On-farm euthanasia methods for poultry

Published: February 2, 2023

By: Dr. Marisa Erasmus, Purdue University. Reviewers: Dr. Prafulla Regmi, University of Georgia; Dr. Shawna Weimer, University of Arkansas; Dr. Leonie Jacobs, Virginia Tech.

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.

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

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 acceptable with conditions

Methods that are classified as being acceptable with conditions are

Acceptable under certain circumstances,
Are associated with higher chances of error and risks to personnel safety, or
There is not much scientific research available to examine how effective these methods 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

How to: see HSA(a) and Boyal et al. 2020a

- 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)

Methods that are acceptable with conditions

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.

On-farm euthanasia methods for poultry - Image 2

Methods that are acceptable with conditions

On-farm euthanasia methods for poultry - Image 3

On-farm euthanasia methods for poultry - Image 4

Methods for embryonated eggs

On-farm euthanasia methods for poultry - Image 5

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

Anesthetic overdose
Decapitation
Carbon dioxide exposure for more than 20 minutes

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

Carbon dioxide exposure for more than 20 minutes
Cooling at a temperature of less than 4°C for 4 hours
Freezing

The Humane Slaughter Association also has guidelines for chicks less than 72 hours old and embryonated eggs

This article was originally published on Poultry Extension Collaborative (PEC) and it is reproduced here with permission from the authors.

References

AVMA guidelines for the euthanasia of animals https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/202002/Guidelines-on-Euthanasia-2020.pdf Boyal et al., 2020a. Single bird CO2 system. https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/farming/poultryeuthanasia-single-bird-carbon-dioxide-system/ The Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Boyal, et al. 2020b. Poultry Euthanasia: Koechner Euthanizing Device. https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/farming/poultry-euthanasia-koechner-euthanizing-device/ The Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Boyal, et al. 2020c. Poultry Euthanasia: Electrical Euthanasia Device. https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/farming/poultry-euthanasia-electrical-euthanasia-device/ The Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 2019. Guidelines for stunning techniques for avian food animals, including ratites. https://inspection.canada.ca/food-safety-for-industry/food-specificrequirements-and-guidance/meat-products-and-food-animals/guidelines-for-stunningtechniques/eng/1538160892409/1538160892704 Canadian Poultry Industry Council. 2016. Practical guidelines for on-farm euthanasia of poultry. https://www.poultryindustrycouncil.ca/downloads/practical-guidelines-for-on-farm-euthanasia-ofpoultry.pdf Humane Slaughter Association (a). Gaseous methods. https://www.hsa.org.uk/gaseousmethods/gaseous-methods Humane Slaughter Association (b). Cervical dislocation and decapitation. https://www.hsa.org.uk/stunning-and-killing-poultry-using-electricity/cervical-dislocation-anddecapitation-manual-and-mechanical Humane Slaughter Association (c). Stunning poultry using electricity followed by a killing method. https://www.hsa.org.uk/stunning-and-killing-poultry-using-electricity/stunning-poultry-usingelectricity-followed-by-a-killing-method Humane Slaughter Association (d). Non-penetrating captive bolt. https://www.hsa.org.uk/mechanical-methods-poultry/non-penetrative-captive-bolt Humane Slaughter Association (e). Chicks (less than 72 hours old) and embryonated eggs. https://www.hsa.org.uk/chicks-less-than-72-hours-old-and-embryonated-eggs/chicks-less-than-72hours-old-and-embryonated-eggs Jacob, J. and Martin, G. 2022. Poultry end-of-life situations in small and backyard flocks. https://poultry.extension.org/articles/poultry-management/poutry-end-of-life-situations-in-smalland-backyard-flocks/ Jacobs et al., 2019. Manual and mechanical cervical dislocation. https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/APSC/apsc-161/APSC-161.pdf