The humane treatment of animals used for human consumption should be a priority for consumers. Current humane animal treatment standards exist under USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) regulations. Methods for handling cattle in or before going to the slaughterhouse has much room for improvement. Suggestions have been made for institutionalizing these more humane slaughter standards. The cattle meatpacking industry should develop more humane methods of slaughtering animals.
Although the humane slaughter act was into place in 1958, the majority of slaughterhouses do not take the extra step of making a stress free environment for the cattle. The only humane policy that the USDA enforces is in Article 1902. “Humane methods:
No method of slaughtering or handling in connection with slaughtering shall be deemed to comply with the public policy of the United States unless it is humane. Either of the following two methods of slaughtering and handling are hereby found to be humane:
(a) in the case of cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, and other livestock, all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or
(b) by slaughtering in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument and handling in connection with such slaughtering (U.S.C Title 7).”
Current methods for handling cattle in and before going to the slaughterhouse has much room for improvement. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences looked into the efficiency of captive-bolt stunning. The study found that out of the 998 observed cattle, just 84.1% were adequately stunned. The remaining individuals were then subjected to either repetitive stunning or slaughter while being semi-conscious. Confirming some results of previous research, bulls displayed inadequate stunning symptoms three times more frequently than other cattle. This raises great concern for the welfare of bulls as the scientists’ highlight that more than half of the 445,000 cattle annually slaughtered are male (How Effective Is Captive Bolt Stunning?).
Vocalization of cattle in commercial slaughter plants is associated with observable aversive events such as prodding with electric prods, slipping in the stunning box, missed stuns, sharp edges on equipment or excessive pressure form a restraint device. In 20 plants 42% of the cattle vocalized (Cattle Vocalizations Are Associated with Handling and Equipment Problems at Beef Slaughter Plants”).
In a high percentage of plants, the presence of unsuitable floor (5 plants, 50%) was found. These floors, greatly worn, were observed mainly near the stunning box or in the areas of greatest passage of animals. In these areas cattle had difficulty moving because of irregularities in the floor. Mistakes in the design of forcing pen (9 plants) determined the presence of air drafts that have often determined the recoiling of the animals, with the consequent use of the electric prod by operators. In a slaughterhouse has been observed that excessive lighting in association with the presence of air drafts, blocking cattle at the entrance of the stunning box. During the visits the presence of staff poorly formed, unmotivated or uncontrolled has often been observed. In almost all the plants visited a great number of subjects was observed in the forcing pen, in order to speed the slaughter. All this can may cause great stress in cattle (Disanto).
Temple Grandin has been leading the charge for animal welfare reform in the cattle industry. “I think using animals for food is an ethical thing to do, but we've got to do it right. We've got to give those animals a decent life and we've got to give them a painless death. We owe the animal respect. (Temple). She has found a bunch of small ways that add up to a big difference on how humanely the beef industry treats cattle. Her discoveries include two inventions such as: curved loading chutes and the center-track restrainer system. Curved chutes fix an obvious problem. When cattle see what they’re in for they become panicked and stressed. They ram into each other, try to spin around, and slip to the ground, injuring themselves. Grandin realized that curves chutes shield them from viewing what is ahead, keeping them calm. The arced shape also plays to the cattle instinct, which is to walk in circle back to where they came. The center- tracked restrainer is a conveyor belt- like piece of machinery. It works and looks like a bowling ball return system. Cattle straddle a track that lifts them up by the belly and propels them forward. It holds them steady during the final moment of slaughter, so that handlers can stun cattle with maximum effectiveness- a crucial moment of animal welfare, because nothing’s worse than a botched attempt to kill an animal. (The Plate) Handling methods that bring animals up to the stunner, and devices used to restrain animals for stunning, should also be evaluated. Animal welfare improvements will be greatest when the entire system is examined. For example, the operator of a captive bolt may be failing to render a high percentage of the cattle insensible with a single shot. A common cause of this problem, which is often overlooked, is that animals may become highly agitated as a result of slipping on the floor. Installation of nonslip flooring in the stun box will solve this problem (Temple). Cattle will often balk and refuse to move through chutes at slaughter plants, feedlots, or ranches if they see distractions. Some common distractions are: seeing people outside the chute, moving equipment, reflections on shiny metal, a chain hanging down, or an entrance to the chute that is too dark. Shadows and high contrasts of light and dark will also impede animal movement. Because animals tend to move more easily from a darker place toward a more brightly illuminated place, installation of a lamp at the entrance to a chute will improve animal movement at slaughter plants. Livestock are highly influenced by what they see. Addition of a solid panel to prevent cattle from seeing people next to them while they are in a chute has a calming effect. Adjusting lighting to eliminate reflections and blocking the view of moving distractions such as people, vehicles, or conveyors also improve animal movement. Another factor that will have a detrimental effect on calm animal movement is air blowing into the faces of approaching animals. Changing the direction of airflow at the stun-box entrance makes it possible to greatly reduce electric prod use by reducing balking and refusal to move. Sudden intermittent noise, such as air hissing from pneumatic valves, rapid motion of people or equipment, and banging metal will frighten animal (Temple).
Currently the USDA standards for humane cattle treatment does not justify where they need to be. Current methods for handling cattle in and before going to the slaughterhouse has room for improvement. Grandin has made a significant impact in the meatpacking industry by reducing the stress on the cattle. More slaughterhouses should follow the suggestions made by her.