Religious slaughter methods that skip pre-slaughter stunning are a significant welfare concern affecting millions of animals annually across multiple species.
The time to loss of consciousness after throat-cutting without stunning varies by species: cattle may take up to 60 seconds; sheep and poultry less. During this time, nociception is almost certainly present. There is significant religious scholarly debate about whether pre-stunning is compatible with religious law, with many authorities concluding it is. Finding common ground with religious communities is essential for welfare improvement in this area.