75results about "Gas slaughtering/stunning" patented technology

A high density animal housing system with an air source conduit and an air exhaust conduit is normally coupled to one or more ventilating animal cage racks through standard inlet / outlet fittings. A euthanasia fixture is coupled into the standard inlet / outlet fittings and selectively and sequentially operates valves and / or blowers to switch from supply of respiration air to a gas supply, to open and close the flow to the exhaust and to resume ventilation afterwards, for venting. The sequence is timed and controlled by a programmable controller that activates the associated blowers and valves automatically to follow a user selected sequence. The system anesthetizes and then euthanizes the animals via the same flow conduits that otherwise supply respiration air, requiring no rack modifications and little if any human attention other than to couple the rack to the ventilation system at the euthanasia fixture. Operator inputs allow selection among sequences. Status sensing inputs prevent initiation or continuation of a cycle in the event of certain faults.

The present invention prevents the leakage of anesthetic gas, and enables in vivo observation of a specimen such as small laboratory animals over a long period of time. An anesthetizing chamber comprises a chamber main body for housing a specimen such as a laboratory animal; an anesthetic gas supply part for supplying anesthetic gas to the chamber main body; and an anesthetic gas recovery part for recovering the anesthetic gas that is supplied into the chamber main body from the anesthetic gas supply part; wherein a transparent window is provided to at least the chamber main body.

Plant for the stunning and / or killing of animals for slaughter, comprising a hermetically sealable chamber with an entrance aperture for the introduction of live animals and an exit aperture for removal of stunned or killed animals, closure devices to hermetically seal these apertures, and an extraction means to remove air from the chamber in order to stun or kill the animals.

A method and apparatus for the humane euthanasia of small animals involves the use of a programmable controller and animal holding chamber. The apparatus includes a Mass Flow Controller (“MFC”) having a closed-loop interface with a Programmable Logic Controller (“PLC”) to provide a predetermined flow rate of gas under specified pressures for specified time periods. The PLC is preprogrammed to provide various cycles that are designed to provide the proper flow rate for various animal species. The program may allow for a two-stage flow rate cycle so that in the first stage the animal is anesthetized and in the second stage the animals are euthanatized.

A system and method for handling poultry comprising a harvesting system, a loading system, a transport system, an unloading and storing system, a stunning system, and a singulate and hanging system. The system and method performs the steps of harvesting live poultry into stackable transport trays, stacking and loading the trays on a transport, unloading and temporarily storing the poultry for subsequent stunning and hanging. The stackable transport trays are well vented and easier for handling poultry.

System and method for controlled atmosphere stunning of chickens or turkeys in a batch mode is provided. The disclosed method includes the steps of: loading one or more batches of chickens or turkeys in a stunning chamber and sealably enclosing the stunning chamber to isolate the atmosphere therein. Carbon dioxide is then introduced to the isolated atmosphere in a series of three, four, five or more phases to humanely stun and eventually kill the poultry. The carbon dioxide containing atmosphere is subsequently forcibly exhausted from the stunning chamber and the ranks of cages or modules containing the stunned poultry are advanced to a subsequent processing station such as a tipper or dumping station.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for humanely stunning and slaughtering poultry, and more particularly to a method for decreasing the spastic wing activity of poultry during slaughter. In particular, the birds are placed into a sealed chamber and the pressure in the chamber is reduced at a continuous rate to a target decompression pressure. The low atmospheric pressure slaughter is more humane than traditional slaughter techniques and results in less spastic wing activity.

System and method for controlled atmosphere stunning of chickens or turkeys in a batch mode is provided. The disclosed method includes the steps of: loading one or more batches of chickens or turkeys in a stunning chamber and sealably enclosing the stunning chamber to isolate the atmosphere therein. Carbon dioxide is then introduced to the isolated atmosphere in a series of three, four, five or more phases to humanely stun and eventually kill the poultry. The carbon dioxide containing atmosphere is subsequently forcibly exhausted from the stunning chamber and the ranks of cages or modules containing the stunned poultry are advanced to a subsequent processing station such as a tipper or dumping station.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for humanely stunning and slaughtering poultry, and more particularly to a method for stunning and slaughtering poultry using a low atmospheric pressure system. In particular, the birds are placed into a sealed chamber and the pressure in the chamber is reduced at a continuous rate to a target decompression pressure and maintained at the decompression pressure for a period of time until a state of death is obtained. The low atmospheric pressure slaughter is more humane than traditional slaughter techniques and results in excellent meat quality.

A method of depopulating livestock is provided. The method comprises restricting the livestock in a defined space, and depositing foam into the defined space, forming a foam blanket covering the livestock. The livestock can be avians, such as chickens, ducks, and turkeys. A device for making medium expansion foam comprising a high expansion foam generator having a fan, and a shroud shielding the fan from ambient air intake. The shroud limits the amount of ambient air incorporated into the foam during operation. The device can include an alternative gas input positioned to direct an alternative gas to the fan. The alternative gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, and mixtures thereof.

A method of depopulating livestock is provided. The method comprises restricting the livestock in a defined space, and depositing foam into the defined space, forming a foam blanket covering the livestock. The livestock can be avians, such as chickens, ducks, and turkeys. A device for making medium expansion foam comprising a high expansion foam generator having a fan, and a shroud shielding the fan from ambient air intake. The shroud limits the amount of ambient air incorporated into the foam during operation. The device can include an alternative gas input positioned to direct an alternative gas to the fan. The alternative gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, and mixtures thereof.

The present invention provides improved anesthesia delivery systems that consistently and reliably deliver anesthesia gas to multiple gas outlets. The systems are particularly useful for anesthetizing multiple mammals and living specimens to be imaged by a low-light level imaging system. The anesthesia delivery systems are suitable for use with conventional oxygen sources, and convert the high pressures associated with a conventional oxygen source to lower pressures suitable for use with small mammals and suitable for combination with an anesthesia gas at low flow rates. The systems include an anesthesia gas source that combines anesthesia gas with the oxygen. The combination of anesthesia gas and oxygen is supplied to one or more multiple outlets.

Animals such as poultry are stunned while still caged and on a vehicle or stationary platform prior to processing the animal by isolating the atmosphere surrounding the animal, adjusting the composition of the isolated atmosphere by introducing a gaseous mixture that brings the animal to the desired state, and evacuating or exhausting the gaseous mixture.

A method for gas stunning of poultry for slaughter is described, where the poultry arrives at the poultry slaughterhouse in for example in transport crates, where gas stunning of the animals is effected after the animals have been taken out of the transport crates, and where the animals by means of a number of conveyors (18, 20, 24, 32) are conveyed successively through a stunning chamber (8), where the influence of the gas for stunning of the animals is adjusted by reducing or prolonging the conveying time and / or the conveying route of the animals on said conveyors through the stunning chamber (8).

The invention discloses live pig slaughtering equipment. The live pig slaughtering equipment comprises a rack and a live pig conveyor belt and is characterized in that pig body limiting devices capable of being automatically adaptive to the width of a pig body are arranged at the parts, located on the two sides of the live pig conveyor belt, of the rack; a lug boss capable of separating left and right legs of a live pig is arranged at the part, located in the middle of the live pig conveyor belt, of the rack; a nitrous oxide conveying system for automatically releasing nitrous oxide toward a pig nose is arranged at the part, located above the rear end of the lug boss, of the rack; a pig head limiting device for positioning a pig head is arranged at the part, located at the rear end of the lug boss, of the rack; a vacuum blood collection device for bleeding the live pig is arranged at the part, located on the rear side of the lug boss, of the rack; and a sharp corner inclined plane is arranged at the front end part of the lug boss. The live pig slaughtering equipment has the advantages of reasonable design and easiness of manufacturing; silent anaesthesia and slaughtering is realized and blood is completely released so as to ensure that no residual blood exists in pork; pollution-free vacuum blood collection is carried out so that the equipment is safe, reliable and sanitary; and automatic production line work can be realized and the live pig slaughtering efficiency is improved.

Animals such as poultry are stunned while still caged and on the vehicle that carries them to a processing plant, by exposing the animal to an atmosphere of gradually lessening oxygen content.

An animal euthanasia device includes a chamber with an opening through which a partitioned cage may be wheeled. A pivotally attached door seals the opening using fixed edge seals and an inflatable door threshold seal. A latch secures the door, once closed. After a sensor verifies door closure, an electro-magnetic lock prevents inadvertent door opening during the process, which may be automated using a programmable logic controller (PLC). The PLC coordinates actuation of a fan and damper within an air exhaust opening, a fan and a damper within an exhaust gas opening, and a damper within a fresh air inlet opening, and also triggers a solenoid valve that controls flow of euthanizing gas into the chamber. A keyed selector switch controls power to the device to initiate the automated process, which is monitored using oxygen sensors, and CO2 flow and pressure sensors, and is reported on a human machine interface.

