Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

www.elsevier.com/locate/meatsci

Eect of stun duration and current level applied during head to

back and head only electrical stunning of pigs on pork quality
compared with pigs stunned with CO2
Heather A. Channon*, Ann M. Payne, Robyn D. Warner
Department of Primary Industries, Victorian Institute of Animal Science, 600 Sneydes Road, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia
Received 18 September 2002; received in revised form 30 January 2003; accepted 30 January 2003

Abstract
The eect of current, duration and method of application of manual electrical stunning on pork carcass and meat quality attributes in comparison with stunning pigs with CO2 was investigated. Two experiments were conducted using a total of 96 Large
WhiteLandrace boars (homozygous dominant for the halothane gene). In Experiment 1, 48 pigs were allocated to one of six
stunning treatments: CO2 (90% in air), electrical stunning (ES) using head only (HO) tongs delivering current at a frequency of 50
Hz at 1.3 or 2.0 A for 4 s and 0.9, 1.3 or 2.0 A for 19 s. Higher drip loss occurred in M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL)
muscles from ES pigs, except those stunned with 0.9 A for 19 s, compared with pigs stunned with CO2. The incidence of pale, soft
exudative (PSE) meat was higher in ES pigs, except those stunned at 1.3 A for 4 s, compared with CO2 stunned pigs. In Experiment
2, 48 pigs were allocated to one of six stunning treatments: ES using a head to back (HB) handpiece delivering current at 1.3 or 2.0
A for 4 s and 0.9 or 1.3 A for 10 s; HO 1.3 A for 4 s or CO2. Although stunning treatment did not inuence ultimate pH, muscle
lightness, tenderness or cooking loss, drip loss and PSE incidence in LTL muscles from CO2 stunned pigs were lower compared with
ES pigs. Overall, ecchymosis and bone fractures were more prevalent in ES pigs compared with CO2 stunned pigs. This research
identied that stunning pigs with CO2 compared with manual ES lowered the incidence of bone fractures, ecchymosis, PSE and drip
loss of pork.
# 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Stunning; Slaughtering; Meat quality; Pork

1. Introduction
The majority of Australian pig processing plants with
manual electrical stunning systems installed use constant voltage systems (Green, Shaw, Trout, Reiser, &
Sentence, 1993) rather than constant current systems,
despite amperage being the most important factor producing unconsciousness (Gregory, 1985). Many electrical stunning systems operating in Australia are
installed without the capacity to set stun duration that
may contribute to the variation in carcass and meat
quality between carcasses from electrically stunned pigs
(Green et al., 1993). From an occupational health and
safety viewpoint, the amount of post-stun movement of
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +613-9742-0415; fax: +613-97420400.
E-mail address: heather.channon@nre.vic.gov.au (H.A. Channon).
0309-1740/03/$ - see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/S0309-1740(03)00053-6

the animal tends to decrease with increasing stun duration. Increased stun duration induces a longer period of
unconsciousness than when a shorter stun duration is
applied, enabling workers to shackle, hoist and exsanguinate pigs with potentially less risk (Devine, Cook,
Maasland, & Gilbert, 1993).
Head to back stunning of pigs was originally developed as an alternative to head only application of stunning tongs as cardiac arrest can be induced, thus
eliminating the risk of pigs regaining consciousness
prior to exsanguination (Wotton, Anil, Whittington, &
McKinstry, 1992). The degree of animal stillness following head to back stunning, resulting from cardiac
brillation and depolarisation of spinal neurones, is also
advantageous in occupational health and safety terms
(Gilbert, Devine, Hand, & Ellery, 1984). However,
muscle contraction that occurs during head to back
stunning can contribute to ecchymosis (Gilbert et al.

1326

H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

1984). Although applying the electrical current for a

shorter duration can reduce the degree of ecchymosis,
this may result in ineective stunning causing excessive
movement of animals following stunning. Additionally,
in head to back electrical stunning, the occurrence of
vertebral fractures increases as the rear electrode is
positioned further down the back of the animal, with a
greater frequency of broken pelvises the more caudal
this position (Wotton et al., 1992). Grandin (1985/1986)
also stated that longer stun durations were associated
with a higher incidence of broken vertebrae in pigs
stunned with head to back electrodes.
The eect of applying dierent current levels to pigs
being manually electrically stunned prior to slaughter
has not been previously determined in pigs produced
and slaughtered under commercial conditions in terms
of carcass and meat quality attributes.
Potential eects of varying electrical stun duration on
carcass quality of pork produced and slaughtered under
Australian conditions have been reported (Green et al.
1993), but comparisons of carcass and meat quality of
pigs stunned with carbon dioxide were not made. This
study aimed to compare the eect of carbon dioxide and
electrical stunning of pigs, using dierent stun durations
and levels of electrical current applied using both head
to back and head only tongs, on carcass and meat
quality attributes of pork.

