Method and device for anesthetizing slaughtered animals

Abstract

An anesthesia apparatus for anesthetizing a four-legged slaughtered animal, in particular a hoof animal, prior to slaughtering, where the anesthesia apparatus comprises: a receiving section configured to receive a pre-container containing one or more slaughtered animals; a transport mechanism for transporting the received tank between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; a removal mechanism for removing the tank from the anesthesia compartment; wherein the anesthesia apparatus further comprises a reduced-pressure compartment configured to receive the bin from the receiving section, hold the bin for a period of time, so as to calm the slaughtered animal received in the bin prior to anesthesia; and wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the received tank between the receiving section and the reduced pressure compartment and from the reduced pressure compartment to the anesthesia compartment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a corresponding method for anesthetizing animals for slaughter, in particular four-legged animals, such as ungulates, in particular pigs and cattle. Background Art

[0002] The awareness of animal welfare is now highly respected, for example in slaughterhouses. The purpose of anesthetizing animals, such as before slaughter, is to render them insensible to pain. The anesthesia procedure should ensure that no animal regains consciousness before, during or after the slaughter process.

[0003] When animals are anesthetized by gas, there is a progressive loss of consciousness and anesthesia. The process can be described as a series of stages: starting with an analgesic phase, followed by an excitement phase, an anesthesia phase, and finally collapse.

[0004] The common anesthesia method used to anesthetize pigs involves exposure to CO2. The following can be observed for pigs anesthetized with CO2: during the analgesic phase, the pigs remain standing; during the excitement phase, the pigs lie down; during the anesthesia phase, the pigs still have a corneal reflex, although this corneal reflex disappears in deep anesthesia; during the collapse phase, the pigs no longer have any reflexes.

[0005] Despite previous efforts, there is still a need to further reduce the stress level of animals, such as pigs, associated with anesthesia procedures. In particular, it is desirable to further improve the animal well-being associated with anesthesia procedures. In addition, animal reactions may cause bruising and reduce meat quality. Against this background and even if the reactions observed during the initial stages of anesthesia procedures only last for a short period of time, it is desirable to reduce these reactions to the extent possible.

[0006] It would also be desirable to provide anesthesia apparatus and methods that are effective and produce high throughput.

[0007] WO 2021 / 165279 discloses a method for reducing animal reactions when exposed to pre-anesthesia relaxation gas and / or anesthetic gas during pre-anesthesia and / or anesthesia, the method comprising: exposing at least one animal to relaxation gas and / or anesthetic gas for a period of exposure; exposing at least one animal to at least one odor additive during at least a portion of the exposure time, in particular exposing the at least one animal to at least one odor additive during the initial portion of the exposure time. The process may involve exposing the animal to relaxation gas in a pre-anesthesia chamber and then moving the animal to an anesthesia compartment where the animal is exposed to anesthetic gas. Although this method significantly reduces animal reactions, it is still desirable to provide a more effective method without subjecting the slaughtered animal to unnecessary stress and without affecting the quality of the meat.

[0008] EP 2617288 discloses a method involving conveying and pre-anesthetizing slaughtered animals through a gas environment. The slaughtered animals are driven into a holder so that the slaughtered animals are conveyed upwards and then downwards through a columnar structure holding a gas environment and into another gas environment through an endless chain, wherein the gas is used as low-density air and helium, and the other gas is used as high-density air and carbon dioxide gas. The slaughtered animals are anesthetized by the gas in an irreversible manner during the conveying. However, this method requires equipment with a large overall height.

[0009] EP0441633 discloses a method for anesthetizing animals to be slaughtered in a slaughterhouse. According to this prior art method, anesthetizing animals to be slaughtered in a slaughterhouse is performed by exposing the animals to an anesthetic atmosphere, such as a carbon dioxide atmosphere, for a sufficiently long period of time. To this end, a number of animals are first driven into transport boxes that have been placed in the loading area of ​​the slaughterhouse. The loaded boxes are then transported to a waiting area for the boxes, and when necessary, the boxes are removed from the waiting area and guided through an anesthesia area filled with an anesthetic atmosphere, such as a rectangular pit with space for 2-15 boxes, which are introduced one by one. The box containing the anesthetized animal is emptied of the animal to be slaughtered, the animal to be slaughtered is chained, and the empty box is returned to the loading area for reuse.

[0010] However, it remains desirable to provide methods of reducing stress levels in animals, such as pigs, cattle, etc., associated with anesthetic procedures. Summary of the invention

[0011] In general, at least some embodiments of the methods and apparatus disclosed herein seek to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages and / or other disadvantages of the prior art, or seek to at least serve as an alternative to prior art solutions.

[0012] According to one aspect, an embodiment of an anesthesia device is disclosed herein for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal prior to slaughter, wherein the anesthesia device comprises:

[0013] - a receiving section configured to receive one or more pre-packs, each containing one or more slaughtered animals;

[0014] - Anesthesia compartment;

[0015] - a transport mechanism for transporting the received box or boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and

[0016] - a removal mechanism for removing one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment,

[0017] wherein the anesthesia apparatus further comprises a decompression compartment configured for receiving one or more boxes from a receiving section and for accommodating the one or more boxes for a period of time to calm the slaughtered animals in the one or more boxes prior to anesthesia; and wherein the transport mechanism is configured for transporting the one or more boxes between the receiving section and the decompression compartment and from the decompression compartment to the anesthesia compartment.

[0018] Embodiments of the apparatus described herein reduce or even prevent severe reactions that may otherwise be observed before or during the initial stages of an anesthesia process for animals, such as pigs. It has been found that providing a decompression compartment significantly reduces animal reactions during anesthesia procedures, thereby increasing animal euphoria and reducing the risk of meat degradation, wherein a pre-packed box containing slaughtered animals is moved into the decompression compartment and kept in the decompression compartment for a sufficiently long time to calm the slaughtered animals. The decompression compartment allows the environment to be carefully controlled during the decompression process, and the animals will not be distracted by activities outside the decompression compartment. Since the animals are received by the apparatus in the pre-packed box, the decompression process and subsequent anesthesia process can be effectively performed, because the loading time required to receive a new group of animals is minimized. In addition, since the animals are already in the pre-packed box when the box is received at the apparatus, the animals are already accustomed to being in the box, and the animals may even have a chance to rest after having entered the box. The animals will not be agitated by being pushed in or otherwise urged to walk into the box soon before the anesthesia process.

[0019] Although various embodiments of the present apparatus may be used with a variety of slaughtered animals, particularly four-legged slaughtered animals such as ungulates, various embodiments of the present apparatus are particularly suitable for anesthetizing pigs, bovines, cattle and / or goats prior to slaughter.

[0020] In some embodiments, the compartments of the anesthesia device are arranged at two or more levels relative to each other in height, for example, partially or completely above each other or otherwise at different heights, thereby providing a smaller footprint and helping to prevent anesthetic gases from diffusing from the anesthesia compartment to other compartments of the device. In particular, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the decompression compartment is located at an elevated height above the anesthesia compartment. In particular, the bottom of the decompression compartment can be raised to a height above the bottom of the anesthesia compartment, in particular, the bottom of the decompression compartment can be raised so that when the box is positioned in the anesthesia position inside the anesthesia compartment, the bottom of the decompression compartment is at the same height as the top of the box, or the bottom of the decompression compartment is at a height above the top of the box. In the case where an unanesthetized slaughtered animal is accommodated in the box in the anesthesia position inside the anesthesia compartment, the decompression compartment can be raised to a height at least above the average height of the back of the slaughtered animal for which the device is configured. In the case where the anesthetic gas - which may include a high concentration of, for example, CO2 - has a high specific gravity, and in particular in the case where the anesthetic gas has a higher specific gravity than the relaxation gas in the decompression compartment, the anesthetic compartment is arranged at a lower height than the decompression compartment, such as below the decompression compartment, which reduces the risk of anesthetic gas diffusing into the decompression compartment.

[0021] In some embodiments, the receiving section is arranged at a first height, and wherein the transport mechanism comprises:

[0022] - a first lifting mechanism for raising one or more boxes from a first height to a second height higher than the first height; and

[0023] - A second lifting mechanism for lowering one or more boxes from a second height into an anesthesia compartment, wherein the anesthesia compartment is optionally arranged at the first height. Therefore, the anesthesia compartment can be arranged at the same height as the height at which the animals are received or at a height higher than the height at which the animals are received, which is usually the floor height of the slaughter facility, thereby avoiding arranging the anesthesia compartment below the floor height. This facilitates access to the anesthesia compartment for maintenance / cleaning and facilitates monitoring of the anesthesia process. The first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism can be separated from each other or the first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism can be combined into a single mechanism, such as a single conveyor system. In some embodiments, the decompression compartment is arranged to be higher than the receiving section.

[0024] The receiving section may be formed as a compartment of the device or as an open structure, for example, adjacent to, below, or otherwise near the decompression compartment. The receiving section may include a receiving mechanism configured to operably couple the pre-packed boxes to a transport mechanism when one or more boxes are received at the receiving section. For example, the receiving mechanism may place the one or more pre-packed boxes on a conveyor, on a guide rail, on a lifting mechanism, etc.

[0025] Examples of suitable lifting mechanisms include scissor lifts, ramps or other forms of lifts or cranes. The lifting mechanism may be operable to raise and / or lower the box along a vertical trajectory or along an inclined trajectory or otherwise, such as along a combination of vertical and inclined paths, a curved path, etc.

[0026] The transport mechanism and / or the lifting mechanism and / or the removal mechanism may be arranged as separate mechanisms, so that the box is transferred from one mechanism to another. Alternatively, the transport mechanism and / or the lifting mechanism and / or the removal mechanism may be partially or completely integrated into a single transport mechanism, such as a continuous conveyor system. Typically, the transport mechanism may include one or more of the following transport mechanisms: a conveyor, a guide rail, a track, an overhead track, a lifting mechanism, etc., or a combination of the conveyor, a guide rail, a track, an overhead track, a lifting mechanism, etc.

[0027] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a transition compartment, which is shaped and sized to accommodate one or more boxes, and wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport one or more boxes from the decompression compartment to the transition compartment and from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment. Therefore, the anesthesia compartment can be separated from the decompression compartment by the transition compartment, thereby reducing the risk of undesirable mixing of different atmospheres in the anesthesia compartment and the decompression compartment, respectively, and in particular reducing the risk of anesthetic gas diffusion from the anesthesia compartment to the decompression compartment. In some embodiments, the atmosphere in the transition compartment can be substantially the same as the atmosphere in the decompression compartment, thereby avoiding the slaughtered animal from becoming re-agitated during the transition from the decompression compartment to the anesthesia compartment. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the atmosphere in the transition compartment can be different from the atmosphere in the decompression compartment, for example, the transition compartment has a higher or lower oxygen concentration or otherwise includes a different gas mixture.

[0028] In some embodiments, the transition compartment is arranged at an elevated height above the anesthesia compartment, in particular the transition compartment is partially or completely above the anesthesia compartment. In some embodiments, the transition compartment is partially or completely arranged at the same height as the decompression compartment. Therefore, the transport mechanism may include a horizontal transport mechanism configured to move one or more boxes horizontally between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment. The transport mechanism may also include a lifting mechanism configured to lower one or more boxes from the transition compartment into the anesthesia compartment.

[0029] In some embodiments, the removal mechanism is configured to transport one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment to the outlet port of the device. In particular, in some embodiments, the removal mechanism is configured to transport one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment to the outlet port via the transition compartment, thereby providing a particularly compact layout of the anesthesia device. However, in other embodiments, the anesthesia compartment may have an inlet and an outlet, at which the box enters the anesthesia compartment, in particular the box enters the anesthesia compartment from the transition compartment, and the outlet is separated from the inlet, at which the box leaves the anesthesia compartment, such as entering an outlet compartment including an outlet port, or entering other locations. Therefore, a unidirectional flow of the box can be provided, which contributes to a greater yield, because the subsequent box can easily enter the anesthesia compartment, while the other box is still inside the anesthesia compartment. For example, the anesthesia compartment may have an elongated shape, wherein the inlet is positioned near the entry end of the anesthesia compartment, and the outlet is positioned near the outlet end opposite to the entry end.

[0030] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a passageway between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment, the passageway being shaped and sized to allow one or more boxes to enter the transition compartment from the decompression compartment, and wherein the anesthesia device also includes a compartment divider configured to selectively block the passageway between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment. In some embodiments, the passageway is shaped and sized to allow a single box to pass through at one time, for example, so that the box can pass through the passageway as a series of separate boxes. The compartment divider can be configured to selectively open only when the box is to pass through the passageway. The compartment divider can also be configured to block the passageway after each passage of a single box. In other embodiments, the compartment divider can allow a series of multiple boxes to pass through before closing again, for example, when the box passes through the passageway in a short continuous manner between each other, or when the passageway is shaped and sized to allow multiple boxes to pass through at the same time, for example, side by side. The passageway can, for example, be formed as an opening in a wall separating the decompression compartment from the transition compartment. The compartment divider can be, for example, a door, a gate, a curtain, an airlock, an air curtain, a sectional door, a fabric door, a rolling door or other forms of dividers that prevent or at least reduce the flow of gas between the compartments. In some embodiments, the compartment divider has an open state and a closed state, and the compartment divider is configured to prevent or at least reduce the flow of gas between the compartments at least when the compartment divider is in a closed state. The compartment divider can be moved to an open state to allow the box to pass through a passage. The compartment divider can be opened and closed using a suitable power mechanism, and the power mechanism is, for example, an electric power mechanism or a pneumatic power mechanism. It should be understood that the compartment divider can also be arranged between the transition compartment and the removal mechanism and / or between the receiving section and the decompression compartment and / or between the transition compartment and the anesthesia compartment. Preferably, each compartment divider that separates two compartments is configured to sufficiently tightly close the opening or other passages between the compartments to prevent gas exchange between the compartments, minimize gas exchange between the compartments or at least substantially reduce gas exchange between the compartments. Compartment dividers may also be provided at the inlet or outlet opening of the device in order to separate a compartment of the device from the surroundings of the device.

[0031] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a device for distributing anesthetic gas into the anesthesia compartment so as to establish an anesthetic gas mixture in the anesthesia compartment. The anesthetic gas may be CO2 or at least include CO2. The distribution system may include a circulation system configured to maintain a substantially uniform atmosphere throughout the anesthesia compartment, in particular to maintain a substantially uniform anesthetic gas concentration throughout the anesthesia compartment. In particular, the anesthetic gas or gas mixture may include a concentration of at least 30% CO2, such as at least 40%, such as at least 50%, such as at least 70%, such as at least 80%, such as between 80% and 90% CO2. Generally, unless otherwise specified, relative concentrations mean relative concentrations by volume. It should be understood that the concentration of CO2 may depend on the type of animal to be anesthetized. The remainder may be other gases that are typically present in the atmosphere. The remainder may include a major amount of physiologically inert gases, such as nitrogen or argon. The remainder may include a small amount of oxygen and / or other gases that are typically present in the atmosphere in small amounts. The oxygen concentration in the anesthetic gas mixture may be lower than the oxygen concentration in the relaxation gas mixture, for example, 1-3 percentage points or more. The O2 vol% in the anesthetic gas may be less than 5%, such as between 2% and 5%. The other gases may have relative concentrations relative to each other that correspond to or differ from the relative concentrations of the other gases in the atmosphere. Other examples of anesthetic gases include mixtures of CO2 with nitrogen and / or argon. In some embodiments, exposing at least one animal to the anesthetic gas comprises exposing to a physiologically effective concentration of the anesthetic gas, particularly to a concentration of the anesthetic gas that has an anesthetic effect.

