What is the main purpose of animal stunning during processing?

The main purpose of animal stunning during processing is to ensure that animals are not aware of pain during the slaughter process. Stunning is intended to induce a temporary state of unconsciousness in the animal, which prevents them from experiencing distress and pain as they undergo processing. This approach is aligned with animal welfare standards, as it ensures a more humane treatment of animals before they are slaughtered.

By rendering the animal insensible to pain, the process also aims to minimize stress for both the animal and the workers involved in the processing. This humane handling is crucial to ethically justify the consumption of animal products and is a significant consideration in modern meat production practices.

Stunning does not directly correlate with reducing the weight of the animal, improving meat quality, or decreasing processing time, even though there might be indirect effects on some of these factors. However, the primary focus remains on the welfare of the animal during the processing stage.