Today we hosted a visit at the slaughterhouse where, together with the slaughterhouse team and Dr. Temple Grandin, we developed an improved new automatic electric stunning system - to show that there are practical alternatives to the more painful CO₂ gas stunning. We started this work because inhaling CO₂ causes distress and suffering, while we saw that there was still … [Read more...] about Hosting of large pork company, scientist and official from abroad to see Improved Automatic Electric stunning system as alternative to CO2
pig slaughterhouse
Visit to a poultry slaughterhouse in the Dutch province of North Holland on a hot day
Today, we visited a large broiler slaughterhouse in the Dutch province of North Holland. Due to the hot weather, we wanted to see what measures the slaughterhouse had taken to prevent heat stress as much as possible. One truck parked in the sun outside the canopyWe first drove to a parking area a few kilometres from the slaughterhouse, where poultry truck drivers have … [Read more...] about Visit to a poultry slaughterhouse in the Dutch province of North Holland on a hot day
Visit to Westfort slaughterhouse in IJsselstein (NL) on a hot summer day
This morning and early afternoon, Eyes on Animals visited the Westfort pig slaughterhouse in IJsselstein, the Netherlands. Due to the hot weather, approximately 1,000 fewer pigs were slaughtered today than usual. At around 11:15 a.m., the temperature outside in direct sunlight was approximately 32°C, with a relative humidity of around 45%. Under the unloading … [Read more...] about Visit to Westfort slaughterhouse in IJsselstein (NL) on a hot summer day
Visit to VION slaughterhouse in Boxtel during Code Red
Today we visited the VION slaughterhouse in Boxtel to see how the slaughterhouse and transport companies were responding to the extreme heat. VION had implemented several measures to reduce heat stress. Around 9,500 pigs were slaughtered today instead of the usual 16,000, allowing all pigs to arrive before 12:00. This prevented transport during temperatures above 35°C, … [Read more...] about Visit to VION slaughterhouse in Boxtel during Code Red
Visit to Van Rooi pig slaughterhouse in Helmond during tropical temperatures
On 25 June, we visited the Van Rooi pig slaughterhouse in Helmond (NL) during a period of extreme heat. We wanted to see what measures had been taken to reduce heat stress and how long pigs had to remain in the trucks before they could be unloaded. Canopy with misting systems and ventilation provides cooling Van Rooi has a large canopy where livestock trucks wait … [Read more...] about Visit to Van Rooi pig slaughterhouse in Helmond during tropical temperatures
Presenting an improved automatic electrical stunning system as an alternative to CO₂ stunning at the Science for Animal Welfare Conference in London
This week, Eyes on Animals took part in the Science for Animal Welfare Conference (formerly UFAW) in London, where we presented a poster showcasing how an existing automatic electrical stunning system was redesigned to provide a commercially viable and more humane alternative to CO₂ stunning. Together with a major pig slaughterhouse, Eyes on Animals redesigned and … [Read more...] about Presenting an improved automatic electrical stunning system as an alternative to CO₂ stunning at the Science for Animal Welfare Conference in London
Heat stress inspection at a large slaughterhouse
Yesterday, we were in the field monitoring how pigs were coping with the extreme heat during transport. At one large Dutch slaughterhouse, we observed four trucks carrying pigs waiting to unload. One truck was parked in direct sunlight. When our team arrived, the driver left the parking area and began driving around to create airflow for the pigs. Another driver whom we … [Read more...] about Heat stress inspection at a large slaughterhouse
Introducing a major German retailer to a practical and more humane alternative to CO₂ stunning
Today we hosted the animal welfare manager of a large German supermarket chain, together with a veterinarian from the Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V., for a visit to a large pig slaughterhouse where pigs are automatically stunned using electricity instead of the highly aversive CO₂ gas. Pigs exposed to CO₂ experience 15–30 seconds of intense panic and pain before losing … [Read more...] about Introducing a major German retailer to a practical and more humane alternative to CO₂ stunning
Blog published in Meating Place about EonA’s alternative to painful CO2 gas stunning of pigs
Erica Voogt, a U.S.-based animal welfare consultant specializing in slaughter practices and colleague of Temple Grandin, recently published a blog on Meating Place, a website platform for major players of the international meat industry such as Cargill, JPS and Tyson, about our project to phase out CO₂ stunning in pigs and replace it with a newly designed, less painful and … [Read more...] about Blog published in Meating Place about EonA’s alternative to painful CO2 gas stunning of pigs
German TV reports on the less painful alternative to CO2 gas that EonA designed for a pig slaughterhouse
German TV (NDR) again broadcasted a documentary about the pain and suffering caused by CO₂ gas, which is used in most large pig slaughterhouses in the West. 80% of pigs in Germany are forced to inhale high concentrations of CO2 which causes panic, chemical burning of the mucous membranes and suffocation. This time, however, they also showed the "new" alternative: the … [Read more...] about German TV reports on the less painful alternative to CO2 gas that EonA designed for a pig slaughterhouse