2. Materials and methods

ve electrical stunning treatments were: 0.9 A for 19 s

(n=7); 1.3 A for 4 s (n=8); 1.3 A for 19 s (n=7); 2.0 A
for 4 s (n=7) or 2.0 A for 19 s (n=7). Pigs allocated to
the CO2 stunning treatment were stunned using a diplift stunner (Butina APS, Denmark) set at 90% carbon
dioxide in air and exposed to 90% CO2 for 103 s
(n=12). Four slaughters were conducted over a 10 day
period, with 12 pigs (CO2 (n=3); 1.3 A for 4 s (n=2); all
other ES treatments (either n=2 or n=1 with one pig
from one treatment slaughtered on a slaughter day due
to odd number of pigs in these treatment groups)
slaughtered on each slaughter day.
2.1.2. Experiment 2
Pigs allocated to one of the ve electrical stunning
treatments were manually electrically stunned in a
V-restrainer using a constant current stunning system
(Hetech Technologies, Brisbane, Australia) with commercially available head to back stunning electrodes and
Stork# head only (HO) tongs. The stunning treatments
were: head to back (HB) stunning with either 0.9 A for
10 s (n=7); 1.3 A for 4 s (n=7); 1.3 A for 10 s (n=7) or
2.0 A for 4 s (n=7), HO stunning with 1.3 A for 4 s
(n=8) or CO2 stunning (n=12). Pigs allocated to the
CO2 stunning treatment were stunned as described in
Experiment 1. Four slaughters were conducted over a 10
day period, with 12 pigs (CO2 (n=3); HO 1.3 A for 4 s
(n=2); all HB treatments (either n=2 or n=1 with one
pig from one HB treatment slaughtered on each
slaughter day due to odd number of pigs in these treatment groups) slaughtered on each slaughter day.

2.1. Animals and experimental design

2.2. Slaughter methods and carcass dissection
Intact male LandraceLarge White pigs, homozygous dominant for the halothane gene and ranging in
liveweight from 90 to 110 kg were used in the two
experiments. Forty-eight pigs were slaughtered in each
experiment. All pigs were of similar genetics and
obtained from a research piggery. All pigs were transported a distance of 1 km to a pilot abattoir that was
tted with both electrical and CO2 stunning systems
suitable for pigs and slaughtered following overnight
lairage of 15 h. All pigs were moved from the lairage
area to the stunning area with minimal force and without the use of electric goads. The lead-in races from
lairage into both stunning systems were similar and
adjacent to each other.
2.1.1. Experiment 1
Pigs were randomly allocated to one of six stunning
treatments immediately prior to slaughter. Pigs allocated to one of the ve electrical stunning treatments
were manually electrically stunned in a V-restrainer
using a custom-made constant current stunning system
(Hetech Technologies, Brisbane, Australia) with commercially available Stork# head only (HO) tongs. The

Following stunning, pigs were shackled by the right

hind leg and vertically exsanguinated. Carcasses were
then individually placed in a dehairer at 62  C for 5 min
and any hair remaining was then removed using a knife
and ame after exit from the dehairer. Carcasses were
then eviscerated and split before being placed in a chiller
set at 4  C for 24 h.
At 24 h post-slaughter, all carcasses were dissected
into shoulder (cut between the fourth and fth thoracic
vertebrae), middle (cut at the last lumbar vertebrae) and
leg primals and weighed. All bones removed from the
shoulder and middle primals were visually assessed for
bone fractures. Any muscle tissue aected with ecchymois was removed, weighed and recorded.
2.3. Meat quality measurements
Muscle pH was determined in the M. biceps femoris
(BF) and in three sites in the M. longissimus thoracis et
lumborum (LTL)between the fth and sixth thoracic
vertebrae (Site 1), at the P2 site (located at 65 mm from
the midline of the carcass at the last thoracic rib; Site 2)

