ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION The Humane Slaughter Act of 1978 in the United States and laws in many other countries require that animals be rendered insensible to pain prior to any slaughtering procedures (1). The meat-buying public is becoming increasingly concerned about how farm animals are raised, transported, and slaughtered (2). Maintaining high standards during handling and stunning should also be done because it is the right thing to do. Quiet handling of livestock and proper stunning procedures will also provide economic benefits by reducing meat quality defects such as PSE (pale, soft, exudative) pork, dark cutters, and toughness in beef and bruises (3,4). In plants processing large animals such as cattle, careful, quiet handling will also help improve safety and reduce employee injuries. Large animals are dangerous when they become agitated.
