Guidelines for humane handling, transport and slaughter of

Guidelines for humane handling, transport and slaughter of livestock 75
3. Operator competence is of great importance in order
to carry out satisfactory religious slaughter, and the authorities
should license all slaughter personnel. A poor technique will result
in great suffering and cruelty to the animal. Religious slaughter
should be carried out paying attention to detail and ensuring the
method, equipment and operators are correct. The slaughter process
is slow.
The captive bolt gun is suitable for this stunning when using
the mushroom shaped head of the bolt (Fig. 55). The mushroom gun
is an improvement on the plain bolt, as this bolt does not penetrate
the brain and cause death. This should be more acceptable to the
religious authorities, and its use would encourage more humane
slaughter amongst Muslims in developing countries, thereby
improving animal welfare.
Fortunately, many Muslim authorities accept some forms of
pre-slaughter stunning. Many Muslim authorities permit electric
stunning of cattle, sheep and poultry, whose meat is destined for
Muslim communities, because the animals subjected to this stunning
method would recover if no bleeding was carried out. Electric
stunning is also the method of choice in meat exporting countries
where stunning of slaughter animals is required by law, for export to
Muslim countries. Similarly, Muslim minorities in countries with
stringent animal welfare regulations are allowed to use Halal
slaughter methods, but in combination with electrical stunning.
Any kind of prestunning for livestock to be slaughtered
according to the Jewish Kosher method has not yet been accepted.