the eye nictitating membrane reflex, mouth gaping, and body movement, broken skin, blood loss, kill success, time to cessation of heartbeat, and blood plasma corticosterone levels were assessed. Birds euthanized using the KED had longer response durations for eye nictitating membrane (91 s) and reflexive mouth gaping (161 s) compared to TED, CO2, and electrical euthanasia (0–7 s). Body movement durations were also longer for KED (214 s) and TED (209 s) than for CO2 and electrical euthanasia (0–8 s). The highest percentages of broken skin (93%) and blood loss (96%) were observed for TED, followed by KED (71%, 68%), then CO2 (0%, 6%) and electrical euthanasia (0%, 3%). No significant differences (P = 0.1781) were observed for kill success rates with 98% for KED, 100% for TED, 97% for CO2, and 100% for electrical euthanasia at 4-min. Time to heartbeat cessation did not differ between KED (659 s), TED (427 s), or CO2 (583 s) euthanasia methods. No heartbeat was detected following electrical euthanasia. Blood plasma corticosterone levels did not differ between preeuthanasia or posteuthanasia from any of the methods applied. Based on these results each euthanasia method is acceptable for use with broiler breeders.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords