124. Those farmers we saw slaughtering on-farm stunned the turkeys electrically and then cut their throats. The law requires that where stunning is practised, the birds must be instantaneously rendered insensible to pain until death supervenes. Stunning must therefore be carried out effectively and the neck cut performed correctly to prevent resumption of consciousness.
125. The procedures we observed were carried out correctly. However, a number of the farmers did not know the current delivered by their electrical stunner nor the best level to use. They simply judged by experience. Whilst this worked well at the farms we visited, we believe that there is the potential for problems to occur, particularly if a less-experienced person is using the equipment.
126. Work is required to develop electrical stunning equipment for use on turkeys which incorporates a meter indicating the current and the duration of the exposure to it.