Simple Summary: The welfare of cattle during slaughter predominantly depends on the ability of the stunner to induce immediate collapse and insensibility. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of the stun shot under commercial conditions and the success rate of inducing motor paralysis in relation to the distance of the placement of the stun shot from the ideal point on the cattle skull. The results show that as the deviation in the stun shot position increases, the failure to induce motor paralysis in cattle significantly (p < 0.01) increases. Abstract:The effect on motor paralysis of a deviation in the stun shot placement from the ideal point on cattle skulls was monitored in 627 bovine animals (271 bulls and 356 cows) stunned with a captive bolt during slaughter in a slaughterhouse. The number of animals that experienced motor paralysis and the necessary fall of the animal in the stunning box were recorded after the stun shot. Subsequently, the position of the stun shot was measured on the skull of the slaughtered cattle in relation to the ideal point on the skull, and at a deviation from the ideal point, the quadrant on the skull in which the bullet was located was determined. The results show that with the increasing distance of the placement of the stun shot from the ideal point on the skull, the incidence of failure to induce motor paralysis in cattle increases significantly (p < 0.01) from 2.4% (within 3 cm of deviation) to 72.2% (at deviations > 7 cm). There was a significant increase in the failure to induce motor paralysis in bulls as well as in cows, but this was more frequent in bulls regardless of the magnitude of the deviation from the ideal point (with the exception of a distance greater than 7 cm where the chances of inducing motor paralysis in bulls and cows are equally low). The incidence of failure to induce motor paralysis in cattle was not dependent on the placement of a stun shot in various quadrants on the skull. With the increasing deviation in any direction from the ideal point, the likelihood of effective stunning of cattle decreases. The results are important from the animal welfare point of view of the slaughter of cattle, and demonstrate the necessity of optimum placement of the stunning shot on the bovine skull in order to achieve the successful motor paralysis of cattle during their stunning at the slaughterhouse.

Overall mortality among turkeys transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic from 2009 to 2014 was 0.147%. The lowest mortality (0.023%) was found in turkeys transported for distances up to 50 km; longer distances were associated with increasing death rates, with the highest losses (0.543%) recorded for distances from 201 to 300 km. Differences were also found when comparing transport-related mortality rates according to the season of the year. The highest mortality (0.228%) was associated with transports carried out in summer, whereas the lowest death rates were found in turkeys transported for slaughter in winter (0.105%) and autumn (0.113%). According to the ambient temperatures in which transports associated with the highest death rates among turkeys were carried out (14 to 21°C), it appears that heat stress can be a major factor in the birds' mortality. However, low ambient temperatures (i.e. below -2°C) also appear to increase transport-related mortality, as shown by our results. In addition to shortening the lengths of transport distances, appropriate consideration of prevailing climatic conditions and the sensitivity of turkeys to high and low temperatures during transport may also lead to a reduction in the number of turkeys dying during transport for slaughter.

The aim of this study was to assess behavioural and glucocorticoid changes in black-and-white ruffed lemur females transported for breeding purposes between Czech ZOOs. The frequency of the presented behaviour elements was recorded via direct observation. The faecal samples were collected from the floor and subsequently the faecal glucocorticoid values were determined using specifically designed assays for faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis. While the frequency of certain comfort behaviour patterns decreased (P < 0.05) in response to transport and change of the environment, grooming, resting, sleeping as well as playful behaviour (chasing, climbing) were not affected (P > 0.05). No changes were found in the frequency of behaviour connected to metabolic events with the exception of defecation. Lemur females defecated more frequently (P < 0.05) in their new environment. The frequency of neither fear nor exploratory behaviour differed (P > 0.05) before and after transport. The positive effect of the novelty was shown by the reduction (P < 0.01) of behavioural signs of frustration and stereotypical behaviour after transport. In response to transport, a significant (P < 0.05) increase of FGM levels was found the second day after the transport, reaching peak levels in the morning and starting to decline to baseline levels in the afternoon. The results of both behaviour and adrenocortical activity analysis suggest that despite some presented changes in the monitored indices prior and after transport, the transportation under the studied conditions presented only a mild stressor with limited behavioural and glucocorticoid responses.

The difference in the frequency of the occurrence of reflexes/reactions in 355 cows (average weight 505.5 ± 7.9 kg) and 262 bulls (average weight 735.6 ± 8.4 kg) following stunning with a Matador SS 3,000 B trigger-activated captive bolt gun (Termet) was determined. The stun shot more than 2 cm from the ideal position was found in 79.6% of animals. Vocalization, corneal reflex, rhythmic breathing, blinking, eye-How to cite this article: Vecerek V, Kamenik J, Voslarova E, et al. The occurrence of reflexes and reactions in cattle following stunning with a captive bolt at the slaughterhouse.

Translocation (including transportation and experiencing a new environment) represents a significant stressor for animals. The aim of this study was to assess changes in corticosterone metabolite (CM) levels related to translocation in common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). Sixteen birds (8 males and 8 females) aged 17 weeks were crated and transported for 3.5 h (distance travelled 140 km) to the target customer. Serial individual droppings were collected from 2 days prior until 3 days after transport. Concentrations of CMs in droppings were determined with a non-commercial cortisone enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Transport stress resulted in increased CM concentrations in the droppings in our study. The CM concentrations significantly increased within 2.5 h of transport (P < 0.01) compared to pre-transport levels (747 ng/g vs. 187 ng/g). After additional 3 h, the CM concentrations fell back to the baseline levels (207.7 ng/g). In the new environment, the second peak (median: 1383 ng/g) was determined with CM concentrations increasing (P < 0.01) compared to baseline levels. This increase was likely connected to the stress resulting from the new environment. The CM levels returned back to the baseline level 26 h after the start of transportation. No differences in concentrations of CM between sexes were found in our study. The utilized cortisone EIA proved suited to detect biologically meaningful alterations in adrenocortical activity of pheasants exposed to procedures related to their transport.