Analysis of Stress Indicators for Evaluation of Animal Welfare and Meat Quality in Traditional and Jewish Slaughtering.

Sixty Charolais male beef cattle of eight months of age were divided into two groups according to the slaughtering method, i.e., traditional or Kosher (religious Jewish rite).

Determination of plasmatic cortisol for evaluation of animal welfare during slaughter.

The plasmatic cortisol levels of 60 eight-month-old calves ( breed) were measured as stress indicators resulting from two types of slaughter: traditional and religious rite. The plasmatic cortisol levels were evaluated during three different stages of their productive life: during growth, after transport and during slaughter. The thirty calves slaughtered after stunning showed plasmatic cortisol values of 4.

Kosher slaughter paradigms: Evaluation of slaughterhouse inspection procedures.

Slaughter by Jewish religious rite is the killing of an animal by cutting the trachea and oesophagus and major blood vessels using a very sharp blade. This operation is subject to strict rules laid down by religious authorities that characterize its sacredness. The aim of the study was to evaluate the specific criteria inherent in the Jewish religious rite, by analysing reject rates during the different phases.