I found some info on a couple of Web pages (in French): http://perso.wanadoo.fr/solis/textes/abatt.htm http://www.pmaf.org/ Summary: To make animals suitable to human consumption, most of their blood has to be drained (with the exception of game, which is prepared in a special way). Since a dead animal loses very little blood, all animals are bled alive, and die from blood loss. As it is crual to slit a live animal's throat, most countries have passed a law compelling to stun it beforehand. Stunning methods: 1. Cranial percussion by means of a special gun. Widely used for bovines, it injures part of the brain and induces unconsciousness. The animal is then hooked and bled. 2. Electronarcosis, often used for pigs. Fainting is induced by electrods applied on the head. Variant: Chickens' heads are plunged into water crossed by an electric current. 3. Anesthesia with carbon dioxide. Rarely used, despite the fact that it is the most reliable method (percussion and electronarcosis, if applied incorrectly, may fail to anesthesize the animal; or the animal may wake up after a while). --Jean-Louis Tu <[log in to unmask]>