[0032] Similarly, in some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a device for providing a reduced pressure atmosphere in the reduced pressure compartment, the reduced pressure atmosphere is, for example, an oxygen-reduced atmosphere. The reduced pressure atmosphere is selected so that the reduced pressure atmosphere does not cause anesthesia, that is, so that the animal is fully conscious and not pre-anesthetized when it leaves the reduced pressure compartment. In some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a device for exposing the slaughtered animal to a relaxation gas in the reduced pressure compartment, for example, exposing the slaughtered animal to a relaxation gas mixture including a concentration of O2 below 10%. The O2 concentration is preferably higher than the minimum level of oxygen concentration, preferably the O2 concentration is higher than the concentration that causes anesthesia of the animal being treated. The minimum level of oxygen concentration in the relaxation gas mixture can vary depending on the animal species and can be between 3%-10%. Preferably, the oxygen concentration is lower than 10% and higher than 4%, such as higher than 5%, such as higher than 6%. Especially for pigs, the minimum level of oxygen concentration of the relaxation gas mixture should preferably be about 6% to ensure that the animal is at a reduced pressure level and is not anesthetized. The relaxing gas or gas mixture may include one or more other gases that are usually present in the atmosphere, such as nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, and a combination of nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide. The relaxing gas mixture may also include a small amount of other gases, such as gases that are usually present in the atmosphere in small amounts. Preferably, the relaxing gas or gas mixture includes a major amount of one or more physiologically inert gases, such as nitrogen and / or argon and / or xenon. The term "physiologically inert gas" means any gas that is physiologically inert to the animal to be treated. In this regard, generally, CO2 is not a physiologically inert gas. In some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a distribution system for distributing at least one component of the relaxing gas or the relaxing gas mixture into the decompression compartment. In particular, in some embodiments, the distribution system is configured to distribute physiologically inert gases, such as argon and / or xenon and / or nitrogen, into the decompression compartment, for example, by means of a nozzle or other suitable gas outlet opening. Therefore, the distributed components of the distributed relaxing gas or anesthetic gas mixture, such as the distributed physiologically inert gas, are different from the anesthetic gas distributed in the anesthesia compartment. The use of a relaxation gas other than the anesthetic gas, e.g. a relaxation gas other than low concentrations of CO2, in the decompression compartment helps to avoid undesirable reactions in the slaughtered animals and thus helps to obtain high meat quality, particularly when anesthetizing pigs, as pigs have been found to react to low concentrations of CO2.

[0033] In some embodiments, the anesthesia compartment has a bottom and one or more side walls, and the anesthesia compartment includes an access door in the one or more side walls. The bottom is preferably defined by the floor portion of the anesthesia compartment. The side wall generally extends upward from the bottom. The side wall may have an upper edge defining the top of the anesthesia compartment. The top may be partially opened or closed by the top plate. Therefore, convenient access to the anesthesia compartment may be provided for cleaning and / or maintenance. The access door may be a sealable door to prevent anesthetic gas from leaking from the anesthesia compartment when the access door is closed. In some embodiments, the anesthesia compartment has a window portion in the one or more side walls, such as a transparent wall portion, so as to facilitate visual inspection of the anesthesia process from outside the anesthesia compartment, and without the need for personnel to enter the decompression compartment or transition compartment. The access door may be separated from one or more inlet openings and outlet openings, and the box enters / leaves the anesthesia compartment through the one or more inlet openings and outlet openings. In particular, in some embodiments, the anesthesia compartment defines one or more inlet openings and / or outlet openings that are open upwards, so as to allow the box to enter and / or leave the anesthesia compartment from above, and the access door is provided in one of the side walls to allow lateral service access.

[0034] Similarly, the reduced pressure compartment may include an access door to allow personnel to enter the reduced pressure compartment for cleaning and / or maintenance. The reduced pressure compartment preferably has a window portion configured to allow visual inspection of the slaughtered animal contained in the reduced pressure compartment. The access door may be separate from one or more entry openings and an exit opening through which the box enters / leaves the reduced pressure compartment.

[0035] In some embodiments, the reduced pressure compartment includes one or more of the following components:

[0036] - means for providing a reduced pressure atmosphere in the reduced pressure compartment, the reduced pressure atmosphere being in particular an oxygen-reduced atmosphere,

[0037] - a soundproof housing for housing one or more boxes,

[0038] - a sound system for playing stress-reducing audio content,

[0039] - A lighting system for providing reduced pressure lighting.

[0040] It has been found that calming sounds, such as music, and / or colored lighting can have a stress-relieving effect on slaughtered animals. In particular, green light has been found to have a stress-relieving effect on slaughtered animals, such as pigs. Green light may be light in which a majority of the emitted light intensity has a wavelength in the range of 450 nm to 575 nm, such as between 475 nm and 560 nm, such as between 520 nm and 560 nm. The lighting system is preferably configured so as to allow selective control of the lighting intensity, in particular between a calming intensity, such as between 10 lux and 100 lux, and an inspection intensity above the calming intensity, such as 100 lux or more.

[0041] The sound system and / or the soundproof enclosure are preferably configured to limit the sound level in the reduced pressure compartment to a sufficiently low level so as not to agitate the animals and so as to avoid the need for hearing protection for the operator, for example, to limit the sound level in the reduced pressure compartment to a level below 80 dB, such as below 60 dB, such as below 50 dB, such as 40 dB or lower. The sound system is preferably configured to play sounds, such as music. Preferably, the sounds, such as music, have limited dynamic variations, for example below 2 dB, such as below 1 dB, so as to avoid agitation of the animals. A suitable example of music with low dynamic variations includes pan-flute music.

[0042] In some embodiments, the transition compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment are configured to provide the same, similar, or different decompression measures as the decompression compartment, such as providing scent additives and / or decompression lighting and / or sound.

[0043] Preferably, the temperature inside the decompression compartment is maintained at or close to the thermoneutral range of the slaughtered animals to be processed by the device, such as between 13°C and 25°C, for example between 15°C and 20°C, such as between 16°C and 18°C. Preferably, the temperature inside the anesthesia device is kept substantially similar or even equal in the different compartments of the device where the animals are accommodated and / or processed. Therefore, in some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a temperature regulation system, such as a heating system and / or a cooling system, so as to regulate the temperature in the decompression compartment and / or the transition compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment.

[0044] In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a dispensing system for dispensing an odor additive in an anesthesia compartment and / or in a decompression compartment, wherein the odor additive is selected so as to mask the perception of anesthetic gases by the slaughtered animal, for example, as described in WO 2021 / 165279, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The odor additive may be a gaseous odor additive or a liquid odor additive, for example dispersed as a mist. The odor additive may be premixed into the anesthetic gas and / or the relaxation gas, or the odor additive may be dispensed separately from the anesthetic gas and / or the relaxation gas, for example by means of a separate nozzle. The apparatus may comprise a tank or other form of container for holding a supply of the odor additive. In the case where the odor additive is provided as a mixture or solution, the apparatus may comprise a suitable mixer, for example configured to mix the odor additive in the container.

[0045] In some embodiments, the decompression compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment are shaped and sized to accommodate a single box, thereby providing a particularly compact layout. In other embodiments, the decompression compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment are shaped and sized to accommodate more than one box at the same time, such as 5 boxes or more boxes, such as 10 boxes or more boxes. For example, the decompression compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment can be channel-shaped or otherwise have an elongated shape, which has an entry end and an outlet end opposite to the entry end. Therefore, a series of boxes, particularly as a single-row box, can be slowly moved through the decompression compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment, thereby providing high production. In some embodiments, the decompression compartment has an elongated shape, which has an entry end and an outlet end. The elongated decompression compartment can have a length defined between the entry end and the outlet end, which is greater than, for example, the length of each box defined along the direction of travel of the box, for example, at least twice the length of each box, such as at least three times the length of each box, or even longer. Thus, the boxes can be conveyed slowly through the decompression compartment so as to reduce or even eliminate the need to stop and re-accelerate the boxes. Alternatively or additionally, more than one box can be accommodated simultaneously in the decompression compartment. The elongated decompression compartment can be arranged mainly or even completely horizontally, for example, so that the movement path of the box through the decompression compartment has an inclination of less than 30%, such as less than 20%, such as less than 10%. Thus, the overall height of the equipment can be kept relatively small. This is particularly advantageous when the entire equipment is arranged at or above the floor height of the slaughter facility.

[0046] The present disclosure relates to different aspects, including devices, corresponding systems, methods and / or products described above and below, each aspect producing one or more benefits and advantages described in combination with one or more other aspects, and each aspect having one or more embodiments corresponding to the embodiments described in combination with one or more other aspects and / or disclosed in the accompanying claims.

[0047] In particular, according to one aspect, embodiments of methods for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal prior to slaughter are disclosed herein. Various embodiments of the methods include:

[0048] - receiving at least one prepack containing one or more slaughtered animals,

[0049] - transporting the received box to a reduced pressure compartment,

[0050] - housing the tank inside a reduced pressure compartment for a period of time,

[0051] - transport box between decompression compartment and anesthesia compartment,

[0052] - anesthetizing the animal, in particular by exposing the animal to an anesthetic gas,

[0053] - Remove the box containing the anesthetized animal from the anesthesia compartment.

