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

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.