Impact of exsanguination method on blood loss in broilers

Optimal bleed-out of commercial broilers in a poultry processing facility results in increased product quality, improved wastewater quality and allows processors an opportunity to recover additional profits through rendering. Little data exists on how exsanguination method affects the blood loss of modern heavy, high breast meat-yield broilers during bleed-out. This study measured the impact of a one-sided neck cut (1S), two-sided neck cut (2S), decapitation at the base of head (DH), and decapitation at base of neck (DN) on birds 51 d (n = 88), 45 d (n = 96), 44 d (n = 88), and 36 d of age (n = 80). Regardless of treatment, 73-77% of all blood lost occurred during the first 30 s with only 5-7% of total blood loss happening after 90 s of bleed-out time. 1S resulted in a lower initial rate of blood loss than DH or DN in three out of four trials. From ∼30-90 s of bleed-out time, DH and DN tended to lose blood at a slower rate than 1S. On average, 1S resulted in the highest percent of blood loss in all flocks at 180 s of bleed-out time, and in three out of four trials at 90 s of bleed-out (exception being 51 d). In three out of four trials, DN resulted in the lowest average percent of blood loss at both 180 s and 90 s of bleed-out (exception being 44 d). Results validate the current industry standard of 90 s of bleed-out time regardless of exsanguination method.