Aversive reactions of turkeys to argon, carbon dioxide and a mixture of carbon dioxide and argon

Abstract

The reactions of turkeys to the presence of either 90 per cent argon in air (anoxia), 72 per cent carbon dioxide in air or a mixture of 30 per cent carbon dioxide and 60 per cent argon in air with 3 per cent residual oxygen were tested. The majority of the turkeys did not avoid a feeding chamber containing either argon or the mixture of carbon dioxide and argon, but 50 per cent of the turkeys avoided a feeding chamber containing 72 per cent carbon dioxide in air. It is concluded that from the point of view of welfare, either 90 per cent argon in air or a mixture of 30 per cent carbon dioxide and 60 per cent argon in air, would be preferable to a high concentration of carbon dioxide for stunning/killing turkeys.