FarmFacts: BAN ON ELECTRO-IMMOBILISATION IN IRELAND
(alternate spellings include, for example: electroimmobilisation, electro immobilisation, electroimmobilization)
Compassion in World Farming - Ireland welcomed ban
Electro-immobilisation has been prohibited in the Republic of Ireland since 1st September 2007.
Compassion in World Farming - Ireland, which had been campaigning for such a ban
since 2004, very much welcomed this decision.
Read "The Use Of
Electro-immobilisation On Live Farm Animals In Ireland" by the Irish Government's Scientific Advisory Committee on
Animal Health and Welfare.
What is electro-immobilisation?
Electro-immobilisation is the use of pulsed, low frequency electrical current to produce restraint of an animal. It
produces tetanic contractions* of skeletal muscles and therefore voluntary movement is not possible. Movement is
regained as soon as the current is switched off. (* Fusion of a number of simple spasms into an apparently smooth,
continuous effort, is known as tetanic contraction.)
Throughout the electro-immobilisation process, the animal remains completely consious.
This photo shows an animal frothing at the mouth during electro-immobilisation (photo not taken in Ireland).
Electro-immobilisation should not be confused with electric stunning which, when applied correctly, causes a high
amperage current to be passed through the brain, rendering the animal instantly unconscious. When electro-immobilisation
is used, a small current is passed through the body, paralysing the muscles but not making the
animal unconscious.
What equipment is used?
Electro-immobilisation equipment consists of a unit that produces the electrical current (this looks a bit like
a large torch), and then wires with attachments to be put on to the animal. Another design of electro-immobilising
machine uses a probe that is inserted into the animal's anus.
How is electro-immobilisation carried out?
There are three main methods of electro-immobilisation that can be used:
Nose-to-tail or head to tail. Electrodes are attached to the head of the animals usually via an electrode
clip attached
to the corner of the mouth or cheek and also to the caudal fold on the tail of the animal using a needle.
Back-to-tail. Electrodes are inserted above the lumbar vertebra and through the caudal fold of the tail.
Rectally. An electrode is inserted into the rectum.
The current is then switched on at a low current. The current is then increased, resulting in immobility and rigidity
of the animal. Sometimes this paralyses the animal's respiratory muscles and the animal stops breathing. The current must
then be reduced and the animal will start to breath again. Breathing is often laboured. Use of excessive current
can lead to death.
This photo shows electro-immobilisation in use (not in Ireland).
What animals is electro-immobilisation used on?
Electro-immobilisation can potentially be used on a range of species such as cattle, deer and sheep.
What is electro-immobilisation used for, and by whom?
Electro-immobilisation is used to make animals that are hard to handle stay still while procedures such as dehorning
are carried out. Even though a local anasthetic may be used for some procedures, it is the electro-immobilisation process itself
that animals find distressing.
Is electro-immobilisation legal in the Republic of Ireland?
No. Electro-immobilisation of live farm animals became illegal from in the Republic of Ireland from 1st September 2007.
Compassion in World Farming -Ireland very much welcomed this decision.
Is electro-immobilisation legal in other countries?
Electro-immobilisation is prohibited in the UK. “The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000
(Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 1870)” says: "No person shall apply an electrical current to any animals for
the purposes of immobilisation." (Schedule 1, paragraph 30). Similar wording appears in the "The Welfare of
Farmed Animals Regulations 2000" for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Electro-immobilisers are banned in New South Wales, Australia, except when used by specifically trained
veterinarians during procedures where analgesia or anaesthesia is not required. Tasmania has similar restrictions to
New South Wales.
The European Union has not banned electro-immobilisation. However, a restriction for its use is
provided in Article 3 of Council Directive 98/58/EC on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes:
"Member States shall make provision to ensure that the owners or keepers take all responsible steps to ensure
the welfare of animals under their care and to ensure that those animals are not caused any unnecessary pain,
suffering or injury."
Why electro-immobilisation should never be permitted
Scientific studies show that animals find electro-immobilisation aversive, physically stressful, psychologically
stressful, noxious and unpleasant (see references below).
The report on
"The Use Of Electro-immobilisation On Live Farm Animals In Ireland" (see link above) by the Irish Government's Scientific Advisory Committee on
Animal Health and Welfare says:
"Since many sedative, anaesthetic and analgaesic options are in the gift of the veterinary profession there
would appear to be no actual grounds for the continuing use of EI (electro-immobilisation) in Ireland"
This photo shows an animal's eye rolling back as electro-immobilisation is applied.
With regard to de-horning of cattle, there is no need for electro-immobilisation to be used. Instead, these animals
could be disbudded when they are young calves, being easy to handle at this age.
Because electro-immobilisation renders the animal unable to move, there is a risk that unscrupulous people (not veterinarians)
could subject animals to painful procedures without the use of a local anasthetic or painkillers.
References:
(i) The National Consultative Committee on Animal Welfare (NCCAW) to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia. Position Statement No. 20 (1994).
(ii) Proposed prohibition of the use of electro-immobilisation devices, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand. Public Discussion Paper No. 30 (Dec. 2002).Read.
(iii) Dr. T. Grandin, Associate Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University, USA. Read.
(iv) "Humaneness of an electro-immobilisation unit for cattle." American Journal of Veterinary Research (1986). P. Pascoe, BVSc, Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College.
(v) "Electro-immobilisation versus mechanical restraint in an avoid-avoid choice test for ewes." Journal of Animal Science (1986). T. Grandin, S. Curtis, T. Widowskii, J. Thurmon, University of Illinois.
(vi) "Aversion of sheep to electro-immobilisation and physical restraint." Applied Animal Behaviour Science (1986). J. Rushen, School of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Melbourne, Australia.
(vii) “Using aversion learning techniques to assess the mental state, suffering, and welfare of farm animals.” Journal of Animal Science (1996). J. Rushen, Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
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