HUMANE SLAUGHTERING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 February 1908, Page 2

HUMANE SLAUGHTERING.

; a .competition;-.' ~'V : PITHING HOLDS ITS' OYS'N. - ' ■A - slaughtering com petition wa'S held 'm Monday at. the Christchurch abattoirs in : order to test -the relative'eificienby of killing • ■ • toasts m the usual way and : witft an. instrumown as , the "lUS.P.C.A.Humane ; lately imported by tho Society' for . the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Councillor Cooper briefly explained the object of tho test, and stated'that if the . enin s %Shtering recommended by ; 'the b.I .C.A. wero shoivn to be moro humane and efficacious than'that, at present.in force, ■ the City Council would have 'nb' hesitation t in adopting it. . J " Tho "killer" consists of a revolver, barrel,-, mounted at right angles on a wooden handle " about, three' _ foot long, at .the end of which , c -7?n The weapon taken ai HoO revolver/'cartridge, the ball being , i f ilargo size and weight. . The " operator, is sta-; ittoned on the 'platform directly over the pitlnhg pen, rind abivo the animal about to. be slaughtered.'. The method of/vorkirig is to .''plajpo ,tha metal framework, surrounding- the ' Muzzle of-thb firearm upon.the b'east's fore'-.' • .hoadj-between the eyes, in order'that when, tithe Charge is exploded the missile shall enter' ■ w®- ?3rain, producing instantaneous insensiafter which; the auimal- drops, and ,is Jbltdiin the'ordinary fashion'.' The advantage iCjp.imod for tho apparatus is that-there is |iOj,i,isk of foul strokes,. as in the' case of ordinaryi-means. ,-' <f "j Mr.d£tmch (Inspector : for the Sjjjoiety. for r t'9| Prevention of to Animals), miani- ; "purpled t& . killer,. hnd a 'quifet beast was - j.liciinpd"; ujjofor the purpose; Mr." Zouch had applia)ice v only once previously, and ~ ironical-shouts' of. voiced the assembled' 'slaughtermen'.did' not tend ' : to- . of; any large amount of ' compbSurb oii' liisVpart; In consequence, .. tlffefe and a haj| ntinutes wero occupied boforo . ' till 'lethal .Ave|jjipnVjvas discharged,'. but' 'the ahrtt| proved nifiSt'effective, -•''.■' v;.;/ J.- 1 :,.'.j; .. in, and a slaughterman mounted' the platform, pithing spear in hand. 'from the time th&t everything was;.' ; in; reti.djn.css until the •' Beast • had been felled ' with];a|'single, accurately aimed"-j%lo«' only r twelve"seconds wore consumed.. ;■ \ -!'■ At. Zoiich brought down . , his .second''victim-- : within - ' teii seconds, !-and.. another slaughterman felled 'a'Second with .the pithing (after a m'isrhit) .".in well' under .twelve sfccciufs. ,' ,It, 'agreed that .has no advaji- ; tages ttj, offw. over,the- present-.methods.' so -■ far as slaughtering cattle-for hliiiian - consumption is. ebacr-rned.- The proportion-»of foul strokes in stated to ]>e not . . - i imore than 10 per cent;, ,alid freepiently at ■ the abattoirs, an:oceurrr ■ onco ( of, the. khid' t 'place. ' The imple-" - ment should be of great use. however; in the — 'ca'se 1 of street necessitating 'the humane deStrubtipn oYjljQrscs,