H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

and the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebrae (Site 3). Muscle
pH was measured at each site in the LTL at 40 min, 90
min (Experiment 2 only), 100 min (Experiment 1 only),
3, 6 and 24 h post-slaughter using a portable pH meter
(Jenco Electronic Ltd., model 6007) tted with a polypropylene spear-type electrode (Ionode IJ42S, Brisbane,
QLD) and a temperature probe. Muscle pH was measured in the BF muscle at 40 min, 90 min (Experiment 2
only), 100 min (Experiment 1 only), 3 h (Experiment
2 only), 6 h (Experiment 2 only) and 24 h. To limit the
number of holes made at Site 2, pH was measured at 3
and 6 h post-slaughter in the LTL muscle at Sites 1 and
3 only.
Muscle lightness (CIE L*) was determined in triplicate following exposure to air for 10 min using a Minolta Chromameter CR-200 using D-65 lighting, a 2  C
standard observer and a 8-mm aperture in the measuring head on both the LTL muscle at Site 2 in the LTL
muscle and the BF muscle.
At 24 h post-slaughter, a section of the right LTL,
between the rst and third lumbar vertebrae, and the
BF muscle were dissected from the carcass, trimmed of
all fat and frozen at 20  C for subsequent tenderness
testing. Samples were then partially thawed and prepared into 100 g 2 g samples in duplicate and then
cooked from the semi-frozen state. Each sample was
placed individually into labelled plastic bags, suspended
from a metal rack and cooked in a water bath at 80  C
for 75 min. Cooling was achieved by immersion in cool
running water for 30 min (Bouton, Harris, & Shorthose,
1971). Samples were dried and weighed to determine
cooking loss (expressed as a percentage of weight lost
due to cooking) and then stored at 4  C for 24 h. From
each sample, ve 1 cm2 replicate samples were cut parallel to the orientation of muscle bres for tenderness
assessment. Tenderness was measured using a WarnerBratzler (WB) shear blade tted to an Instron Universal
Testing Machine model 4465 at a crosshead speed of
300 mm/min.
At 24 h post-slaughter, a sample from the right LTL
(between sites 1 and 2) was removed of all fat and prepared into 100  2 g samples in duplicate. Each sample
was individually suspended in netting and placed into
an air-lled, labelled plastic bag and kept at 4  C for 48
h (Honikel, Kim, Hamm, & Roncales, 1986). Excess
moisture was then lightly removed from the muscle
surface and samples were reweighed. Drip loss was calculated and expressed as a percentage of initial weight.
Carcasses were classied as pale soft and exudative
(PSE) as dened by Warner, Kauman and Greaser
(1997): (PSEpHu< 6.0; L* value > 50, drip loss > 5%).
2.4. Statistical analysis
Data were analysed using the analysis of variance
function of Genstat 5 (Payne, Lane, & Genstat 5 Com-

1327

mittee, 1987) to determine signicant dierences in

ecchymosis and objective meat quality attributes due to
stunning treatment. The data was analysed after allowing for the randomisation specied and blocking
according to day of slaughter and pig. For both
Experiments 1 and 2, a greater number of animals were
placed in the CO2 and HO 1.3 A for 4 s treatments than
the other ES treatments to allow for improved precision
of comparisons involving these treatments.
A comparison of the incidence of bone fractures and
PSE pork between stunning treatments was made using
the chi-square goodness of t test (Snedecor & Cochran,
1980).
The rate of muscle pH and temperature decline in the
LTL muscle at both sites 1 and 3 was examined by tting pH and temperature data for each individual pig,
measured from 40 min to 24 h post-slaughter, to an
exponential equation using non-linear regression analysis. Analysis of variance on the k values obtained for
each pig was used to determine the inuence of stunning
method on the k value. The k value can be interpreted
as the average relative rate of decay, where relative
refers to the dierence between the pH/temperature at a
particular time to the nal pH/temperature at 24 h postslaughter.

