slaughtering method - cutting jugular vs slitting the whole throat

[Salt and Light]

Will someone explain why cutting off the head has a more deleterious effect than poking a sharp knife in the brain? I've never fully believed the argument for pithing versus decapitating versus vein slicing. The bottom line is the bird dies in seconds. Be it 3 seconds, 5 seconds or 15 seconds. How much REAL difference can these seconds make in the quality of what we eat?

 

[McButterpants]

From what I've read - there is a difference and my personal experience would support that. Hormone/ bio- chemical releases can occur in the body almost instantly with the same speed that it takes to snap ones fingers bio electric& chem signals are sent from the brain to the body telling it what to do. Same thing as an adrenalin rush - it happens in just a matter of seconds.

While decapitation severs the spine - a bad shot may (and often does) leave a piece of the brain stem attached. The stem controls basic homeostatic functions (breathing, heart beat, flapping, kicking etc.) Pithing kills the cerebral cortex which relaxes muscles while allowing the heart to continue giving a good bleed from what is essentially a brain dead chicken.
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When blood gets in the trachea (as it often does in decapitation) it produces the same sensation as drowning and there is evidence that chickens as well as other animals don't need to be conscious (or apparently have a head) to experience the panic associated with drowning. The brain stem can control the hormone release. From what I've seen when I've taken the head off there is a lot more flapping and I assume would have ample to time to release hormones from the remaining glands.

Pithing took a little practice but I believe I'm seeing a major difference and there is no question the feathers are easier to remove. If what I've read is true when the bird is properly stuck the brain stem still allows the heart to continue beating for a good bleed. The flip side is every time I've pithed there has been a reaction at the end of the bleed - often a squawk and a flap or kick. - not sure where that comes from if the bird is truly brain dead.

There is also ample evidence of a phenomenon known as dark cutting meat - this applies mostly to mammals but when they are harvested in a stressful manner - even though the actual end comes quick the meat is often tough and infused with an off putting flavor - this is most often seen here in the states in game animals that are not killed instantly.

Everyone has to use what works best for them. From my experience this is seemingly quickest, quietest,and most humane method available to me and I'll continue to use it until I learn of a better one. I also believe a superior end product comes from humane practices and there is a pretty good pool of information to support that - so if the method I employ is a little more difficult for me, but better for the bird so be it. The hatchet and the stump are tried and true they have been producing Sunday dinner for a long time. In the end I'm not a vet or a judge (it would be nice to hear from a vet on this) and only the chickens truly know which method is best, but they cant tell us once its done.

 

[Salt and Light]

I just spent the last 30 minutes looking for research on killing methods versus ease of feather removal. I could not find anything specifically related to our discussion. I also couldn't find anything related to jugular slicing, decapaiation and pithing versus volume of blood removed.

I understand everyone has their opinion and experience, but I am looking for something a little more definative. Maybe others have better search skills....