Magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography of brain lesions in water buffaloes and cattle stunned with handguns or captive bolts

Schwenk, Barbara Kathrin; Lechner, Isabel; Ross, Steffen G.; Gascho, Dominic; Kneubühl, Beat P.; Glardon, Matthieu; Stoffel, Michael Hubert (2016). Magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography of brain lesions in water buffaloes and cattle stunned with handguns or captive bolts. Meat Science, 113, pp. 35-40. Elsevier 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.11.010

Text 1-s2.0-S030917401530125X-main.pdf__tid=9833e0d6-cbf6-11e5-a20f-00000aab0f01&acdnat=1454669748_8f281880f38d66cdbc6f92fb67912652 - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (520kB) | Request a copy

Owing to the demand for genuine mozzarella, some 330 water buffaloes are being slaughtered every year in
Switzerland albeit a stunning procedure meeting animal welfare and occupational safety requirements remains
to be established. To provide a basis for improvements, we sized anatomical specifics in water buffaloes and cattle
and we assessed brain lesions after stunning with captive bolts or handguns by diagnostic imaging. In water
buffaloes and cattle, the median distance from the frontal skin surface to the inner bone table was 74.0 mm
(56.0–100.0 mm) vs 36.6 mm (29.3–44.3 mm) and from skin to the thalamus 144.8 mm (117.1–172.0 mm) vs
102.0 (101.0–121.0 mm), respectively. Consequently, customary captive bolt stunners may be inadequate. Free
bullets are potentially suitable for stunning buffaloes but involve occupational safety hazards. The results of
the present study shall be used to develop a device allowing effective and safe stunning of water buffaloes.

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