Abstract: Stunning of animals to be slaughtered at slaughterhouses takes place by exposing the animals for a sufficiently long period of time to an anaesthetic atmosphere, such as an atmosphere of carbon dioxide. A number of animals is first driven into a transport box (2b) which has been placed in a filling area at the slaughterhouse. Then a filled box is transported to a waiting area for boxes (2c), and from this waiting area a box is taken when needed and led through a stunning area (3) filled with the anaesthetic atmosphere, such as an oblong pit with room for 2-15 boxes (2d), which are led in one after another. The boxes (2f) with stunned animals are emptied of animals to be slaughtered, which are chained, whereas the empty boxes (2a) are returned to the filling area for renewed use. The removal of a box (2c) from the waiting area and the supply to the stunning area (3) are controlled by the current slaughtering speed and the number of boxes (2d) in the stunning area.

Abstract: Animals for slaughter are effectively stunned by injecting or a liquid or gaseous medium in the vicinity of the neurocranium within fractions of a second. Injection takes place under high pressure and for a short time. Undesired metabolic reactions are suppressed. Injection takes place by means of one or more injection nozzles (2). The injection medium preferably contains additives with a disinfecting, cooling or thixotropic, viscous characteristic.

Abstract: The degree of rigor in a bird or animal carcass is measured. The carcass is carried on a carrier which runs along a rail and over a slight step or drop, which subjects the carcass to a mechanical shock. A sensor monitors the variation with time of the force exerted by the carcass on the support means which arrests its fall. Circuitry analyzes the response to determine the degree of rigor. The carcass is then subjected to appropriate treatment, e.g., by its further processing being delayed to allow rigor to develop further. This can be done by providing a switch in the rail to route the carcass along a short path or a long path. The particular feature of the response which is monitored by the circuitry may, for example, be the time of fall, the amplitude of oscillation after the carcass has been arrested by the support means, the frequency of that oscillation, the rate at which that oscillation is damped, or some combination of those features.