Abstract: Apparatus for electrical stunning and killing poultry comprises a conveyor (31) and means for applying electrical voltage across the heads of the birds (3; 37; 42). In one embodiment, means are also provided for applying a voltage between the bird's head and rear by means of a further electrode (4). In this case, a two stage stun and kill process is used, with the bird being stunned by a voltage applied to it across its head and then killed by a voltage applied between its head and rear, causing fibrillation of the heart. The apparatus may also include means (5; 34) for restraining the bird's heads and/or facilitating contact of the bird's heads with the electrodes. The electrodes themselves may take a number of forms, including dry resilient foam covered by a conductive wire mesh, or a number of parallel sprung pins, or a rail along which the bird's heads slide, or a conductive endless belt. A pair of manual stunning tongs (61) is also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for electrical stunning and killing poultry comprises a conveyor (31) and means for applying electrical voltage across the heads of the birds (3; 37; 42). In one embodiment, means are also provided for applying a voltage between the bird's head and rear by means of a further electrode (4). In this case, a two stage stun and kill process is used, with the bird being stunned by a voltage applied to it across its head and then killed by a voltage applied between its head and rear, causing fibrillation of the heart. The apparatus may also include means (5; 34) for restraining the bird's heads and/or facilitating contact of the bird's heads with the electrodes. The electrodes themselves may take a number of forms, including dry resilient foam covered by a conductive wire mesh, or a number of parallel sprung pins, or a rail along which the bird's heads slide, or a conductive endless belt. A pair of manual stunning tongs (61) is also described.

Abstract: Poultry packed in a crate suitable for the transport of live poultry are passed into a chamber having an oxygen depleted atmosphere and held in the atmosphere for a sufficient period of time for the poultry first to lose consciousness and then to die as a result of the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere. The atmosphere typically comprises nitrogen or argon containing less than 1% by volume of oxygen. It is found that the birds so slaughtered exhibit less bone damage than poultry slaughtered by a conventional method including the step of electrically stunning the birds prior to slaughter.