Macroscopic Examination of Multiple-Shot Cattle Heads—An Animal Welfare Due Diligence Tool for Abattoirs Using Penetrating Captive Bolt Devices?

The most common method of stunning cattle prior to bleeding in an abattoir is a penetrating captive bolt device, which is basically a piston driven forward by expanding gas produced by a blank cartridge. This creates a concussed state in the animal on impact with the skull, followed by penetration to prevent recovery by destroying key parts of the brain. The successful application of this device requires the correct cartridge strength for the species and accurate placement of the device. This paper examines the heads of animals that have received multiple shots in an attempt to ascertain the cause, to provide abattoirs with training material and an investigative tool to reduce the occurrences of multiple shots and reduce the consequent negative effects on animal welfare at slaughter