[0054] The box can be accommodated in the decompression compartment for at least a predetermined relaxation time, which is particularly long enough to ensure that the slaughtered animal has been calmed. In some embodiments, each box is kept in the decompression compartment for at least 3 minutes, such as at least 5 minutes, such as between 3 and 15 minutes, such as between 5 and 10 minutes, or longer. The box can remain stationary during the relaxation time, or the box can move during the relaxation time, for example, the box passes through the decompression compartment from the entrance to the exit at the following speed: the speed is selected so that the box stays in the decompression compartment for at least the predetermined relaxation time.

[0055] The boxes may contain anesthesia in the anesthesia compartment for a sufficient amount of time to ensure that all animals in each box are anesthetized, such as between 2 minutes and 10 minutes, such as between 2 minutes and 7 minutes, such as between 2 minutes and 6 minutes.

[0056] According to another aspect, an embodiment of a slaughtering facility includes the anesthesia equipment disclosed above and below, and optionally a fencing area and a transport mechanism; the fencing area is used to accommodate one or more boxes, each box containing one or more slaughtered animals, and the transport mechanism is used to transport the boxes from the fencing area to a receiving section of the anesthesia equipment.

[0057] Typically, in various embodiments disclosed herein, the box is preloaded when received by the anesthesia device, i.e., the slaughtered animal is already inside the box when the box arrives at the receiving section of the anesthesia device and is received by the receiving section of the anesthesia device. In particular, the slaughter facility may include a loading station for loading the box containing the slaughtered animal, wherein the loading station is separate and spaced apart from the receiving section of the anesthesia device, i.e., the box is loaded with the animal outside the anesthesia device, such as when the box is disconnected from the transport mechanism of the anesthesia device. Thus, after loading the box containing the slaughtered animal, the preloaded box can be individually and selectively transferred to an alternative location different from the anesthesia device, for example in order to perform further inspection or unload selected animals from the box. The slaughter facility may include a transport mechanism, such as a conveyor system, which is used to transport the preloaded box between the loading station and the receiving section of the anesthesia device, wherein the preloaded box can be operably connected to the transport mechanism of the anesthesia device. The slaughter facility may include a fenced area where the pre-packed boxes can be held before being transported to the anesthesia equipment, particularly to allow the slaughtered animals to rest in the boxes for at least 15 minutes, such as at least 30 minutes, such as at least 45 minutes. Since the transportation of animals between the loading station, fenced area, and anesthesia equipment occurs in boxes, the handling and transportation of slaughtered animals can be highly automated and less labor-intensive.

[0058] Slaughterhouse facilities may comprise a cleaning station for cleaning empty boxes after animals have been removed from them and before they are loaded again with new slaughtered animals.

[0059] Typically, the box can be shaped and sized to accommodate one or more slaughtered animals at a time, such as between 2 and 15 animals, such as between 3 and 8 animals. The box can be formed as a cage or other ventilated structure with openings in one or more walls. For example, one or more walls of the box can be formed by rails separated by openings. The box may include one or more entrances, such as doors or gates, through which slaughtered animals can enter the box, and in the case where the animal has entered the box, the one or more entrances can be closed, that is, the pre-packed box has a closed entrance so that the animal is prevented from leaving the pre-packed box.

[0060] According to yet another aspect, an embodiment of an anesthesia device is disclosed herein for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal prior to slaughter, wherein the anesthesia device comprises:

[0061] - a receiving section configured to receive one or more slaughtered animals in one or more boxes;

[0062] - Anesthesia compartment;

[0063] - a transport mechanism for transporting one or more boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and

[0064] - a removal mechanism for removing one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment,

[0065] Among them, anesthesia equipment also includes:

[0066] a decompression compartment configured to receive the one or more boxes from the receiving section, to house the one or more boxes for a period of time in order to tranquilize the slaughtered animals in the one or more boxes prior to anesthesia, and

[0067] - a transition compartment shaped and dimensioned to accommodate one or more boxes,

[0068] wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport one or more boxes between the receiving section and the decompression compartment, from the decompression compartment to the transition compartment, and from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment; wherein the transition compartment is separated from the decompression compartment by a compartment divider configured to selectively block the passage between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment.

[0069] Preferably, the apparatus according to this aspect is configured to receive the animal in a pre-box. However, it may also be beneficial to provide a transition compartment as described herein in embodiments of the anesthesia apparatus where the slaughtered animal is received in another manner, such as the slaughtered animal walking into the apparatus.

[0070] According to yet another aspect, an embodiment of an anesthesia device is disclosed herein for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal prior to slaughter, wherein the anesthesia device comprises:

[0071] - a receiving section configured to receive one or more slaughtered animals in one or more boxes;

[0072] - Anesthesia compartment;

[0073] - a transport mechanism for transporting one or more boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and

[0074] - a removal mechanism for removing one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment,

[0075] wherein the anesthesia compartment has a bottom and one or more side walls, and the anesthesia compartment defines one or more upwardly open inlet openings and / or outlet openings, which are configured to allow a box to enter and / or leave the anesthesia compartment, and wherein the anesthesia compartment includes an access door in the one or more side walls and / or a transparent window portion in the one or more side walls.

[0076] Preferably, the apparatus according to this aspect is configured to receive animals in pre-packed boxes. However, it may also be beneficial to provide an anesthesia compartment as described herein in embodiments of an anesthesia apparatus in which the slaughtered animal is received in another way, for example by walking into the apparatus, with an access door and / or a transparent window portion in one or more of the side walls of the anesthesia compartment to facilitate monitoring of the anesthesia process and / or to facilitate access for maintenance or cleaning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0077] Figure 1 An embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0078] Figure 2 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0079] Figure 3 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0080] Figure 4 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0081] Figure 5 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0082] Figure 6 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0083] Figure 7 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0084] Figure 8 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0085] Fig. 9 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus is schematically illustrated.

[0086] Fig.10 An embodiment of a slaughtering facility is schematically illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0087] Figures 1 to 9 An embodiment of an anesthesia device is schematically shown, which is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 and is used to anesthetize slaughtered animals before slaughter. The described embodiment is particularly suitable for anesthetizing animals such as pigs, cattle, etc. before slaughter. Generally, the anesthesia device comprises a receiving section 10, a decompression compartment 11 and an anesthesia compartment 12.

[0088] The receiving section 10 is configured to receive one or more pre-loaded boxes 2, each containing one or more slaughtered animals. Thus, the boxes are shaped and sized so as to accommodate one or more slaughtered animals such as pigs or cattle, wherein the animals can stand. The receiving section can be formed as a compartment with an entrance door or can be formed as a partially or completely open structure, such as a ramp, a conveyor mechanism, a lift, etc. The receiving section of the anesthesia device can receive pre-loaded boxes from another conveyor mechanism, from a forklift or any other suitable device for transporting the boxes to the receiving section. The receiving section can be configured to receive a single box at a time, a series of boxes at the same time, or a plurality of boxes.

[0089] The anesthesia device 1 also includes a transport mechanism 15, which is used to transport the received one or more boxes 2 between the receiving section 10 and the anesthesia compartment 12. In particular, the transport mechanism 15 is configured to transport one or more boxes 2 from the receiving section 10 to the decompression compartment 11, and from the decompression compartment 11 to the anesthesia compartment 12. The transport mechanism 15 may include one or more conveyor mechanisms. In some embodiments, the transport mechanism may include one or more lifting mechanisms, such as a lift or an inclined conveyor. The transport mechanism may include a plurality of components, for example, the box can be automatically transferred between the plurality of components. Preferably, the transport mechanism is configured to provide smooth acceleration, such as s-curve acceleration, for the box, preferably during horizontal movement and / or vertical movement. Provide smooth acceleration for the box. As will be described in more detail below, the receiving section 10 may include a receiving mechanism configured to operably connect the received box to the transport mechanism 15, for example, for placing the received box on a conveyor mechanism or a lifting mechanism, for hanging the box on an overhead track, etc. The receiving mechanism may be formed as an overhead rail, a lifting device for raising and lowering the box on a conveyor, a receiving end of a conveyor, or the like.

