Summary
In order to combat certain notifiable diseases eradication programs have been developed, which include the destruction of an infected or suspected herd. Experiments were conducted to develop a method for euthanasia of large numbers of pigs.
The electrocution experiments under laboratory conditions were performed in a wooden sided box with a steel floor and a curtain of chains. When the pigs touched the chain curtain with their noses, they received a current flow which lasted for more than 2 seconds, and they developed cardiac arrest or fibrillation. The pigs which touched the chain curtain with their rumps vocalised and became recumbent immediately.
An automatic electrocution unit was constructed with a conveyor (negative electrode) and 3 curtains of chains (positive electrodes). Over 6000 pigs infected with a notifiable disease were killed with the apparatus. Only 2 piglets younger than 1 week old were not killed by the current (1000 V, > 2 s.). From the point of view of animal welfare the automatic electrocution apparatus is an efficient method for killing large numbers of pigs (older than I week of age) infected with a notifiable disease.
Notes
Research Institute for Animal Production ‘Schoonoord’, P.O. Box 501, 3700 AM Zeist, The Netherlands.