Butchering – Slaughtering – Stunning
Patent
1996-07-16
1998-01-06
Little, Willis
Butchering
Slaughtering
Stunning
A22B 306
Patent
active
057048304
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for stunning an animal for slaughter, for instance a pig, which device comprises: transporting means for transporting an animal for slaughter through the device; at least two head electrodes for placing against the head of the animal; at least one body electrode for placing against the body of the animal; first electrical means connected to the head electrodes for carrying through the brain of the animal a first current pulse; and second electrical means connected to the body electrode for carrying through the body of the animal a second current pulse.
Such a device is described in applicant's Netherlands patent application NL-A-92 00487.
In respect of this Netherlands patent application it is an object of the invention to effect a stunning of the animal for slaughter in very reliable and rapid manner and to calm the animal for slaughter.
A further object of the invention is to spare the animal needless suffering and to cause loss of consciousness to occur as quickly as possible.
Another object of the invention is to embody the stunning device such that it has a large processing capacity so that the device can be applied on an industrial scale.
During delivering of the current pulses damage to and bleeding in muscles can occur as a consequence of the thereby occurring strong muscle contractions. The meat can hereby deteriorate in quality. In this respect it is an object of the invention to embody the stunning device such that the danger of convulsive muscle contractions is considerably reduced, whereby the meat can be of better quality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to realize the above stated objectives the invention provides a device in accord with the first paragraph, in which said first current pulse comprises an alternating current component with a first basic frequency f.sub.1 of at least 100 Hz; said second current pulse comprises an alternating current component with a second basic frequency f.sub.2 which is lower than f.sub.1 and which begins a maximum of 8 s after the start of the first current pulse; and during the contact between the electrodes and the animal for slaughter the relative velocity between the electrodes and the animal for slaughter is substantially zero. It should be noted that the time period between the beginning of the second current pulse and the start of the first current pulse may be negative.
With the first, relatively high-frequency current pulse a stunning takes place and docility occurs in the short term. Delivery of the second current pulse causes a disfunction of the heart rhythm, which also provides docility in the longer term.
It is noted that the use of a basic frequency f.sub.1 of at least 100 Hz has the effect of causing less convulsions.
The transporting and the stated time span provide a large processing capacity. It is important here to obtain a good contact between the electrodes and the animal for slaughter in order to minimize the percentage of incompletely stunned animals.
In respect of the stated basic frequency it is noted that any finite signal can be thought of as being built up of a number of frequencies. By the term "basic frequency" is understood the lowest repetition frequency which is recognizable in the waveform and which can be derived for instance from the repetition frequency of crests, valleys, zero-axis crossings or the like.
The alternating current components in the current pulses can in principle take any desired form, for example that of a sine, a block, a repeating pulse, a sawtooth etc. These alternating current components can optionally be superimposed on another component for the whole time duration of a current pulse or during a part thereof. This other component can itself also consist of an alternating current component or a direct current component.
Claims 2, 3 and 4 give a number of possible values of f.sub.1 in order of increasing preference. It has been found that the electric current which is required for inducing loss of conscience increases generally over 1
REFERENCES:
patent: 4319383 (1982-03-01), Nijhuis
patent: 4953263 (1990-09-01), Lambooy
patent: 5326307 (1994-07-01), Bernardus et al.
patent: 5486145 (1996-01-01), Dorsthorst et al.
Anil, M.H. et al., "The Effectiveness of High Frequency Electrical Stunning in Pigs", Meat Science, vol. 31, 1992, pp. 481-491.
Little Willis
Stork R.M.S. B.V.
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