Pathophysiology of Penetrating Captive Bolt Stunning in Horned and Polled Sheep and Factors Determining Incomplete Concussion.

ABSTRACT: Penetrating captive bolt (PCB) is widely used for stunning and on-farm dispatch of livestock, yet its efficacy can vary, with the potential for animal welfare compromise. This study investigated the pathophysiology of PCB-induced trauma in horned and polled sheep (Ovis aries), focusing on factors contributing to incomplete concussion. Thirty-seven (n = 18 horned Scottish blackface and n = 19 polled North Country mule) mature ewes (aged 4-10 years) were shot with PCB with varying cartridge power and PCB modifications, followed by clinical assessment and post-mortem analysis using magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) and gross pathology. The results indicated that damage to the reticular activating system, bolt velocity and penetration depth are crucial for inducing irreve

SUBMITTER: Gibson TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11769382 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature