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221 [1904
loss of sensibility. The animal should then at once be " pithed " by
thrusting a cane through the hole in the forehead and up the
vertebrae, thus breaking up the spinal cord and ensuring absolute
death. The animal should then be bled, and directly the bleeding
is finished the carcase should be passed on into the "dressing"
room, as described in paragraph 8 (e). The slaughter space can
then be flushed down ready for the next animal.
Calves.
Calves should be first stunned with a blow on the head with a club.
A tackle can then be fastened to the hind legs and the animal
run up and bled, either by cutting its throat or by cutting the
head off. The usual practice in this country appears to be to run
the animal up first and then to stun it, previous to bleeding.
This order of procedure is not so humane, and appears to be
unnecessary.
Sheep.
The Committee have very carefully investigated the various methods of
killing sheep. The usual method in this country is to lay the
sheep on a wooden " crutch," and then to thrust a knife through
the neck below the ears, and with a second motion to insert the
point, from within, between the joints of the vertebrae, thus
severing the spinal cord. In the hands of an expert this method
is fairly rapid, but somewhat uncertain, the time which elapses
between the first thrust of the knife and complete loss of sensibility
varying, according to Professor Starling's observations,
from five to thirty seconds. In the hands of an inexpert operator,
it may be some time before death supervenes, and there can be
little doubt that this method must be very painful to the sheep
as long as consciousness remains. At the best it is a somewhat
difficult operation, and yet in practice is often entrusted to the
younger and less experienced hand in the slaughter-house, the
probable reason being that sheep are easy to handle, and do not
struggle or give trouble when stuck. In Denmark, many parts
of Germany, and Switzerland, the law requires that sheep shall