Description
Humanely stun and render cattle insensible prior to slaughter using approved equipment; restrain animals, verify insensibility, and maintain equipment and records in compliance with safety and animal welfare standards.
- • Clean, sanitize, and store stunning devices and restraining equipment.
- • Operate captive-bolt or pneumatic stunning equipment to humanely render cattle insensible.
- • Position and restrain cattle in chutes or boxes for safe, accurate stunning.
- • Assess and verify loss of consciousness and absence of reflexes before sticking or hoisting.
- • Coordinate with stick, bleed, and hide teams to maintain line flow and welfare compliance.
- • Follow USDA/FSIS regulations, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and plant SOPs.
- • Inspect stunning equipment and restraints for proper function before each shift.
- • Perform basic maintenance, replace cartridges or charges, and report defects.
- • Record stun outcomes, mis-stuns, corrective actions, and downtime.
- • Move cattle calmly using low-stress handling techniques and approved tools.
- • Identify and segregate non-ambulatory or suspect animals and notify inspectors.
- • Use PPE and follow safety procedures, including lockout/tagout and hazard controls.
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Agriculture
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
