A method and system for stunning poultry with carbon dioxide gas includes initially establishing an initial elevated CO.sub.2 concentration in an initial stun chamber, and then lowering a cage for live poultry downwardly through an open top of the initial stun chamber. The cage is held there for an initial time period, after which the cage is moved into an intermediate stun chamber, where an intermediate elevated CO.sub.2 concentration is established. The cage is held in the intermediate stun chamber for an intermediate period of time, after which it is moved into a final stun chamber, where a final elevated CO.sub.2 concentration is established. The cage is held in the final stun chamber for a final period of time, and the cage is then raised upwardly through an open top of the final stun chamber and out into an ambient atmosphere.

A method of performing a procedure on an animal involving i) gas-based stunning, and/or ii) gas-based killing, using a foam. The foam contains a gas having a gas composition suitable for performing the procedure, such as pure nitrogen. The procedure is performed using a container (100) and the method comprises the steps of introducing the foam in the container (100) and performing the procedure.

To reduce any problem caused by the susceptibility of foam to break up, the animal is introduced in the container (100) and subsequently the foam is used to expel at least 90% of the air in the container (100) from the container (100).

Disclosed herein is a system including a portable device for euthanizing sick or infirm poultry. The device includes a chamber with a lid and a canister of compressed carbon dioxide that communicates with the interior of the chamber, and controls that include opening and closing the chamber's lid with a pneumatic cylinder, driven by the same source of compressed carbon dioxide used to euthanize the poultry. A sick or infirm bird in place in the chamber and with the chamber on its shelf on the frame of the present system and the start button on the controls is pressed. The lid is automatically closed by pressing the start button, whereupon the interior of the chamber fills with carbon dioxide and a timer is started so that, after approximately one minute, the lid opens so the dead bird may be removed from the flock.

Poultry birds in a multi-compartment cage can be removed by placing openings to each compartment on a first side of the cage, and covering each opening with a spring-loaded door wherein the spring loading is provided by an over-center spring. During transport of the birds in the cage compartment, the spring loading of each door is sufficient to prevent any bird from exiting the cage. At the delivery point, the entire cage can be tilted to the side of the openings at an angle sufficient to cause the birds to slide against and open the spring-loaded door beyond the spring's center, thereby causing the door to completely open. After the birds have slid out of the cage, the doors can be closed. Poultry birds are loaded into the cage compartments via a second door in each compartment, and each second door is disposed on a second side of the cage.

Poultry birds in a multi-compartment cage can be removed by placing openings to each compartment on a first side of the cage, and covering each opening with a spring-loaded door wherein the spring loading is provided by an over-center spring. During transport of the birds in the cage compartment, the spring loading of each door is sufficient to prevent any bird from exiting the cage. At the delivery point, the entire cage can be tilted to the side of the openings at an angle sufficient to cause the birds to slide against and open the spring-loaded door beyond the spring's center, thereby causing the door to completely open. After the birds have slid out of the cage, the doors can be closed. Poultry birds are loaded into the cage compartments via a second door in each compartment, and each second door is disposed on a second side of the cage.

In accordance with example embodiments, a system may include a supply unit, a first transfer unit, a second transfer unit, and a gas chamber. In example embodiments, the supply unit may include a plurality of compartments and each compartment may have a moving device configured to move contents of the compartment from a first end of the compartment to a second end of the compartment. In example embodiments the first transfer unit may include a second moving device. In example embodiments, the second transfer unit may include a third moving device. In example embodiments the first transfer unit may be configured to receive contents from each compartment of the supply unit and move the contents to the second transfer unit, and the third moving device may be configured to move the contents to the gas chamber.

Fish slaughter device includes fish positioning device with fish head abutment, against which the fish head abuts temporary stop position by controllable fish slaughter tool. Fish head abutment element is a trigger releasable by a trigger sensor of a controllable trigger controllable to move the fish head abutment into different trigger positions. device includes a first control actuator with a first actuator, a coupling device, connecting the fish head abutment to the first actuator for adjusting movement into the trigger positions, and an additional second control actuator with a second actuator controllably placeable in at least two fixed trigger adjustment positions. The two actuators are coupled so an adjusting movement of the first actuator is stopped by a coupling impact against the second actuator in a fixed trigger adjustment positions, which brings about an associated trigger position of the fish head abutment.

A method, system, and apparatus for humanely dispatching wounded game in the field comprises a shank with a connecting end, a curved region, and a pointed end connected to a grip formed at the connecting end of the shank, and a finger loop. The grip can further comprise a series or flattened portions configured to engage the gaps in a choke tube in order to remove the choke tube.

A portable system for stunning an animal is provided that includes a hood into which the animal's head is inserted and then is filled with a gas, such as carbon dioxide. The hood includes a gasket or covering with a slit on one end, which allows the hood to be placed over the head of the animal by a user while containing much of the carbon dioxide gas. The hood includes a handle and may have a trigger or other mechanism to control the flow of carbon dioxide gas, which is contained in a tank strapped to a user and connected to the hood via a hose or tubing. In this way, the system allows animals to be humanely stunned or euthanized individually with carbon dioxide gas using a portable system that is carried and controlled by an individual user.

A method for monitoring live poultry intended for slaughter includes checking managing parameters and process parameters of poultry flocks from breeding farms, and monitoring transportation of the flocks to a slaughterhouse and handling thereof at the slaughterhouse. Gas stunning parameters of the poultry are checked prior to throat-cutting thereof. Video shooting of the poultry's reactions during the stunning step is done to visually verify a degree of well-being thereof. Computer records are made available wherein a single video file corresponds to each poultry flock or group of flocks in which images of the visible reactions of the poultry are combined and synchronized with said managing and process parameters.