3. Results
3.1. Experiment 1
At 40 min post-slaughter, the muscle pH of the LTL
muscle at both sites 2 (P< 0.001) and 3 (P=0.050) was
higher in CO2 stunned pigs compared with pigs electrically stunned (Table 1). Similarly, at 100 min postslaughter LTL muscles from CO2 stunned pigs and
those in the 1.3 A for 4 s ES treatment had a higher
(P=0.021) muscle pH at site 3 compared with pigs in all
other treatments. LTL muscle pH at 3 h at Site 3 was
also higher (P=0.014) in pigs stunned with CO2 compared with those electrically stunned. Pigs stunned for
19 s had a lower muscle pH at both sites 1 (P=0.001)
and 3 (P=0.007) at 6 h post-slaughter compared with
pigs in all other treatments. Although average muscle
pH measured at 40 min post-slaughter of the BF muscles from CO2 stunned pigs was higher (P=0.052)
compared with pigs electrically stunned, both stun
duration and current level applied had inconsistent
eects on muscle pH. Despite these eects of stunning
method on muscle pH at 40 min, 90 min and 3 h postslaughter, the relative rate of muscle pH decline from 40
min to 24 h post-slaughter in the LTL muscle at both
sites 1 and 3 was not inuenced (P=0.26) by stunning
treatment. Although the rate of muscle temperature
decline at site 3 was inuenced (P=0.057) by stunning
treatment, these dierences were inconsistent.

1328

H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

Table 1
Eect of stunning treatment on muscle pH in the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) at 40 min, 90 min, 3 h and 6 h post slaughter and in the
M. biceps femoris (BF) at 40 and 100 min post-slaughter and the relative rate of muscle pH and temperature decline from 40 min to 24 h postslaughter at sites 1 and 3 of the LTL muscle
CO2
stunning (n=12)

S.E.D.a (range)

Electrical stunning treatment

1.3 A,
4 s (n=8)

0.9 A,
19 s (n=7)

1.3 A,
19 s (n=7)

2.0 A,
4 s (n=7)

2.0 A,
19 s (n=7)

P value

LTL muscle
pH 40 min
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3

6.45
6.63
6.58

6.42
6.42
6.47

6.39
6.37
6.31

6.48
6.33
6.28

6.35
6.27
6.32

6.47
6.32
6.40

0.08 0.09
0.090.10
0.110.12

pH 100 min
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3

6.28
6.43
6.41

6.21
5.92
6.38

6.22
6.14
6.09

6.28
6.16
6.11

6.21
6.16
6.14

6.13
6.07
6.14

0.080.09
0.120.14
0.120.13

0.30
0.31
0.021

pH 3 h
Site 1
Site 3

6.08
6.31

6.02
6.06

5.99
5.94

5.97
5.97

5.91
6.08

6.03
6.06

0.080.09
0.110.12

0.33
0.014

pH 6 h
Site 1
Site 3

6.01
6.11

5.90
5.98

5.72
5.80

5.95
5.71

5.82
5.93

5.82
5.83

0.07
0.110.12

0.001
0.007

BF muscle
pH 40 min
pH 100 min

6.60
6.32

6.37
6.19

6.45
6.28

6.31
6.18

6.44
6.15

6.26
6.19

0.110.13
0.130.15

0.052
0.38

0.270
0.333

0.268
0.237

0.406
0.167

0.243
0.306

0.0840.094
0.0870.098

0.26
0.26

0.233
0.357

0.255
0.513

0.274
0.499

0.0310.035
0.0720.081

0.32
0.057

Relativeb rate of muscle pH decline to nal pH (h 1)

Site 1
0.193
0.234
Site 3
0.149
0.189

Relative rate of muscle temperature decline to nal temperature (h

Site 1
0.288
0.224
0.256
Site 3
0.414
0.302
0.344
a
b

0.66
<0.001
0.050

Range in S.E.D.s for each attribute given due to dierences in numbers of animals in each treatment.
Relative to dierence between pH/temperature at any given time and nal pH/ temperature at 24 h post-slaughter.

Stunning treatment did not inuence pH measured at

24 h post-slaughter in three sites of the LTL and in the
BF muscle (Table 2). Neither meat colour nor WB shear
force of both the LTL and BF muscles were inuenced
by stunning treatment. However, drip loss values in
LTL muscles were lower (P=0.001) for CO2 stunned
pigs compared with all pigs electrically stunned, except
pigs stunned with 0.9 A for 19 s. Drip loss from BF muscles was not inuenced (P=0.526) by stunning treatment.
The incidence of PSE meat in both the LTL and BF muscles was lower (P< 0.05) in pigs electrically stunned using
1.3 A for 4 s and CO2 stunning treatments compared to
those in the other electrical stunning treatments.
The incidence of broken bones and ecchymosis-aected meat was inuenced by stunning treatment, with no
problems in carcass quality observed in pigs stunned
with CO2. CO2 stunned pigs had a lower (P < 0.05)
incidence of ecchymosis in the shoulder and loin primals. Irrespective of stun duration and level of electrical

