Pre-slaughtering stunning effects on small ruminants welfare: a review.

Stunning is a stage of slaughtering which is crucial to minimize any direct consequence on animal welfare as well as on meat quality. It is necessary for those who work in this field to have an excellent knowledge of instruments and procedures, the latter should be always applied according to the law. This study provides an overview of different stunning techniques used in small ruminants slaughtering practices. The impact of each technique on animal welfare and meat quality is also described. Nowadays, electronarcosis and captive bolt gun are the most used stunning methods for small ruminants. Whatever the technique been used, correct practices, regular maintenance of instruments and the proportionately of tools to the size of the animal are always necessary. In particular, electric stunning parameters such as amperage, voltage and duration should be set according to the size and the age of the animal. Indeed, a rational organization of the slaughterhouse operations is important, mostly in order to avoid delays that could increase the stun-stick interval, which is a critical animal welfare parameter. Therefore, written procedures, good training of operators and systems of own-checks, including assessment and management of stunning-related risks, are undoubtedly essential in order to correctly perform the stunning procedure.