Influence of high frequency electrical stunning and decapitation on broiler activity during slaughter and carcass and meat quality

Abstract

The effects of high frequency electrical stunning and decapitation on broiler activity, carcass and meat quality, and rigor development were measured in two experiments. In the first experiment broilers were killed by conventional neck cutting, and decapitation independently or following a high frequency electrical stun. Broilers were subjectively scored for severity of activity during slaughter, carcasses scored for processing defects (broken bones, red tails, red wing tips, and number of feathers), and 24 h postmortem muscle pH values, color, cook yield and Allo-Kramer shear. In the second experiment, conventional slaughter was compared to high frequency stunning and decapitation on early rigor development by measuring breast meat pH, R-values, color, cook yield, and shear of fillets deboned at 2, 4, and 24 h postmortem. Results indicated that decapitation following high frequency electrical stunning was comparable to conventional stunning and killing.