current applied, ecchymosis occurred in both the shoulder

and middle primals of ES pigs and it was not considered
that the incidence of this quality defect could be totally
explained by broken vertebrae. The highest amount of
ecchymosis-aected meat was trimmed from shoulder
primals from carcasses of pigs stunned with 1.3 A for 4 s.
Bone fractures were not found in carcasses from CO2
stunned pigs nor those electrically stunned with either
0.9 A for 19 s or 2.0 A for 19 s. Major sites of bone
fractures resulting from the application of electrical
current were in the thoracic vertebrae and in the scapula
where it adjoins the humerus.
3.2. Experiment 2
CO2 stunned pigs had higher muscle pH in the LTL at
Site 2 (P < 0.001) and in the BF muscle at both 40
(P=0.050) and 90 min (P=0.031) post-slaughter compared with pigs HB stunned for 4 s with either 1.3 and

Table 2
Eect of stunning treatment on pH 24 h, muscle lightness (L*), drip loss, Warner-Bratzler (WB) shear force and the incidence of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) pork of the M. longissimus thoracis et
lumborum (LTL) and M. biceps femoris (BF), the amount of ecchymosis-aected meat removed from the shoulder and middle primals and the incidence of bone fractures
Attribute

CO2 stunning
(n=12)

Electrical stunning treatment

0.9 A, 19 s
(n=7)

1.3 A 19 s
(n=7)

2.0 A, 4 s
(n=7)

2.0 A, 19 s
(n=7)

LTL muscle
pH 24 h
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Muscle lightness (L*)
Drip loss (%)
WB shear force (kg)
Incidence of PSEb (%)

5.56
5.56
5.60
50.90
4.48
5.47
42

5.52
5.49
5.53
50.65
6.71
5.20
38

5.48
5.43
5.47
51.29
5.10
5.80
86

5.49
5.45
5.44
53.92
9.53
5.24
100

5.50
5.48
5.48
51.96
7.06
5.59
71

5.50
5.52
5.52
51.98
7.14
5.99
86

0.050.06
0.050.06
0.070.08
1.291.46
1.081.21
0.770.87

0.60
0.079
0.31
0.24
0.001
0.93
< 0.05

BF muscle
pH 24 h
Muscle lightness (L*)
Drip loss (%)
WB shear force (kg)
Incidence of PSEb (%)

5.60
49.22
3.15
7.72
8

5.59
49.41
5.48
8.35
0

5.54
49.41
3.44
7.77
57

5.60
51.79
5.07
7.72
71

5.59
50.73
4.15
8.28
14

5.58
50.57
5.10
8.17
43

0.040.05
1.261.43
0.750.84
0.650.73

0.82
0.35
0.53
0.87
< 0.05

Ecchymosis (g tissue/primal)
Shoulder
Middle

0
0

208
16.2

99
15.8

137
54.5

103
30.6

134
40.9

Incidence of bone fractures (%)b

25

14

43

a
b

57.864.9
15.817.8

0.018
0.022

H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

1.3 A, 4 s
(n=8)

S.E.D. (range)a

< 0.05

Range in S.E.D.s for each attribute given due to dierences in numbers of animals in each treatment.
Chi-square analysis.

1329

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H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

2.0 A (Table 3). At 6 h post-slaughter, muscle pH at site

3 in the LTL muscle from HB stunned pigs was lower
(P=0.012) than those stunned with either CO2 or using
HO tongs. The relative rate of muscle pH decline from 40
min to 24 h post-slaughter at site 1 of the LTL muscle was
faster (P< 0.05) in HO stunned pigs compared with pigs in
all other stunning treatments. No dierences in muscle pH
due to stunning treatment were found in the BF muscle at
3 and 6 h post-slaughter. Stunning treatment did not
inuence (P> 0.05) the relative rate of muscle temperature
decline in the LTL muscle at sites 1 and 3.
Stunning treatment also did not inuence pH of the
LTL and BF muscles measured at 24 h post-slaughter
(Table 4). However, drip loss from the LTL muscles in
CO2 stunned pigs was 49% lower (P=0.009) than all
electrically stunned pigs (2.39% vs. 4.535.70%, for