[0090] The decompression compartment 11 is configured to receive one or more boxes from the receiving section and to accommodate one or more boxes for a period of time to calm the slaughtered animals in the received boxes before anesthesia. To this end, the decompression compartment can define an outer shell in which a gas can be distributed so as to expose the slaughtered animals to a relaxing gas or a gas mixture inside the decompression compartment, in particular an atmosphere with reduced oxygen. The decompression compartment can include a distribution system for distributing a relaxing gas or a gas mixture, or for distributing one or more gas components of a relaxing gas mixture. The distribution system may include a circulation system configured to maintain a substantially uniform atmosphere throughout the decompression compartment, in particular to maintain a substantially uniform relaxation gas concentration throughout the decompression compartment. As described in more detail above, the relaxation gas may be a gas mixture including O2, the concentration of which is less than 10% and greater than a minimum level of oxygen concentration, the concentration of which is greater than a concentration that causes anesthesia of the slaughtered animals. The minimum level of oxygen concentration in the gas mixture may vary depending on the animal species and may be between 3% and 10%. As described above, the device may also include a mechanism for establishing a decompression environment inside the decompression compartment. In some embodiments, the reduced pressure compartment includes a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the reduced pressure scent additive. The reduced pressure compartment may include a lighting system for providing lighting at an intensity and / or color suitable for calming the animal. Alternatively or additionally, the reduced pressure compartment may include an audio system for playing music and / or other sounds at a type and volume suitable for calming the animal.

[0091] The decompression compartment has an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is preferably different from the inlet so as to allow unidirectional movement of the box. Preferably, the inlet and outlet are arranged as openings that can be selectively closed by a door, a gate, a curtain or other form of compartment divider, so as to help maintain a relaxed gas atmosphere inside the decompression compartment and to prevent undesirable amounts of anesthetic gas from entering the decompression compartment. Depending on the layout of the device, in particular depending on the position of the decompression compartment relative to the receiving section and subsequent compartments of the device, the inlet and / or the outlet may be in the side wall of the decompression compartment, in the bottom plate part or in the top plate part.

[0092] The anesthesia compartment 12 can be a shell having a floor portion and one or more side walls. The anesthesia compartment can have a roof portion, or the anesthesia compartment can be open upward. The anesthesia compartment can define a shell, and a gas, in particular an anesthetic gas or one or more anesthetic gas components of an anesthetic gas mixture, can be distributed in the shell so as to expose the slaughtered animal to the anesthetic gas inside the anesthesia compartment, in particular to expose the slaughtered animal to a gas mixture including a concentration of CO2 that is high enough to cause anesthesia. The anesthetic gas mixture can include a concentration of at least 30% CO2, such as at least 40%, such as at least 50%, such as at least 70%, such as at least 80% CO2. It should be understood that the concentration of CO2 can depend on the type of animal to be anesthetized. In some embodiments, the anesthesia compartment includes a dispensing mechanism for dispensing a decompression odor additive.

[0093] The device also includes a removal mechanism 13 for removing one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment 12. The removal mechanism can be part of the transport mechanism, or the removal mechanism can be at least partially separate from the transport mechanism. The removal mechanism can include a mechanism for disengaging the box from the transport mechanism so that the box can be further transported, for example by transferring the box to another conveyor system. In some embodiments, the removal mechanism includes a mechanism for opening the box after it has been removed from the anesthesia compartment in order to allow access to the anesthetized animal, in particular to allow the animal to be removed from the box.

[0094] It should be understood that the decompression compartment 11 and / or the anesthesia compartment 12 can be shaped and sized to accommodate a single box at a time or to accommodate more than one box at the same time. For example, the decompression compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment can be formed as an elongated, straight or curved, tunnel, wherein the box enters at one end of the tunnel and exits at the other end of the tunnel.

[0095] The anesthesia apparatus may comprise one or more further compartments and / or the compartments may be arranged in various ways relative to each other.

[0096] In particular, Figure 1 In the example schematically shown, the receiving section 10, the decompression compartment 11, the anesthesia compartment 12 and the removal mechanism 13 are all arranged at substantially the same height, i.e. the boxes are transported along a substantially horizontal path through the device. To this end, the transport mechanism 15 can be a horizontal conveyor, by which the boxes are transported along a track or other guide. The entrance to the decompression compartment can therefore be formed as an opening in a side wall or end wall of the decompression compartment, which is covered by a compartment divider 111 such as a door, a gate, a curtain or the like.

[0097] Similarly, the passage between the decompression compartment 11 and the anesthesia compartment 12 may be formed as another opening in another side wall or end wall of the decompression compartment, preferably as an opening that may be selectively covered by a compartment divider 112 such as a door, gate or curtain.

[0098] Similarly also, the outlet of the anesthesia compartment may be formed as another opening in another side wall or end wall of the anesthesia compartment, preferably as an opening that may be selectively covered by a compartment divider 122 such as a door, gate or curtain.

[0099] exist Figure 1 In the example of , the anesthesia compartment 12 is directly adjacent to the decompression compartment 11 , ie the compartment divider 112 forms an outlet from the decompression compartment and an inlet to the anesthesia compartment.

[0100] Figure 2 A further embodiment of an anesthesia device 1 is schematically illustrated. Figure 2 In the example of, the anesthesia compartment 12 is located below the decompression compartment 11. For example, the decompression compartment may be located at the floor level of the slaughter facility, while the anesthesia compartment may be formed as a pit or hole extending below the floor level. Alternatively, the anesthesia compartment 12 may be located at the floor level of the slaughter facility, while the decompression compartment may be located at an elevated height above the floor level. Positioning the anesthesia compartment 12 at a height below the decompression compartment 11 may help prevent anesthetic gases from escaping from the anesthesia compartment into the decompression compartment, even in the absence of a closable door separating the two compartments. This is particularly the case in cases where the specific gravity of the anesthetic gas, or at least the anesthetic gas component of the anesthetic gas mixture, is higher than the specific gravity of the atmosphere or relaxation gas in the decompression compartment and / or higher than the specific gravity of air.

[0101] Thus, the anesthesia device 1 may include at least one lifting mechanism, for example a lift, such as a scissor lift, configured to lower the box from the decompression compartment into the anesthesia compartment. The same lifting mechanism may be used as part of the removal mechanism 13 and lift the box out of the anesthesia compartment. Figure 2 In the example of , the removal mechanism raises the box back into the decompression compartment 11 and then laterally out of the exit opening in the side wall of the decompression compartment, for example by a horizontal conveyor. The exit opening is preferably covered by a compartment divider 112, such as a door, a gate or a curtain. However, in other embodiments, the box can be removed along, for example Figure 3 The illustrated, different paths remove the box from the anesthesia compartment 12 .

[0102] Figure 3 A further embodiment of an anesthesia apparatus 1 is schematically illustrated. Figure 3 Anesthesia equipment similar to Figure 2An anesthesia device, except that the anesthesia compartment 12 extends laterally beyond the reduced pressure compartment 11, and the removal mechanism 13 is configured to remove the box from the device directly from the anesthesia compartment via the outlet 123 without having to pass through the reduced pressure compartment 11 again, thereby allowing a more efficient flow. In some embodiments, the removal of the box from the anesthesia compartment can be arranged via an outlet compartment separate from the reduced pressure compartment.

[0103] Even if the cage is not returned to the reduced pressure compartment after anesthetizing the animal contained therein, the reduced pressure compartment 11 may optionally have an exit opening covered by any suitable compartment divider 112 to allow the cage to be removed from the reduced pressure compartment without entering the anesthesia compartment 12.

[0104] Figures 4 to 9 Further embodiments of an anesthesia apparatus are schematically illustrated.

[0105] Figures 4 to 7 Examples and Figure 1-Figure 3 The difference of the embodiment is that Figures 4 to 7 The embodiment includes an additional compartment, namely a transition compartment 14. The transition compartment 14 is shaped and sized to accommodate one or more boxes, and the transport mechanism 15 is configured to transport the one or more boxes from the decompression compartment 11 to the transition compartment 14 and from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment 12.

[0106] Thus, the tank is not transferred directly from the decompression compartment 11 into the anesthesia compartment 12, but rather via the transition compartment 14. This reduces the risk of undesired mixing of anesthetic gases with relaxation gases and in particular prevents undesired amounts of anesthetic gases from escaping into the decompression compartment 11. Alternatively, moving the tank directly from the decompression compartment to the anesthesia compartment can reduce the need to stop and / or accelerate the tank before anesthesia.

