This morning we were invited by a slaughterhouse near Tekirdag to show them how electric stunning works. Several years ago we first taught the workers here how to use a captive bolt stunner to render the cattle unconscious prior to slaughtering them. We have often been back to make sure the captive bolt stunner is still in good working order, being maintained and to help them out with any other questions. But today we came with an electric stunner from Freund, as well as two specialists in humane slaughter from Bristol university (Miguel Arranz and Aled Daniels) to show the slaughterhouse manager, vet and workers what they could do to reduce the suffering of the sheep which they also slaughter at their plant.
Sheep slaughtered in Turkey are normally pinned down to the ground, have their necks extended backwards and then have their throats cut while fully sentient. This was the case at this slaughterhouse – see photo. But even worse is what happens at many other plants, where sheep are live shackled and then hoisted fully off the floor, dangling by one leg, before their throats are slit. If we could convince this plant of using an electric stunner, at least some of the sheep’s suffering could be spared. Today Aled stunned half of the sheep while the workers observed and then had their main slaughterman do it, so he could also learn. They were very impressed and saw immediately the benefit to animal welfare, although there is always some concern for blood spots created by electric stunning in the carcass. Miguel and Asalet inspected the carcasses and blood spotting was not high.
We also advised that they set up a restricted pen area with a non-slip floor to stun sheep next time in smaller numbers in a more controlled way. Right now they move large groups of about 30 sheep in from the lairage to the slaughter area which has a very slippery, tiled floor. This causes a lot of stress to the sheep. We will remain in touch with them and keep helping with improvements. They will discuss the possibility of implementing an electric stunner in the future. We will get them an electric stunner as soon as the light is green.
Another good news is that they continue to use the captive bolt pistol we gave them on the larger cattle that arrive (not on all cattle, as some of their customers still think a stunner is taboo). See photo of the captive bolt stunner being used on several cattle that arrived when we were there today. It is good to know that our efforts to bring change are appreciated and not totally in vain.
