An apparatus for stunning an animal with an exhaust gas mixture includes a stunning chamber located at a processing site to contain therein as many an animal selected to be stunned; and a combustion chamber located at the processing site for combusting a mixture to provide therefrom an exhaust gas mixture which includes carbon dioxide for stunning the animal in the stunning chamber. A related method and exhaust gas mixture are also provided.

A method for monitoring gas stunning of birds, where groups of birds are conveyed into and out of a stunning zone (1), and where the concentration of the stunning gas in the stunning zone is measured and adjusted for optimal stunning. The gas concentration is measured at a plurality of measuring positions in the stunning zone and a visual inspection of the birds is performed at two or more of the measuring positions using a visual inspection unit (76), such as a camera, which is moved into the stunning zone together with the group of birds. The groups of birds are advantageously kept in crates (3). The visual inspection unit may be part of a monitoring unit (71) further including a gas sensor (75), said monitoring unit being used for simultaneous measuring of the concentration of the stunning gas and inspection the birds at two or more monitoring positions.

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.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for humanely slaughtering animals, and more particularly to a method for slaughtering animals using a low atmospheric pressure system with or without the addition of inert gas. In particular, the animals are placed into a chamber, the chamber is sealed, and the pressure in the chamber is reduced along a predetermined pressure curve to a target decompression pressure, and maintained at the decompression pressure for a period of time until the animal achieves a state of death. The low atmospheric pressure slaughter is more humane than traditional slaughter techniques, and results in excellent meat quality.

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.

A poultry stunning apparatus and method, the apparatus including an electrical control module configured to apply a DC current to the poultry at a voltage sufficient to stun the poultry and to apply AC current to the stunned poultry at a user-selectable voltage, current level, and/or frequency and for a period of time sufficient to immobilize and relax the muscles of the stunned poultry, while at the same time avoiding or minimizing damage to the poultry tissue.

A method and system for receiving, processing, and stunning poultry in a poultry processing facility includes an receiving system for receiving and unloading live poultry from a transport vehicle, a controlled atmosphere stunning system, a stunned poultry hanging station for receiving and transferring stunned poultry to another facility for further processing, such as slaughtering the stunned poultry. Shuttle conveyors and cage pushers coordinate to unload cages of live poultry from the transport vehicle and begin conveying the cages toward the stunning system. Accumulators, cage de-stackers, cage stackers, cage washers, tilted conveyors, and other features may be included with the system.

Method and apparatus for a device used to euthanize poultry. The device restrains the animal via a head restraint which is placed to pull the head down while the legs are held upwardly in leg shackles. The head restraint is offset in order to contact the head at an angle that is not in line with the bird's spine which is important for proper cervical dislocation. The head restraint bar floats or moves on guide rods on either side to keep it from twisting. A ramrod runs vertically all the way to the top of the machine and past the legs of a chicken and an impact/stop is welded onto the rod with an approximate five pound slide hammer on top of the stop. With a chicken properly restrained in the device, the slide hammer is used to slam on the impact/stop which then causes complete and perfect cervical dislocation so that the animal is brain dead without any blood.

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.

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.