[0107] In some embodiments, the transition compartment 14 is configured to receive one or more boxes from the decompression compartment 11 and to further transfer the received boxes to the anesthesia compartment 12. Preferably, the transition from the decompression compartment 11 to the anesthesia compartment 12 should not re-agitate the animal. To this end, the anesthesia device can be configured to expose the slaughtered animal to a relaxation gas inside the transition compartment 14, the relaxation gas inside the transition compartment 14 is, for example, the same relaxation gas used in the decompression compartment 11, or a similar or even different relaxation gas, and the relaxation gas inside the transition compartment 14 is preferably a gas that does not cause animal anesthesia. Therefore, the transition compartment 14 may include a distribution system for distributing the relaxation gas or at least one component of the relaxation gas. The distribution system may include a circulation system configured to maintain a substantially uniform atmosphere throughout the transition compartment 14, in particular to maintain a substantially uniform relaxation gas concentration throughout the transition compartment 14. The circulation system of the transition compartment may be separated from the circulation system of the decompression compartment in order to avoid mixing of undesirable gases.

[0108] In addition, the transition compartment 14 can be configured to include additional decompression measures that are the same, similar, or different from the decompression measures used in the decompression compartment 11. In particular, the transition compartment 14 may include a dispensing mechanism for dispensing a decompression odor additive. The transition compartment 14 may include one or more additional devices for providing a decompression environment and / or for calming the animal. In particular, the transition compartment may include a lighting system for providing lighting with an intensity and / or color suitable for calming the animal. Alternatively or additionally, the transition compartment may include an audio system for playing music and / or other sounds with a type and volume suitable for calming the animal.

[0109] When the atmosphere and decompression measures in the transition compartment 14 are similar or even identical to the corresponding atmosphere and decompression measures in the decompression compartment 11, the risk of animal disturbance is reduced during transfer from the decompression compartment, via the transition compartment, and into the anesthesia compartment.

[0110] The transition compartment 14 is separated from the decompression compartment 11 by a door, a gate, a curtain or other compartment divider 141, which can be selectively opened when the box is transferred from the decompression compartment to the transition compartment. The compartment divider 141 can be, for example, a high-speed roller shutter. Preferably, the compartment divider 141 is configured to sufficiently tightly close the opening or other passage between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment to prevent gas exchange between the transition compartment and the decompression compartment or at least minimize gas exchange between the transition compartment and the decompression compartment. This is also advantageous even when the atmosphere in the transition compartment is controlled to be similar to the atmosphere in the decompression compartment, because the risk of anesthetic gas leaking from the anesthesia compartment into the decompression compartment is reduced. Generally, preventing or at least reducing the undesirable mixing of various gases in the device reduces the risk of undesirable animal reactions and improves the efficiency of gas utilization.

[0111] In particular, Figure 4 Examples and Figure 1 The similarity of the embodiments is that the various compartments of the device are arranged at substantially the same height. Therefore, the transition compartment 14 is separated from the anesthesia compartment 12 by a door, a gate, a curtain or other compartment divider 121, which can be selectively opened when the box is transferred from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment. The compartment divider 121 can be, for example, a high-speed roller shutter. Preferably, the compartment divider is configured to close the opening or other passage between the transition compartment and the anesthesia compartment tightly enough to prevent gas exchange between the transition compartment and the decompression compartment or at least minimize gas exchange between the transition compartment and the decompression compartment. The anesthesia device 1 is preferably controlled so that the compartment divider 141 and the compartment divider 121 are not opened at the same time, that is, only one is opened at a time.

[0112] Figure 5 Examples and Figure 2 The embodiment of is similar in that the anesthesia compartment 12 is arranged at a lower height than the decompression compartment 11. In this embodiment, the transition compartment 14 is arranged at the same height as the decompression compartment and adjacent to it, in particular the transition compartment 14 is arranged directly above the anesthesia compartment 12. Therefore, the box is horizontally transferred from the decompression compartment 11 to the transition compartment 14 through the compartment divider 141, which is temporarily opened to allow the passage of the box. The compartment divider 141 is then closed again and the box is lowered into the anesthesia compartment 12 by a suitable lifting mechanism, where the box remains until the animal is anesthetized. Because the anesthetic gas is generally heavier than the relaxation gas in the transition compartment 14, it may not be necessary for any compartment divider to exist between the transition compartment 14 and the anesthesia compartment 12, although some embodiments may indeed include such a compartment divider.

[0113] exist Figure 5In an embodiment, after the anesthesia is completed, the box is raised again into the transition compartment 14. The transition compartment 14 comprises an exit opening, which is preferably covered by a door, a gate, a curtain or other compartment divider 142. Thus, the exit opening can be opened and the box can then be moved out of the transition compartment 14 by a removal mechanism 13, such as a suitable conveyor. In some embodiments, the anesthesia compartment can be formed as a channel with a separate entrance and exit, such as in combination with Figure 3 as described.

[0114] In general, it should be understood that the reduced pressure compartment of any of the above-described embodiments may be shaped and sized to accommodate a single box at a time or to accommodate more than one box at a time, such as as a series or single file of boxes through the reduced pressure compartment.

[0115] Similarly, the anesthesia compartment of any of the above-described embodiments may be shaped and sized to accommodate a single box at a time or to accommodate more than one box at a time, such as as a series or single file of boxes across the reduced pressure compartment.

[0116] Furthermore, in embodiments that include a transition compartment, the transition compartment may be shaped and sized to accommodate a single box at a time or to accommodate more than one box at a time.

[0117] exist Figure 6 and Figure 7 In an embodiment of the invention, the box is received at a receiving section 10 at base height, which is for example at the height of the floor of a slaughter facility. Similarly, the box is removed from the anesthesia device 1 by a removal mechanism 13 at base height. All compartments of the device are arranged at base height or above base height, in particular at base height and at an elevated height above base height. It should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the anesthesia device can extend over two levels of height. It should also be understood that in some embodiments, the receiving section and / or the removal mechanism can be configured to receive / discharge animals at an elevated height rather than at base height.

[0118] exist Figure 6In the embodiment of the present invention, the box 2 is received at the receiving section 10 and is positioned on a conveyor 101 or other suitable receiving mechanism. The conveyor 101 transports the received box into the decompression compartment 11 through the inlet opening. The inlet opening is covered by a door, gate, curtain or other compartment divider 111, which is configured to be temporarily opened to allow the box to pass through to enter the decompression compartment 11. In the decompression compartment 11, the box is placed on a lift 151 and is raised to an elevated height, wherein the lift 151 is, for example, a scissor lift or other suitable type of lifting mechanism. At the elevated height, the box is horizontally transported to the transition compartment 14, which is also located at the elevated height. To this end, there is an opening in the wall separating the decompression compartment 11 and the transition compartment 14, which is covered by a compartment divider 141, which can be temporarily opened to allow the box to pass through, as described in conjunction with the previous embodiment. The box is lowered from the transition compartment 14 into the anesthesia compartment 12 , which is located at base level below the transition compartment 14 , by another lift 152 or other suitable lifting mechanism.

[0119] After the anesthesia is completed, the box is raised again into the transition compartment 14. The transition compartment 14 comprises an exit opening, which is preferably covered by a door, a gate, a curtain or other type of compartment divider 142. Thus, the exit opening can be opened and the box can then be moved out of the transition compartment 14 onto another lift 131 of the removal mechanism, which lowers the box again to the floor level, where it can be removed from the device. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the box can be received and / or removed from the device at a raised height instead of at the base level.

[0120] Figure 7 An embodiment similar to Figure 6 but with Figure 6 The embodiment of the invention differs in that the decompression compartment 11 comprises an elongated section at an elevated height where the boxes move horizontally along the conveyor 152. Thus, more than one box can be accommodated inside the decompression compartment at the same time. Similarly, the anesthesia compartment 12 is also elongated, having an inlet end and an outlet end, as shown in conjunction with the anesthesia compartment 12. Figure 3as described in the embodiments of the present invention. Thus, the anesthesia compartment can be shaped and sized so as to accommodate more than one box at a time, for example as a series or a single row of boxes passing through the decompression compartment. To this end, the box is lowered from the transition compartment into the anesthesia compartment 12 by a lift 153 or other suitable lifting mechanism, and then the box is horizontally conveyed through the anesthesia compartment 12 towards the outlet end of the anesthesia compartment, at which the box is raised out of the anesthesia compartment 12 to an elevated height by another lift 154 or other suitable lifting mechanism. Thus, the removal mechanism 13 can be configured to extract the box horizontally from the device at the elevated height and, optionally, if necessary, to lower the box again to the floor height by a lift 131 or other lifting mechanism.

[0121] and Figure 3 As with the embodiment, even if the box is not returned to the transition compartment 14 after anesthesia, the transition compartment 14 may optionally have an exit opening covered by any suitable cover 142 to allow the box to be removed from the transition compartment without entering the anesthesia compartment.