CO2 and ES pigs, respectively). WB shear force values

of LTL muscles from CO2 and HO stunned pigs were
lower (P=0.059) than those from HB electrically stunned pigs. A higher (P < 0.001) incidence of PSE pork
was found in both the LTL and BF muscles from pigs
ES with a HB handpiece compared with those stunned
with either HO tongs or with CO2.
CO2 stunned pigs produced less (P< 0.05) ecchymosisaected meat in the shoulder than electrically stunned
pigs. Stunning pigs with HB electrodes resulted in broken
vertebrae, with bone fractures occurring between the fth
and ninth thoracic vertebrae, whilst stunning with HO
electrodes resulted in two pigs having broken scapulas, at
the cup end adjoining the humerus. In contrast, no carcasses from CO2-stunned pigs exhibited broken bones or
yielded ecchymosis-aected muscle.

Table 3
Eect of stunning treatment on muscle pH at 40 min, 90 min, 3 and 6 h post-slaughter of the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and M.
biceps femoris (BF) and relative rate of muscle pH and temperature decline from 40 min to 24 h post-slaughter at sites 1 and 3 of the M. longissimus
thoracis et lumborum (LTL)
Attribute

CO2
(n=12)

Head Only
1.3 A, 4 s
(n=8)

Head to back stunning

S.E.D.
(range)a

0.9 A,
10 s (n=7)

1.3 A,
4 s (n=7)

1.3 A,
10 s (n=7)

2.0 A,
4 s (n=7)

LTL muscle
pH 40 min
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3

6.37
6.67
6.52

6.29
6.59
6.56

6.45
6.51
6.31

6.38
6.28
6.21

6.44
6.50
6.34

6.41
6.34
6.44

0.070.08
0.080.09
0.120.13

0.33
<0.001
0.060

pH 90 min
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3

6.39
6.58
6.45

6.18
6.41
6.21

6.39
6.30
6.33

6.34
6.15
6.17

6.37
6.34
6.25

6.33
6.14
6.10

0.08
0.090.10
0.100.11

0.094
<0.001
0.021

pH 3 h
Site 1
Site 3

6.14
6.24

6.03
6.19

6.15
6.10

6.27
6.01

6.14
5.98

6.17
6.14

0.080.09
0.130.15

0.18
0.38

pH 6 h
Site 1
Site 3

6.05
6.21

6.03
6.07

5.92
5.88

6.02
5.86

6.03
5.89

6.07
5.86

0.090.10
0.120.13

0.76
0.012

BF Muscle pH
40 min
90 min
3h
6h

6.53
6.46
6.19
6.02

6.40
6.12
6.01
5.80

6.37
6.40
6.04
5.90

6.22
6.21
6.10
5.83

6.33
6.33
6.14
5.83

6.24
6.21
5.90
5.81

0.110.12
0.110.12
0.110.13
0.130.15

0.050
0.031
0.28
0.43

0.110
0.436

0.153
0.314

0.140
0.194

0.0970.109
0.2320.268

0.027
0.88

Relative rate of muscle temperature decline to final temperature (h 1)

Site 1
0.231
0.244
0.258
0.224
Site 3
0.387
0.340
0.362
0.415

0.259
0.421

0.256
0.398

0.0300.034
0.0740.083

0.83
0.91

Relativeb rate of muscle pH decline to final pH (h 1)

Site 1
0.233
0.452
0.194
Site 3
0.282
0.441
0.213

a
b

Range in S.E.D.s for each attribute given due to dierences in numbers of animals in each treatment.
Relative to dierence between pH/temperature at any given time and nal pH/ temperature at 24 h post-slaughter.

Table 4
Eect of stunning treatment on muscle pH at 24 h, muscle lightness, percentage drip loss, Warner Bratzler (WB) shear force, cooking loss and the incidence of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) pork in
the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and M. biceps femoris (BF), the amount of ecchymosis-aected meat trimmed from the shoulder primal and the incidence of bone fractures
Attribute

CO2
(n=12)

Head only 1.3 A, 4 s

(n=8)

Head to back electrical stunning

0.9 A, 10 s
(n=7)

1.3 A, 10 s
(n=7)

2.0 A, 4 s
(n=7)

5.69
5.62
5.62

5.65
5.59
5.62

5.61
5.52
5.52

5.61
5.49
5.47

5.64
5.60
5.64

5.56
5.51
5.48

0.090.10
0.080.09
0.090.10

0.753
0.490
0.282

Muscle lightness (L*)

