A comparison of argon, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen in a broiler killing system

Argon, CO2, and N2 gases were each evaluated in a broiler chicken gas killing system. Birds were killed by individual exposure to one of the three gases for 2 min in a flow-through system. The gases were evaluated by determining the time, in seconds, for the following responses: first reaction to th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Poultry science 1995-07, Vol.74 (7), p.1218-1223
Main Authors: Poole, G.H. (University of Georgia, Athens, GA.), Fletcher, D.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ABATTAGE D'ANIMAUX
Abattoirs
Animals
Argon
AZOTE
BIEN ETRE ANIMAL
BIENESTAR ANIMAL
Carbon Dioxide
Chickens
DEBIT
DIOXIDO DE CARBONO
DIOXYDE DE CARBONE
GASTO
METALLOIDE
MORT
MUERTE
MUSCLE
MUSCULOS
Nitrogen
NITROGENO
NO METALES
POLLO DE ENGORDE
POULET DE CHAIR
SACRIFICIO
Time Factors
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Summary:Argon, CO2, and N2 gases were each evaluated in a broiler chicken gas killing system. Birds were killed by individual exposure to one of the three gases for 2 min in a flow-through system. The gases were evaluated by determining the time, in seconds, for the following responses: first reaction to the gas, loss of posture, eye closure, initiation of death struggle, and cessation of respiration. Percentage blood loss over a 3-min bleed time was determined by weight loss. Breast muscle pH values were determined at 15 min and 24 h post-mortem on the Pectoralis major muscle. Carbon dioxide resulted in the earliest first reaction, loss of posture, eye closure, and initiation of struggle. Argon and N2 exhibited a delayed first reaction, a less severe early reaction, but a more severe unconscious death struggle. All birds died in approximately 75 s. Results indicate that the flow-through gas system takes longer to kill broilers than the immersion systems previously reported. Gas killing resulted in lower (P 0.05) blood loss. Initial breast muscle pH values were significantly highest for the birds killed with CO2, followed by the control treatment, which was significantly higher than the values for broilers killed with either Ar or N2. After 24 h of chilling, there were no differences in broiler breast muscle pH among the four treatments. These results indicated that a flow-through gassing chamber may be a feasible, although slower, method of performing gas killing as compared to an immersion system
ISSN:0032-5791
1525-3171
DOI:10.3382/ps.0741218