Captive-Bolt Stunners

Captive Bolt Stunners were de-classified from their 'section 1' firearms status in February 1998. This means that a firearms permit is no longer required for purchase, possession or use.

The Cash Special, from Accles & Shelvoke, is a high quality tool of sturdy manufacture. We recommend this for slaughterhouse work where a kill rate of 50 or more beasts a day is the norm.

For a farmer or Veterinary officer who may require to use the tool only in isolated cases, the tool represents a saving of around 65% against the Cash Special which is currently over £400.

This works on exactly the same principle as its rivals - the bolt is propelled into the head of the animal by a blank cartridge. A system of springs and buffers inside the body of the tool automatically retracts the bolt, which can be used hundreds of times with regular cleaning and servicing.

This tool does exactly the same job as it’s more expensive rival. The only reason that we do not recommend it for use in slaughter houses is that the loading procedure takes 15-20 seconds compared with the Cash, which can be unloaded and reloaded in 5 seconds.

It will be noted that the term 'Stunner' is used for captive-bolt tools rather than 'killer'. This is because the humane killing of livestock is a two stage process. Firstly the animal must be effectively stunned by the propulsion of the bolt into the brain, rendering it immediately unconscious and insensible to pain. The stun must be immediately followed by the severing of the major blood vessels in the neck or thorax, or by the use of a pithing rod.

These procedures are graphically explained in a highly recommended publication from the Humane Slaughter Association, 'Captive Bolt Stunning of Livestock' priced £5.

Possession of a slaughter man's licence is a statutory requirement for the routine cull of livestock 'in the course or furtherance of a business'. One exception is the emergency killing of an animal in distress. In clarification, please read the relevant section of the act below.

Schedule 1 - The Licensing of Slaughtermen

Scope of this Schedule

1. The requirements of this Schedule shall not apply to any person who:-

for emergency reasons relating to the welfare of any animal has to slaughter or kill that animal immediately;
slaughters or kills any animal elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse or knacker's yard, provided that he is the owner of the animal and the slaughter or killing is for his private consumption;
slaughters or kills any animal other than for a commercial purpose;
kills by means of a free bullet any animal in the field;
kills a bird by means of dislocation of the neck or decapitation on premises forming part of an agricultural holding on which the bird was reared;
kills any animal for the purpose of disease control in accordance with Schedule 9;
kills any fox or mink in accordance with Schedule 10;
kills surplus chicks or embryos in hatchery waste in accordance with Schedule 11;
operates any automatic equipment used to stun, slaughter or kill any animal without performing any of the operations specified in paragraph 3 below;
shackles birds before stunning or killing; or
is a veterinary surgeon acting in the exercise of his profession or a person acting under the direction of a veterinary surgeon so acting.

The licensing of Slaughtermen

2. No person shall carry out any of the operations specified in paragraph 3 below except:-

under and in accordance with the terms of a licence granted and registered under paragraph 5 below;
under and in accordance with the terms of a licence issued by a local authority under the Slaughter of Poultry Act 1967 ("the 1967 Act") (a), the Slaughterhouses Act 1974 ("the 1974 Act")(b), the Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980 ("the 1980 Act") (c) or any regulations made under any of those Acts; or
under and in accordance with the terms of a provisional licence granted under paragraph 7 below.

Operations which require a licence

3. The operations mentioned in paragraph 2 above for which a licence is required are any of the following:-

the restraint of any animal for the purpose of stunning, slaughtering or killing that animal;
the stunning of any animal;
the slaughter of any animal;
the killing of any animal;
the pithing of any stunned animal;
the assessment of effective stunning, pithing or killing of any animal by any person whose duty it is to make such an assessment;
the shackling or hoisting of any stunned animal; and
the bleeding of any animal which is not dead.

Certificates of competence

4. - (1) In this Schedule "certificate of competence" means:-

a certificate issued under sub-paragraph (2) below by a veterinary surgeon authorised for the purpose by the Minister ("an authorised veterinary surgeon");
a certificate issued by a veterinary surgeon which accompanied an application for a licence under the Slaughter of Poultry (Licences and Specified Qualifications) Regulations 1991 ("the 1991 Regulations") (d) in accordance with Regulation 5(1)(a)(i) and Schedule 1 thereto;