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

Barbara K Schwenk; Isabel Lechner; Steffen G Ross; Dominic Gascho; Beat P Kneubuehl; Matthieu Glardon; Michael H Stoffel

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.11.010

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

Meat Sci. 2016 Mar:113:35-40. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.11.010. Epub 2015 Nov 10.

Authors

Barbara K Schwenk¹, Isabel Lechner², Steffen G Ross³, Dominic Gascho⁴, Beat P Kneubuehl⁵, Matthieu Glardon⁶, Michael H Stoffel⁷

Affiliations

¹ Division of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
² Veterinary Public Health Institute, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. Electronic address: isabel.lechner@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
³ Department of Forensic Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: s.ross@spitalmaennedorf.ch.
⁴ Department of Forensic Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: Dominic.Gascho@irm.uzh.ch.
⁵ Institute of Forensic Physics/Ballistics, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. Electronic address: bpkneubuehl@bpk-thun.ch.
⁶ Institute of Forensic Physics/Ballistics, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. Electronic address: matthieu.glardon@irm.unibe.ch.
⁷ Division of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. Electronic address: michael.stoffel@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.

PMID: 26610289
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.11.010

Abstract

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 74.0mm (56.0-100.0mm) vs 36.6mm (29.3-44.3mm) and from skin to the thalamus 144.8mm (117.1-172.0mm) vs 102.0 (101.0-121.0mm), 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.

Keywords: Anatomy; Bubalus bubalis; Diagnostic imaging; Skull; Stunning.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animal Welfare
Animals
Buffaloes*
Cattle*
Consciousness / physiology*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / veterinary*
Occupational Health
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / veterinary*