Optimising stunning methods for Halal livestock processing

Summary

​Non-penetrating percussive stunning is used widely in Australian abattoirs to comply with halal standards.  However, there is evidence in literature that non-penetrating percussive stunning does not always deliver an effective stun, and therefore the animals receiving ineffective stuns are likely to suffer pain during the neck cut and bleed-out phase.  Furthermore, non-penetrating percussive stunning often results in skull damage, which is unacceptable under halal regulations in many overseas markets.
Consultation with MLA representatives in overseas markets, particularly Indonesia, was carried out in order to understand key technical issues affecting acceptance of non-penetrating percussive stunning.  The outcomes of this consultation were used to set a context against which a stocktake review of published literature on stunning was carried out. This was done in order to identify key knowledge gaps and provide recommendations to industry and determine research actions that could be carried out to address some technical and perceived barriers to adoption of stunning in overseas markets for Australian livestock.
Recommendations were provided pertaining to optimizing animal handling and restraint, and facilitating development of operator skill.  Knowledge gaps pertaining to non-penetrative percussive stunning were identified and four outline research activities were prepared.