China
In the 57 cattle the cuts were made as reciprocating cuts across the ventral aspect of the neck to open the skin and sever the soft tissues including the carotid arteries. There were two halal slaughtermen and they were considered proficient at their job, but at the abattoir where the cattle were suspended before slaughter, two animals did not have both carotid arteries completely severed. Those two animals have been excluded from the data analysis. On average the number of cuts made in the neck was 3.8 (± 1.3 sd) and varied between 2 and 9 cuts. All the cattle at the first abattoir were cut in the neck in the region of C2 to C4. At the second abattoir all the animals were cut at a position corresponding to C1 and close to or through the arytenoid cartilages. Combining the data for both abattoirs, there was arrest of blood flow from the severed ends of the carotid arteries within 60 s of the halal cuts in 23% of the arteries (in 36% of the cattle). At the first abattoir where cattle were suspended before slaughter, 48% of the arteries (in 76% of the cattle) showed arrest of blood flow from the severed ends of the carotid arteries within 60 s of the halal cuts. At the second abattoir the cattle were in the inverted position on their backs, and 2% of the arteries (in 3% of the cattle) showed early arrest of blood flow.