Application of Electroencephalography in Preslaughter Management: A Review

Abstract

Electroencephalography (EEG) can be reliable for assessing the brain’s electrical activity of preslaughter stress and pain. The duration between the ventral neck cut and induction of a state of unconsciousness/insensibility is crucial in the slaughtering of animals, reducing pain, fear, and distress. Various EEG variables, such as median frequency (F50), the total power of EEG spectrum (Ptot), waves patterns (amplitude and frequencies), epileptiform EEG, index of consciousness, and isoelectric EEG, are used to identify a valid indicator of the state of unconsciousness. Association among various behavioral, physiological, and hematological parameters with EEG variables could provide an overall assessment and deep insights into the animal stress levels or welfare status during various managemental and preslaughter operations, such as transport, stunning, and slaughtering operations. The application of EEG could help in further refining the stunning technologies and slaughter protocols in livestock, poultry, and fish. The present review analyzed the application of EEG as a neurophysiological tool for assessing animal welfare during the critical state of preslaughter handling and slaughter, thus ensuring proper compliance with animal welfare principles.

Electroencephalogram and Physiological Responses as Affected by Slaughter Empathy in Goats

“…The total power of the EEG spectrum (Ptot) (Cohen’s d value- −0.34) showed a non-significant increase during the treatment phase as compared with the control phase ( Figure 4 ). The Ptot of the EEG spectrum correlates with the relaxed phase of animals, with animals in the relaxed phase usually having lower power [ 27 ]. The median frequency (MF or F50) of the EEG spectrum was recorded as significantly ( p = 0.002) higher in the treatment phase compared with the control.…”

“…Recently, electroencephalogram (EEG) has increasingly been used for assessing pain and stress during the slaughter of livestock [ 27 ]. It is a technology used to measure the electric activity of neurons in the cerebrocortical region of the brain by fixing electrodes on various positions of the brain [ 28 , 29 ].…”

Neuroeconomic Studies in Agriculture and Food Economics: A Systematic Review of Literature

“…In veterinary science, the response to stressors was studied with a neurocognitive lens. Pavan Kumar et al [2022] found out how EEG is the accurate predictor of unconsciousness in response to noxious and painful stimuli.…”

Stunning Compliance in Halal Slaughter: A Review of Current Scientific Knowledge

“…Pain refers to a "discriminative sensation comprising emotional experience caused by actual or potential tissue damage" [6]. The perception of pain is protective and warns animals against situations that may damage tissues and avoid these situations in the future [7]. A noxious stimulus is a stimulus that causes or may cause tissue damage, thereby causing pain perception.…”

“…There is a perception among some scholars and researchers that stunning causes more pain to animals than slaughtering [19,45,46]. However, this could be primarily due to the chances of mis-stun and associated hyperalgesia leading to compromised animal welfare and intense pain perception [7].…”