Drip loss (%)
WB shear force (kg)
Cooking loss (%)
Incidence of PSEb (%)

48.34
2.39
5.74
32.6
0

50.53
4.70
5.94
33.2
38

49.51
4.70
6.85
33.6
57

50.17
4.96
6.34
32.9
57

47.83
4.53
8.45
33.5
57

49.34
5.70
8.33
33.1
57

1.541.72
0.91.0
1.041.17
0.91.0

0.532
0.009
0.059
0.888
<0.001

BF muscle
pH 24 h
Muscle lightness (L*)
Drip loss (%)
WB shear force (kg)
Cooking loss (%)
Incidence of PSEb (%)

5.73
46.83
1.87
7.13
33.9
0

5.63
48.63
3.23
8.48
33.3
0

5.63
49.68
2.82
7.89
34.1
14

5.57
49.89
3.62
8.64
35.5
28

5.68
48.04
2.95
8.25
32.9
28

5.57
48.40
3.04
7.72
32.6
0

0.090.10
1.211.36
0.620.70
0.870.97
1.31.4

0.447
0.135
0.104
0.500
0.384
<0.001

Ecchymosis (g tissue/primal)
Shoulder

11

319

346

384

498

409

93.5105.0

<0.001

25

28

57

28

28

Incidence of bone fractures (%)b

a
b

H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

LTL muscle
pH 24 h
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3

1.3 A 4 s
(n=7)

S.E.D.
(range)a

<0.05

Range in S.E.D.s for each attribute given due to dierences in numbers of animals in each treatment.
Chi-square analysis.

1331

1332

H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

4. Discussion
In both studies, the eects of method of application of
electrical stunning, current level and stun duration were
inconsistent on muscle pH measured at dierent sites
and at varying time periods post-slaughter. Channon,
Payne, and Warner (2002) found that ES using HO and
HBR electrodes (1.3 A for 4 s) resulted in lower muscle
pH at Site 1 when measured at 40 min, 90 min, 3 h and 6
h post-slaughter compared with pigs stunned with CO2.
In contrast, only muscle pH of both the LTL (Site 2)
and BF at 40 min were higher in CO2 stunned pigs
compared with ES pigs in Experiment 1. Although the
eect of ES on pH decline may be similar to that which
occurs when pig carcasses are electrically stimulated
(Barton-Gade, 1993), consistent eects of ES on muscle
pH measured at intervals between 40 min and 6 h postslaughter compared with CO2 stunning were not
observed in either of these current studies. Unlike
Velarde, Gispert, Faucitano, Manteca, and Diestre
(2000), the ultimate pH in LTL muscles from CO2stunned pigs in these studies was not higher than from
electrically stunned pigs, regardless of method of application.
Overall, the rate of muscle pH decline of the LTL
muscle at the last lumbar vertebrae and between the
fourth and fth thoracic vertebrae was similar in
CO2-stunned pigs compared with those pigs electrically stunned with HB electrodes. This is in contrast to ndings reported by Channon et al., (2002)
who found that that the relative rate of muscle pH
decline of the LTL muscle measured between the
fourth and fth thoracic vertebrae was faster in ES pigs
with head to brisket (HBR) tongs (1.3 A for 4 s) compared with pigs CO2 stunned and HO stunned with 1.3
A for 4 s.
In Experiment 1, a higher incidence of PSE pork was
observed in ES pigs stunned with HO tongs for 19 s
compared with pigs stunned with CO2 or electrically for
only 4 s. Although Barton-Gade (1993), Channon,
Payne, and Warner (2000) and Velarde et al. (2000)
have previously reported that electrical stunning may
result in acceleration of post-slaughter glycolysis resulting in a rapid pH decline post-slaughter, no inuence on
rate of muscle pH decline due to stunning treatment was
found in this study. It is postulated that the longer stun
duration of 19 s may have resulted in protein denaturation, with consequent, deleterious, eects on drip loss.
This may explain the higher incidence of PSE observed
in carcasses in these treatments. However, protein solubility was not measured in this study. Velarde et al.
(2000) stated that the direct eect of current owing
through an electrically stunned pig might be a possible
cause of deterioration in meat quality compared with
pigs stunned with CO2. It is not known whether placing
pigs onto a V-restrainer immediately prior to electrical

