Animal Welfare
Animal Ethics Committee Approval
The first phase of research was conducted in Australia under the approval of the Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs Transport and Resources (DJEDJTR) Wildlife and Small Institutions Animal Ethics Committee (WSI AEC), reference 30.16.
The second phase, the pre-commercial scale validation, and third phase rotary box evaluation were approved in Australia by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Wildlife and Large Animal Ethics Committee (CWLA, AEC) reference 2019-17
The Role of Reversible Rapid Insensibility in meeting Animal Welfare Guidelines
DTS is a purpose-built system which is humane and meets animal welfare guidelines.
DTS effectively leads to 100% reversible rapid insensibility.
The animal becomes insensible after 3 seconds for a period of 3 to 4 minutes.
This has been set out and designed specifically to operate in this matter and confirmed by extensive trials and research using EEG data confirming the development of a high – amplitude-low frequency epileptiform state in the animal.
Live observations indicated that DTS consistently induces insensibility, with no vocalisation, no evidence of pain or distress.
The DTS study confirmed consistent induction of insensibility, based on live observations of the animal and assessment of corneal and palpebral reflexes. The insensibility was sustained during bleeding.
“Trials were conducted under the Approval of the University of Melbourne’s Ethics Committee to demonstrate insensibility during the DTS process.”
Head only stunning leads to a very short duration of epilepsy, followed by strong convulsions.
Electrical stunning must be applied for up to 20 seconds to take effect.
The duration of unconsciousness from this method has been reported from 31 to 90 seconds.
DTS induces loss of posture within 8 seconds of the onset of energy application and the duration of unconsciousness last up to 240 seconds based on absence of corneal reflex and duration of EEG changes.
The EEG recordings for all of the animals in which DTS was applied showed changes from the baseline, particularly in terms of Ptot, showing high amplitude spiking.
These patterns on EEG are considered to be incompatible with sensibility and during this period the animal cannot feel pain.
DTS is the first technology which can meet both religious and animal welfare requirements together in a humane manner.
• It is temporary.
• It is reversible.
• Consciousness of the animal can return.
• It has been scientifically proven to be a more humane way of slaughter.