[0122] Typically, in the above and other embodiments in which the compartments are arranged at different heights, the apparatus may include one or more lifting mechanisms as described herein or other lifting mechanisms. In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism may be operable to move the box only vertically upward or downward, for example, as in combination with Figure 2-Figure 3 as well as Figure 5-Figure 7 In alternative embodiments, one or more lifting mechanisms may raise or lower the box along an inclined trajectory, such as along a ramp or inclined track. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 Embodiments are described that include such a lifting mechanism. However, it should be understood that some or all of the embodiments described above may be implemented with a lifting mechanism that raises or lowers the box along an inclined path.

[0123] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 Examples and Figure 7 The embodiment of is similar in that the box is received at a receiving section 10 at base level, for example at floor level of a slaughter facility, and all compartments of the device are arranged at or above base level. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In an embodiment, the raising and lowering of the tank between different heights takes place at least partially along the respective inclined portions.

[0124] exist Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the box 2 is received at the receiving section 10 by the transport mechanism 15 . Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In the example of , the transport mechanism comprises an overhead track from which the boxes are suspended. However, in other embodiments, the transport mechanism may be in the form of a conveyor, other forms or tracks, etc. The transport mechanism 15 transports the received boxes upward along the inclined portion into the reduced pressure compartment 11, which is located at an elevated height relative to the base height. The reduced pressure compartment may be separated from the reduced pressure compartment by a door, gate, curtain or other compartment divider ( Figure 8 The decompression compartment 11 is separated from the receiving section by a door, gate, curtain or other compartment divider configured to be temporarily opened to allow the box to pass through to enter the receiving section. It should be understood that the inlet end of the decompression compartment can be located at the base height or at the elevated height, that is, the raising of the box from the base height to the elevated height can occur before and / or after entering the decompression compartment. At the elevated height, the box is transported horizontally through the elongated decompression compartment 11 and enters the transition compartment 14, which has an inlet end also located at the elevated height. The decompression compartment 11 can be separated from the transition compartment 14 by a wall having an opening covered by a compartment divider 141, which can be temporarily opened to allow the box to pass through, as described in conjunction with the previous embodiment. The box is lowered from the transition compartment 14 to the anesthesia compartment 12 along another inclined portion, and the anesthesia compartment 12 is located at the base height. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the reduced pressure compartment 11 and the transition compartment 14 may be combined into a single compartment and / or the reduced pressure compartment 11 and the transition compartment 14 may be provided with the same or at least similar reduced pressure atmosphere, including, for example, a relaxation gas as described above.

[0125] After anesthesia is completed, the box is raised into the exit section 13. The exit section 13 includes an exit opening, which is preferably covered by a door, gate, curtain or other type of compartment divider 132. Thus, the exit opening can be opened, and the box can then be moved out of the exit section 13, for example onto another elevator or other removal mechanism, which can lower the box again to the floor height, at which floor height, the box can be removed from the device. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the slaughtered animals can be further processed at an elevated height instead of at the base height, or the slaughtered animals can be released from the box at an elevated height, or the box can be otherwise transported away from the device at an elevated height.

[0126] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The embodiments differ from each other in that Figure 8 In the embodiment of the invention, the box is raised along another slope from the anesthesia compartment 12 to the raised outlet section 13, while in Fig. 9In the embodiment of the embodiment, the box is raised along a vertical path, for example by a scissor lift. Both embodiments allow the box to be transported from the receiving section 10 all the way to the anesthesia compartment 12, for example along a continuous guide rail, without sudden changes of direction and / or unnecessary multiple starts and stops. Figure 8 In an embodiment, the entire transport through the device can be performed as a continuous movement, for example along a continuous guide rail. Fig. 9 Embodiments of the invention allow the longitudinal footprint of the apparatus to be kept small, while still allowing smooth transport of slaughtered animals, provided they have not been anesthetized.

[0127] Typically, in the various embodiments described above, the boxes can pass through the anesthesia equipment one by one, for example as a single row of boxes. In other embodiments, the equipment can be configured so that two or more boxes can pass through the equipment at the same time, for example side by side, for example as two or more rows or queues of boxes passing through the equipment in parallel or otherwise adjacent to each other. Therefore, the passages between the compartments are shaped and sized to allow a single box to pass through at a time, or are shaped and sized so as to allow two or more boxes to pass through at the same time. Similarly, the receiving section can be configured to receive a single box at a time or to receive multiple boxes at the same time. The transport mechanism, in particular the lifting mechanism and / or conveyor system described in conjunction with the various embodiments, can be configured to transport a single box, a single row of boxes, or even multiple boxes in parallel, for example side by side, at a time. Therefore, the removal mechanism can be configured to remove a single box from the anesthesia compartment at a time or to remove multiple boxes from the anesthesia compartment at the same time.

[0128] Fig.10 An embodiment of a slaughtering facility is schematically illustrated. The slaughtering facility comprises an anesthetic device as described herein, for example Figures 1 to 9 The apparatus described in any embodiment of the present invention. The slaughter facility also includes a loading station 3, at which boxes are filled with slaughtered animals, for example by encouraging the slaughtered animals to walk into the boxes. The filled boxes are then transported to a fenced area, where the animals are allowed to rest in the boxes, and then the animals are further transported to the anesthesia device 1. After the anesthesia process is completed and the boxes are removed from the anesthesia device, the boxes are emptied at a removal station 5. The anesthetized animals are then further processed, in particular slaughtered. The empty boxes can then be returned to the loading station, optionally after cleaning, where they can be loaded again with another group of slaughtered animals.

[0129] In general, the various aspects disclosed herein can be summarized as follows:

[0130] Embodiment 1: An anesthesia device, which is used to anesthetize slaughtered animals before slaughtering, wherein the anesthesia device comprises:

[0131] - a receiving section configured to receive one or more pre-packs, each containing one or more slaughtered animals;

[0132] - Anesthesia compartment;

[0133] - a transport mechanism for transporting the received box or boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and

[0134] - a removal mechanism for removing one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment,

[0135] wherein the anesthesia apparatus further comprises a decompression compartment configured for receiving one or more boxes from a receiving section and for accommodating the one or more boxes for a period of time to calm the slaughtered animals in the received boxes before anesthesia; and wherein the transport mechanism is configured for transporting the one or more boxes between the receiving section and the decompression compartment and from the decompression compartment to the anesthesia compartment.

[0136] Embodiment 2: Anesthesia apparatus according to embodiment 1, wherein the receiving section is arranged at a first height, and wherein the transport mechanism comprises:

[0137] - a first lifting mechanism for raising one or more boxes from a first height to a second height higher than the first height; and

[0138] - A second lifting mechanism for lowering the box from the second height into the anesthesia compartment, wherein the anesthesia compartment is optionally arranged at the first height.

[0139] Embodiment 3: An anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding embodiments, comprising a transition compartment, the transition compartment being shaped and sized to accommodate one or more boxes; and wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport one or more boxes from the decompression compartment to the transition compartment and from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment.

[0140] Embodiment 4: Anesthesia apparatus according to embodiment 3, wherein the transition compartment is arranged above the anesthesia compartment.

[0141] Embodiment 5: An anesthetic apparatus according to embodiment 3 or 4, wherein the transition compartment is arranged at the same height as the decompression compartment.

[0142] Embodiment 6: The anesthesia apparatus according to Embodiment 5, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a horizontal transport mechanism configured to horizontally move one or more boxes between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment.

[0143] Embodiment 7: An anesthesia device according to any one of embodiments 3 to 6, wherein the removal mechanism is configured to transport one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment via the transition compartment to an outlet port of the device.

[0144] Embodiment 8: An anesthesia device according to any one of embodiments 3 to 7, comprising a passage between a decompression compartment and a transition compartment, the passage being shaped and sized to allow one or more boxes to enter the transition compartment from the decompression compartment, and wherein the anesthesia device further comprises a compartment divider configured to selectively block the passage between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment.

[0145] Embodiment 9: An anesthesia device for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal before slaughter, wherein the anesthesia device comprises:

[0146] - a receiving section configured to receive one or more slaughtered animals in one or more boxes;

[0147] - Anesthesia compartment;

[0148] - a transport mechanism for transporting one or more boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and

[0149] - a removal mechanism for removing one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment,

[0150] a decompression compartment configured to receive the one or more boxes from the receiving section, to house the one or more boxes for a period of time in order to tranquilize the slaughtered animals in the one or more boxes prior to anesthesia, and

[0151] - a transition compartment shaped and dimensioned to accommodate one or more boxes,

[0152] wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport one or more boxes between the receiving section and the decompression compartment, from the decompression compartment to the transition compartment, and from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment; wherein the transition compartment is separated from the decompression compartment by a compartment divider configured to selectively block the passage between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment.