stunning contributed to the higher incidence of PSE

from electrically stunned pigs. It is noteworthy that
OShea, Luxford, and Ronnfeldt (1995) found that
changing the stunning system from electrical (300 V, 1.5
A, 6 s) to CO2 in a major Australian pig processing
plant did not aect drip loss. In the study by OShea et
al. (1995), CO2 stunning also substantially reduced losses associated with bruising, ecchymosis and bone fractures and also reduced labour costs as personnel were
no longer exposed to convulsing animals following
electrical stunning.
Electrical stunning of pigs with HO tongs with 0.9 A
for 19 s resulted in a lower incidence of ecchymosis in
both the shoulder and middle primals compared with
pigs in all other HO ES treatments. In contrast, Larsen
(1982) found pigs stunned at low voltage (60V) in
restrainers had the most severe ecchymosis in shoulders
(with 400500 g of ecchymosis-aected meat found per
pig) whilst only 290 g of ecchymosis-aected meat was
found per pig when animals were stunned at a higher
voltage (300 V). Possible reasons for these dierences
may be that pigs in Danish studies were slaughtered in
several abattoirs using dierent stunning equipment
with pigs exposed to dierent pre-slaughter conditions,
whilst in this study we had close control over all components of the system as pigs were slaughtered in a pilot
abattoir. The lower incidence of ecchymosis from CO2
stunned pigs compared with electrically stunned pigs in
this study conrm previous ndings of Velarde et al.
(2000), Velarde, Gispert, Faucitano, Alonso, Manteca,
and Diestre (2001) and Channon et al. (2002). Overall,
the application of 1.3 A for 10 s using HB electrodes
resulted in the highest average amount of ecchymosis
aected meat in the shoulder primals, particularly in the
blade musculature. Velarde et al. (2001) concluded that
in order to improve meat quality and reduce the incidence of haemorrhages, electrical stunning of pigs
should be avoided.
Head to back stunning, regardless of stun duration or
current level applied, contributed to a higher incidence
of bone fractures, particularly spinal fractures, compared with CO2 stunning. As the rear electrode on the
HB handpiece was xed in position, the actual position
of the rear electrode along the backbone of the animal
was not always the same as this was dependent upon the
size of the pig being stunned. This may partly explain
variations in the site of spinal fractures found in carcasses in this study. Wotton et al. (1992), however,
found that there was no single rear electrode position in
head to back stunning that ensured both 100% cardiac
brillation and no bone fractures. Interestingly,
although broken vertebrae resulted from HB stunning
of pigs, it did not necessarily result in ecchymosis-aected pork in the LTL muscle.
To allow for the comparison of electrical and CO2
stunning systems alongside each other in the same

H.A. Channon et al. / Meat Science 65 (2003) 13251333

slaughtering facility, race design leading into both

stunning systems at the pilot abattoir used in these
studies was intentionally designed to be similar. However, it was observed that pigs allocated to the electrical stunning treatments were more dicult to place
onto the restrainer when no electric goads are used
rather than driving them into the CO2 unit. Additionally, as pigs in the restrainer try to ght free and do
not lie still, the diculty for the operator to accurately
place electrodes in the correct position can also be
increased. This factor may also have contributed to an
increased incidence of soft, exudative pork in electrically
stunned pigs, as the handling of the animal before either
electrical or carbon dioxide stunning was suggested by
Larsen (1982) to be more aversive than the stunning
method itself.
The ndings from these two studies reinforced the key
advantage of CO2 stunning over electrical stunning systems in that CO2 stunning is consistent in removing
operator ineciencies and equipment variation, which
exists for manual electrical stunning.
In conclusion, carcass quality and meat quality were
markedly improved by stunning pigs using CO2 rather
than electrical stunning systems, irrespective of the
type of electrode applied, stun duration or current
level used. Due to the inconsistent eects of stun
duration and current level on pork quality attributes
and carcass quality it is dicult from the results of
these two studies to provide industry with clear
recommendations on equipment settings for manual
electrical stunning that consistently maximises pork
quality.

Acknowledgements
The authors are appreciative of the funding provided
by Australian Pork Limited, formerly the Pig Research
and Development Corporation and the Department of
Primary Industries, Victoria to undertake this work.
The technical assistance provided by Matthew Kerr,
Paul Weston, Peter Tardrew, Bob Nightingale, Richard
Biden, Darryl DSouza and Melissa Rees, scientic
advice provided by Graham Trout and statistical advice
provided by Kym Butler was appreciated and gratefully
acknowledged.

1333

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