This systematic review examined nine experimental cattle studies on slaughter without prior stunning. The research focused on the time it takes for animals to lose consciousness after the incision. Researchers used electrocorticography, a brain activity measure, to assess this timing.
The main finding was that loss of consciousness occurred between 4.4 and 13 seconds after incision. The mean times across studies ranged from 7.5 to 10.8 seconds. The overall risk of bias in the included studies was judged to be moderate.
No safety events were reported in the studies, as this was not a focus of the research. A key limitation is that reported times varied, likely due to differences in study methods and measurement tools.
This review provides a range of times based on experimental studies. It does not change current practices or provide guidance for specific situations. Readers should understand this is an overview of existing research on cattle slaughter methods.