A method for gas stunning of poultry for slaughter is in which the poultry arrives at the poultry slaughterhouse, for example, in transport crates, where the poultry is subjected to gas after the poultry have been taken out of the transport crates, and where the poultry are conveyed by conveyors (18, 20, 24, 32) successively through a stunning chamber (8). The influence of the stunning gas for stunning of the poultry is adjusted in the stunning chamber by reducing or increasing by adjusting an effective length of at least one conveyor in the stunning chamber (8).

A poultry euthanasia device in which hens pass on belts though a gas proof enclosure with increasing concentration levels of toxic gas for more humane euthanasia, and exit the machine deceased. The device has an entry chute which is connectable to a hen house located to either side of the unit, or behind the unit. A number of belts carry the hens through the machine, and they painlessly go to sleep and die due to a high CO2 atmosphere.

An animal euthanasia device includes a chamber with an opening through which a partitioned cage may be wheeled. A pivotally attached door seals the opening using fixed edge seals and an inflatable door threshold seal. A latch secures the door, once closed. After a sensor verifies door closure, an electro-magnetic lock prevents inadvertent door opening during the process, which may be automated using a programmable logic controller (PLC). The PLC coordinates actuation of a fan and damper within an air exhaust opening, a fan and a damper within an exhaust gas opening, and a damper within a fresh air inlet opening, and also triggers a solenoid valve that controls flow of euthanizing gas into the chamber. A keyed selector switch controls power to the device to initiate the automated process, which is monitored using oxygen sensors, and CO2 flow and pressure sensors, and is reported on a human machine interface.

The invention belongs to the technical field of livestock processing and particularly discloses a stunning device for slaughtering Xiang pigs. The stunning device comprises a walking channel, whereina pulley is arranged above the walking channel and is connected with a driving mechanism, the pulley is wound with a rope. The walking channel is obliquely arranged, a push plate is slidingly arrangedin the walking channel, a fixed plate is fixedly arranged at the low end of the walking channel and is provided with a through hole, a transparent baffle is hinged to the through hole, the outer sideof the fixed plate is fixedly provided with an air inlet cover, the air inlet cover is communicated with the through hole, and the air inlet cover is connected with a carbon-dioxide generator. A retainer ring is detachably connected to the walking channel, and the retainer ring size is greater than that of the through hole. A rear leg groove is formed in the bottom in the walking channel, and a sliding plate is slidingly arranged in the rear leg groove, a movable rope knot is attached to the inner wall of the rear leg groove, one end of the movable rope knot is fixedly connected with the sliding plate, and the other end of the movable rope knot is fixedly connected with the rope. A stunning switch and a lifting switch are fixed to the fixed plate. The stunning device can be suitable for small slaughter houses and is low in cost and good in stunning effect.

System and method for controlled atmosphere stunning of chickens in a batch mode is provided. The disclosed method includes the steps of: loading one or more batches of chickens in a stunning chamber and sealably enclosing the stunning chamber to isolate the atmosphere therein. Carbon dioxide is then introduced to the isolated atmosphere in a series of three, four or five phases to humanely stun the chickens. The carbon dioxide containing atmosphere is subsequently forcibly exhausted from the stunning chamber and the ranks of cages or modules containing the stunned chickens are advanced to the tipper or dumping station.

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.

Poultry is stunned while still caged and on the vehicle that carries it to a processing plant, by exposing it to an atmosphere of stunning gas applied while the vehicle is inside an enclosure.

A method for stunning poultry in a slaughterhouse by means of supplying a stunning gas into a closed chamber wherein the poultry is advanced through a plurality of successive ambients between an inlet, wherein the stunning gas concentration is at a minimum, and an outlet, at which the stunning gas concentration is at a maximum. The stunning gas concentration increases progressively from each ambient to the successive ambient, initially with a minimum increase rate and thereafter with a higher increase rate up to the maximum concentration.

The present invention provides improved anesthesia delivery systems that consistently and reliably deliver anesthesia gas to multiple gas outlets. The systems are particularly useful for anesthetizing multiple mammals and living specimens to be imaged by a low-light level imaging system. The anesthesia delivery systems are suitable for use with conventional oxygen sources, and convert the high pressures associated with a conventional oxygen source to lower pressures suitable for use with small mammals and suitable for combination with an anesthesia gas at low flow rates. The systems include an anesthesia gas source that combines anesthesia gas with the oxygen. The combination of anesthesia gas and oxygen is supplied to one or more multiple outlets.