Electrocardiograms as an aid in assessing the stunning of cattle and pigs

Electrocardiograms (ECG's) were made from cattle and pigs after slaughter using only the left arm and right arm recording electrodes of a portable electrocardiogram with 12 recording electrodes. Functional heart activity was demonstrated in cattle after stunning with a captive bolt, nonpenetrative percussive methods and a head-only electrical technique. Recordings compatible with ventricular fibrillation were made in the majority of cattle and pigs subjected to a head-to-chest form of electrical stunning. In cases where the placement of stunning electrodes was defective, functional cardiac activity could be detected. Movement artefact on the ECG trace associated with epileptiform seizures following head-only electrical stunning was a technical problem. This was reduced by restunning the animal with a captive bolt before taking an ECG. The examination of ECG's made subsequent to slaughter could form an important component of the quality control of Halal slaughter or a slaughter process using the head-to-body electrical stunning techniques. Adoption of this would be facilitated by the development of a more simple and less sensitive electrocardiograph than that used in the present investigation.     

The detection and measurement of stray electrical leakages on dairy farms: effects on performance

Sources of stray electrical leakage from Power Supply Authority alternating current (AC), fence energiser pulses and randomly generated pulses and spikes on 55 dairy farms in the Waikato area were identified between December 1986 and March 1988. The electrical measurements were made using a specifically designed voltmeter able to detect voltages between 0.1V and 1500V, from single voltage spikes of two microseconds or greater duration from direct current (DC) as well as 50 Hz AC. Ninety-five sources of stray voltage were identified, and 53 per cent of properties had more than one source of >0.5V. The major source was from electric fence energisers. Rotary platform parlours were among the commonest sources of random or transient voltage spikes. Leakage of AC into one or other of the components of the milk transport system such as vat, plate cooler, milk lift pump and milk line was common. Owners acknowledged the improvements in milk production, reproductive performance and growth rate of calves after reduction of the exposure of dairy cattle to stray electrical leakage. A representative summary of five case records helps define the range of improvements that may possibly be achieved.