On-farm euthanasia methods for poultry

As discussed in our previous newsletter, circumstances arise that require poultry to be humanely euthanized. This newsletter provides a brief overview on-farm methods for the euthanasia of small numbers of poultry. Most of these methods are different from methods used at processing and methods used for culling or depopulation during disease outbreaks and other emergencies. All methods used for poultry euthanasia require training and skill; therefore, it is important that personnel are trained beforehand to identify birds that are not doing well and to appropriately apply euthanasia methods.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guide for the Euthanasia of Animals is the main source of information for euthanasia methods for poultry (and other species). These methods are summarized below. For poultry, the AVMA classifies some methods as being acceptable for poultry euthanasia and other methods as being acceptable with conditions.

Acceptable methods are those that “consistently produce a humane death when used as the sole means of euthanasia”. These methods include anesthetic overdose and injected barbiturates; however, these methods are not typically readily available for on-farm euthanasia of poultry.

Methods that are classified as being acceptable with conditions are

These are the methods that are most commonly used for on-farm euthanasia of poultry.

Conditionally acceptable methods include:

1. Gaseous methods and low-atmospheric-pressure stunning

          - Carbon dioxide (CO2)

          - Carbon monoxide (CO)

          - Nitrogen (N2) and Argon gas (Ar)

          - Low-atmospheric-pressure stunning

2. Physical methods

          - Cervical dislocation: see HSA(b) and Boyal et al. 2020b

          - Decapitation: see HSA(b)

          - Manual blunt force trauma

          - Electrocution: see HSA(c) and Boyal et al. 2020c

          - Gunshot

          - Captive bolt: see HSA(d)

Note: these methods can result in convulsions (involuntary muscle movements) such as wing flapping and leg paddling, but if animals are unconscious when these muscle movements occur, the presence of the movements do not mean that animals are experiencing pain or distress.

Note: these methods can result in convulsions (involuntary muscle movements) such as wing flapping and leg paddling, but if animals are unconscious when these muscle movements occur, the presence of the movements are not indicative of consciousness.

According to the AVMA Guidelines, embryos of eggs that have reached 80% of incubation should be euthanized using:

Embryos of eggs that have not yet reached 80% of incubation should be euthanized using: