The invention relates to a stunning device (1) for poultry, having an elongated stunning space (2) with a poultry feed opening and a poultry discharge opening which elongated stunning space is subdivided in at least two connecting compartments, a controlled anaesthetic gas feed connecting to the elongated stunning space, and a conveyer (9) leading through the elongated stunning space providing a transportation path for the poultry, wherein at least one side of the elongate stunning space is connecting to a transition compartment. The invention also provides a method of operating such a stunning device.

The present invention relates to a food processing device, for example but not exclusively, a gripper, a conveying hook, or a collection cup (1), having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics: a roughness value Ra, 0.2Ra1.2 (m), and a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm). It has been found that with devices treated in this manner, the application of vision technology is appreciably improved, so that much more reliable images are obtained. An example of this concerns observing yolk in albumen upon the breaking of eggs in egg breakers. Further, a particularly advantageous combination of usefulness is obtained, in this case for vision and cleanability.

In accordance with example embodiment, 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.

When stunning animals e.g. by CO.sub.2-stunning aversive reactions may be seen among the animals as a reaction to the high concentration of CO.sub.2. To avoid the aversive reactions animals can be pre-stunned before being final-stunned and perhaps killed or slaughtered when stunned. Pre-stunning of animals may be performed with a combination of gas for pre-stunning comprising at least air and/or O.sub.2 together with CO.sub.2 e.g. in a concentration below 40%, at least air and/or O2 together with N2O, or at least air and/or O.sub.2 together with N.sub.2O and CO.sub.2, where CO.sub.2 may bi in a concentration below 40%. For larger animals such as pigs pre-stunning is performed for less than 60 seconds. A stunning system may comprise means for pre-stunning of animals before performing a final-stunning and may include gas storage for re-use of the pre-stunning gas.

Meat processing equipment is disclosed that includes a first element having a first face; a second element having a second face. The first and second faces extend parallel to one another and define a common plane between the first and second faces. The first and second elements are relatively movable with respect to one another. Yieldable arresting features are included for yieldably arresting the first and second elements in at least one predetermined position of relative movement, the yieldable arresting features include cooperating first and second permanent magnets, associated with at least one of the first and second elements.

The invention relates to a stunning facility (10) for two-stage stunning a slaughter animal (12) by means of a pre-stunning gas (14) and a final stunning gas (16), comprising a stunning channel (18) comprising an entrance opening (20) and an exit opening (22) for providing a gas atmosphere which stuns the slaughter animal (12), a conveying device (46) passing through the stunning channel (18) for conveying the slaughter animal (12) through the stunning channel (18) in a transport direction (48) from the entrance opening (20) to the exit opening (22), a pre-stunning gas supply (28) for supplying the pre-stunning gas (14) into the stunning channel (18), a final stunning gas supply (32) for supplying the final stunning gas (16) into the stunning channel (18), a gas discharge (36) disposed in the transport direction (48) between the pre-stunning gas supply (28) and the final stunning gas supply (32) for discharging the gas atmosphere from the stunning channel (18), and a recovery system (44) connected to the gas discharge (36) for the pre-stunning gas (14) and/or the final stunning gas (16). The invention further relates to a method for stunning a slaughter animal (12) by use of the above stunning facility (10).

A poultry processing line with a conveying track and can include at least one carriage movable in the conveying track. Wheels on opposite sides of the carriage are mounted on an axle guided through a shaft or bore of the carriage, and are movable along supports for the respective wheels on opposite sides of the conveying track. The shaft or bore has a convex inner top surface and convex inner bottom surface as seen in the shaft or bore's longitudinal direction.

An apparatus is for gas-stunning live poultry intended for slaughter and located in containers, by a gas mixture containing a stunning gas. The apparatus has at least one stunning chamber, having at least two stunning zones, and a transport device with at least one transport conveyor for transporting the containers along at least one transport path. The stunning chamber is arranged above ground and the stunning zones lie substantially horizontally one above the other. The gas mixture of the two stunning zones has different stunning gas concentrations. The stunning gas concentration in the gas mixture of the stunning zones increases, starting from the uppermost to lowermost stunning zone. The transport device provides that the containers can be transported on the at least one transport path substantially horizontally in a meandering manner through the stunning zones along a stunning path in the stunning chamber. A corresponding method is disclosed.

The invention relates to a stunning device (1) for poultry, having an elongated stunning space (2) with a poultry feed opening and a poultry discharge opening which elongated stunning space is subdivided in at least two connecting compartments, a controlled anaesthetic gas feed connecting to the elongated stunning space, and a conveyer (9) leading through the elongated stunning space providing a transportation path for the poultry, wherein at least one side of the elongate stunning space is connecting to a transition compartment. The invention also provides a method of operating such a stunning device.

A poultry processing line with a conveying track and can include at least one carriage movable in the conveying track. Wheels on opposite sides of the carriage are mounted on an axle guided through a shaft or bore of the carriage, and are movable along supports for the respective wheels on opposite sides of the conveying track. The shaft or bore has a convex inner top surface and convex inner bottom surface as seen in the shaft or bore's longitudinal direction.