[0153] Embodiment 10: An anesthetic device according to any of the preceding embodiments, comprising means for distributing anesthetic gas into an anesthetic compartment.

[0154] Embodiment 11: An anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the anesthesia compartment has a bottom and one or more side walls, and the anesthesia compartment includes an access door in the one or more side walls and / or a transparent window portion in the one or more side walls.

[0155] Embodiment 12: An anesthesia device for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal before slaughter, wherein the anesthesia device comprises:

[0156] - a receiving section configured to receive one or more slaughtered animals in one or more boxes;

[0157] - Anesthesia compartment;

[0158] - a transport mechanism for transporting one or more boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and

[0159] - a removal mechanism for removing one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment,

[0160] Therein, the anesthesia compartment has a bottom and one or more side walls, and the anesthesia compartment includes a transparent window portion and / or an access door in the one or more side walls.

[0161] Embodiment 13: The anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the reduced pressure compartment comprises one or more of the following components:

[0162] - means for providing a reduced pressure atmosphere in the reduced pressure compartment, the reduced pressure atmosphere being in particular an oxygen-reduced atmosphere,

[0163] - a soundproof housing for housing one or more boxes,

[0164] - a sound system for playing stress-reducing audio content,

[0165] - A lighting system for providing reduced pressure lighting.

[0166] Embodiment 14: An anesthesia apparatus according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the reduced pressure compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment is shaped and dimensioned to accommodate a plurality of boxes simultaneously.

[0167] Embodiment 15: The anesthesia apparatus according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the reduced pressure compartment is arranged higher than the receiving section.

[0168] Embodiment 16: An anesthetic device according to any of the preceding embodiments, comprising means for supplying at least one odor additive to the anesthetic compartment and / or the decompression compartment.

[0169] Embodiment 17: A slaughtering facility, comprising the anesthesia device according to any one of the above embodiments, and optionally the slaughtering facility further comprises:

[0170] - a pen area for housing one or more boxes, each box containing one or more animals for slaughter, and

[0171] A transport mechanism for transporting the box from the enclosure area to a receiving section of the anesthesia device.

[0172] Embodiment 18: A method for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal prior to slaughter, wherein the method comprises:

[0173] - receiving pre-packed boxes containing one or more slaughtered animals,

[0174] - transporting the received box to a reduced pressure compartment,

[0175] - housing the tank inside a reduced pressure compartment for a period of time,

[0176] - transporting the crate between the reduced pressure compartment to the anesthesia compartment, anesthetizing the animal, in particular by exposing it to anesthesia gas, and removing the crate containing the anesthetized animal from the anesthesia compartment.

[0177] Although embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary rather than restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations of the disclosed embodiments may be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention by studying the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

1. An anesthetic device for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal before slaughter, wherein: The anesthesia equipment includes: - a receiving section configured to receive one or more pre-packs, each containing one or more slaughtered animals; - Anesthesia compartment; - a transport mechanism for transporting the received box or boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and - a removal mechanism for removing the one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment, wherein the anesthesia device further comprises a decompression compartment configured for receiving the one or more boxes from the receiving section and for accommodating the one or more boxes for a period of time to calm the slaughtered animals in the received boxes before anesthesia; and wherein the transport mechanism is configured for transporting the one or more boxes between the receiving section and the decompression compartment and from the decompression compartment to the anesthesia compartment.

2. The anesthesia apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The receiving section is arranged at a first height, and wherein the transport mechanism comprises: - a first lifting mechanism for raising the one or more boxes from the first height to a second height higher than the first height; and - a second lifting mechanism for lowering the box from a second height into the anesthesia compartment, wherein the anesthesia compartment is optionally arranged at the first height.

3. An anesthetic device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a transition compartment shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the one or more boxes; and wherein, The transport mechanism is configured to transport the one or more boxes from the reduced pressure compartment to the transition compartment and from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment.

4. The anesthesia apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The transition compartment is arranged at an elevated height, partially or completely above the anesthesia compartment.

5. The anesthesia apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The transition compartment is arranged at the same height as the decompression compartment.

6. The anesthesia apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: The transport mechanism includes a horizontal transport mechanism configured to move the one or more boxes horizontally between the reduced pressure compartment and the transition compartment.

7. An anesthetic apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein: The removal mechanism is configured to transport the one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment via the transition compartment to an outlet port of the device.

8. An anesthetic device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, comprising a passage between the reduced pressure compartment and the transition compartment, the passage being shaped and dimensioned to allow the one or more boxes to pass from the reduced pressure compartment into the transition compartment, and wherein, The anesthesia apparatus also includes a compartment divider configured to selectively block a passage between the reduced pressure compartment and the transition compartment.

9. An anesthetic device for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal before slaughter, wherein: The anesthesia equipment includes: - a receiving section configured to receive one or more slaughtered animals in one or more boxes; - Anesthesia compartment; - a transport mechanism for transporting the one or more boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and - a removal mechanism for removing the one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment, a decompression compartment configured to receive the one or more boxes from the receiving section, to house the one or more boxes for a period of time in order to tranquilize the slaughtered animals in the one or more boxes prior to anesthesia, and - a transition compartment shaped and dimensioned to accommodate said one or more boxes, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the one or more boxes between the receiving section and the decompression compartment, from the decompression compartment to the transition compartment, and from the transition compartment to the anesthesia compartment; wherein the transition compartment is separated from the decompression compartment by a compartment divider, and the compartment divider is configured to selectively block the passage between the decompression compartment and the transition compartment.

10. An anesthetic apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means for distributing anesthetic gas into the anesthetic compartment.

11. An anesthetic apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The anesthesia compartment has a bottom and one or more side walls, and the anesthesia compartment defines one or more upwardly open inlet openings and / or outlet openings, the inlet openings and / or the outlet openings are configured to allow the box to enter and / or leave the anesthesia compartment, and wherein the anesthesia compartment includes an access door in the one or more side walls and / or a transparent window portion in the one or more side walls.

12. An anesthetic device for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal before slaughter, wherein: The anesthesia equipment includes: - a receiving section configured to receive one or more slaughtered animals in one or more boxes; - Anesthesia compartment; - a transport mechanism for transporting the one or more boxes between the receiving section and the anesthesia compartment; and - a removal mechanism for removing the one or more boxes from the anesthesia compartment, wherein the anesthesia compartment has a bottom and one or more side walls, and the anesthesia compartment defines one or more upwardly open inlet openings and / or outlet openings, the inlet openings and / or the outlet openings being configured to allow the box to enter and / or leave the anesthesia compartment, and wherein the anesthesia compartment further comprises a transparent window portion and / or an access door in the one or more side walls.

13. An anesthetic apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The reduced pressure compartment includes one or more of the following components: - means for providing a reduced pressure atmosphere in said reduced pressure compartment, said reduced pressure atmosphere being in particular an oxygen-reduced atmosphere, - a soundproof casing for housing the one or more boxes, - a sound system for playing stress-relieving audio content, - A lighting system for providing reduced pressure lighting.

14. Anesthesia apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The reduced pressure compartment and / or the anesthesia compartment are shaped and dimensioned to accommodate multiple boxes simultaneously.

15. Anesthesia apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The decompression compartment is arranged higher than the receiving section.

16. An anesthetic apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, comprising means for supplying at least one odor additive to the anesthetic compartment and / or the decompression compartment.

17. A slaughtering facility, comprising the anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding claims, optionally further comprising: - a pen area for housing one or more boxes, each box containing one or more animals for slaughter, and - A transport mechanism for transporting boxes from the fenced area to the receiving section of the anesthesia device.

18. A method for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal prior to slaughter, wherein: The method comprises: - receiving pre-packed boxes containing one or more slaughtered animals, - transporting the received box to a reduced pressure compartment, - housing said tank in said reduced pressure compartment for a period of time, - transporting the box between the reduced pressure compartment to an anesthesia compartment, anesthetizing the animal, in particular by exposing it to an anesthetic gas, and removing the box containing the anesthetized animal from the anesthesia compartment.

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