| Slaughter equipment for animals has evolved over the | | | | were happening across Europe and the United States. |
| past 100 years yet is still a controversial issue amongst | | | | Other modern methods include using an electrical |
| some vegetarians and animal activists. In modern | | | | current through the brain of the animal prior to the |
| society there are many methods in which to slaughter | | | | actual slaughter; the shock renders the animal unable |
| an animal, ranging from chemical (carbon dioxide) to | | | | to feel pain, but it's an apparently controversial |
| mechanical (bolt stunners) and electrical means, all of | | | | application of humane slaughter in chickens as it leads |
| which have their own benefits. Animal slaughter for | | | | to bone fractures, stops the flow of the birds bleeding |
| meat is still applied ritually in certain Eastern religions | | | | which leads to lesser quality of meat. As you'd expect, |
| such as Judaism and the Hindu faith; and although | | | | the gas stunning method is where (most commonly |
| some countries such as Sweden, Iceland and Norway | | | | mustard gas) suffocates the creatures in a relatively |
| have banned certain forms of ritual slaughter, in May | | | | painless manner. |
| 2009 the European Parliament voted in favor of | | | | The humane slaughter method of using a bolt stunner |
| allowing ritual slaughter in the member states. The | | | | is called percussive stunning and can be split into three |
| issue of human slaughter and the methods used by | | | | types which are the penetrative, non-penetrative and |
| societies in order to eat meat is constantly evolving | | | | free-bolt methods. The bolt stunner itself is a rod |
| with new forms of humane slaughter equipment being | | | | sometimes shaped like a gun or pistol, it's made of |
| invented all the time. | | | | stainless steel or durable plastics and has a trigger |
| Prior to the invention of humane slaughter equipment | | | | which when pulled releases the bolt or air which stuns |
| (which became popular throughout the 20th Century in | | | | the animal. Penetrative bolt stunners when used, |
| Europe) animals such as cows, sheep and goats were | | | | actually project the bolt which enters the animals' skull |
| slaughtered by being struck over the head or | | | | and damages the brain in a split-second so the least |
| 'pole-axed' in a brutal and imprecise manner, leading to | | | | amount of conscious pain is felt by the creature. This is |
| intense suffering on the part of the animal. In 1933, the | | | | the most popular method in that although it damages |
| UK Labour government of James Ramsey McDonald | | | | the animals' brain, the heart still beats and continues to |
| passed the Humane Slaughter Act which required that | | | | circulate blood which is essential for quality of meat. |
| equipment such as the humane bolt stunner be used | | | | A controversial issue with this method can be the |
| on all cattle and calves. Steadily since that Act of | | | | spread of such diseases as BSE, as the intravenous |
| Parliament animal pressure groups have fought to | | | | bolt is used to slaughter a number of animals and thus |
| improve the methods of humane slaughter for all types | | | | spreads disease. The non-penetrative method is when |
| of animals people eat for meat; but alongside such | | | | the bolt hits the animals head but doesn't enter the |
| causes there are religious groups who require rights to | | | | skull, merely the outside and concussing the animal into |
| be able to ritually slaughter their meat as the religions | | | | a painless state. Another type of stunning equipment is |
| they follow practice such methods. The issue in how | | | | the free-bolt stunner which is used in situations where |
| we slaughter animals for meat will continue to divide | | | | the animal can't be contained such as in a field, the |
| nations and people for many years to come. | | | | main difference from the other types of bolt stunner is |
| The most popular method of animal slaughter in | | | | that the projected bolt isn't retractable. There is no one |
| Europe and the United States is applied via the use of | | | | all-encompassing method of humane slaughter for all |
| bolt stunners, which are also known as the captive bolt | | | | animals, even different types of cows require differing |
| pistol, cattle gun, stunbolt gun or bolt gun. These forms | | | | methods of slaughter due to the thickness of skull in |
| of humane slaughter were essentially invented and | | | | various breeds. |
| popularised in response to the legal requirements that | | | | |