The use of high expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry
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Author
EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW)
Nielsen, Søren Saxmose
Alvarez, Julio
Bicout, Dominique Joseph
Calistri, Paolo
Canali, Elisabetta
Drewe, Julian Ashley
Garin-Bastuji, Bruno
Gonzales Rojas, Jose Luis
Gortázar, Christian
Herskin, Mette S.
Miranda Chueca, Miguel Ángel
Padalino, Barbara
Roberts, Helen Clare
Spoolder, Hans
Stahl, Karl
Winckler, Christoph
Viltrop, Arvo
Martin, Jessica
Raj, Mohan
Vyssotski, Alexei
der Stede, Yves Van
Vitali, Marika
Manakidou, Aikaterini
Michel, Virginie
Publication date
2024-07-12ISSN
1831-4732
Abstract
The EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the use of high-expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry. A dossier was provided by the applicant as the basis for an assessment of the extent to which the method is able to provide a level of animal welfare at least equivalent to that ensured by the currently allowed methods for pigs and poultry. According to legislation, to be approved in the EU, new stunning methods must ensure (1) the absence of pain, distress or suffering until the onset of unconsciousness, and (2) that the animal remains unconscious until death. An ad hoc Working Group set up by EFSA performed the assessment as follows: (1) The data provided were checked against the criteria laid down in the EFSA Guidance (EFSA, 2018), and was found to partially fulfil those criteria; (2) extensive literature search; (3) data extraction for quantitative assessment; (4) qualitative exercise based on non-formal expert elicitation. The assessment led to conclude that it is more likely than not (certainty > 50%–100%) that high-expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry, named NEFS in container (Nitrogen Expansion Foam Stunning in container), provides a level of welfare at least equivalent to one or more of the currently allowed methods listed in Annex I of Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009. The overall assessment of EFSA is valid only under the technical conditions described in this Opinion for laying hens, broiler chickens of all age and pigs weighing 15–41 kg in situations other than slaughter. The overall assessment of EFSA is that NEFS can be suitable for depopulation using containers for pig and poultry farms respecting the technical conditions and the categories and types of animals defined in this Scientific Opinion.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
636 - Animal husbandry and breeding in general. Livestock rearing. Breeding of domestic animals
Pages
73
Publisher
Wiley Open Access
Is part of
EFSA Journal
Citation
Nielsen, Søren Saxmose, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe and Bruno Garin‐Bastuji et al. 2024. "The use of high expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry”. EFSA Journal 22 (7). doi:10.2903/j.efsa. 2024.8855.
Program
Benestar Animal
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2713]
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/