Killing poultry
Recommended methods for killing poultry
The methods suitable for the killing of adult poultry for the purpose of disease control are:
- Mechanical methods
a. Percussive stun/kill using captive-bolt - Electrical stunning followed by cervical dislocation, decapitation or bleeding*
- Electrical killing
- Killing by exposure to lethal gas mixtures (including Nitrogen foam)
- Drugs
a. Anaesthetics and poison in food/water
Options for killing chicks (up to 72 hours of age) include a macerator or exposure to gas.
*bleeding and decapitation following a stunning method may be suitable on premises which are not infected but are within a “firebreak” area. Bleeding should not be performed if animals are infected as blood poses a biohazard.