ANIMAL STUNNING

Abstract Disclosed are an animal stunning apparatus and method for inducing rapid unconsciousness and insensibility. The apparatus includes a stunning station 10 in which a live subject animal is located in a confined position and an applicator 60 contacts an 5 application point 51 on the live subject animal's head 50 immediately overlying a frontal portion of the animal's brain and couples microwave radiation to the head. A microwave generator 75 generates microwave energy of a suitable power level and frequency, and a waveguide 76 directs the microwave radiation to the applicator 60. An auto-tuner 90 associated with the waveguide is operative to continually monitor the reflected power and 10 to automatically adjust the tuner 96 and maintain or improve the power coupling to the head 50. Switching means 78 discontinues the application of microwave radiation effecting heating of the frontal portion of the brain after a period of time sufficient to have raised the temperature of the frontal portion of the brain of the subject animal to thereby induce the unconsciousness and insensibility. The period is sufficient only to rapidly 15 induce insensibility, and is insufficient for the insensibility induced to be irreversible, and insufficient to cause significant heating of deeper brain tissues and including the brain stem