Cervical dislocation and blunt trauma are accepted euthanasia methods for poultry. For large birds, it is sometimes recommended to use a tool for cervical dislocation (Saif et. al., 2003, Diseases of Poultry 11ed.). The effectiveness of a non-penetrating captive bolt (Zephyr) was evaluated for euthanasia of turkeys, and compared to mechanical cervical dislocation and blunt trauma. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of these killing methods on loss of sensibility, time to cessation of convulsions, and brain trauma. Presence of the nictitating membrane reflex was assessed at 15-second intervals to determine when insensibility occurred. In experiment 1, data were collected at a facility where mechanical cervical dislocation is routinely used. Turkey hens (11.4±0.9kg) were killed with mechanical cervical dislocation using a burdizzo (n=26) or the Zephyr (n=46). Reflexes were present and gasping occurred in 100% of hens killed with mechanical cervical dislocation, versus gasping in 7% (χ2=48.8,P<0.0001) and reflexes present in 17% (χ2=45.5,P<0.0001) of hens killed with the Zephyr. Convulsions ceased sooner with mechanical cervical dislocation (mean±SEM, 114.1±10.0s) than with the Zephyr (202.8±8.0s, t=-6.14, P<0.0001). In experiment 2, turkey toms (13.1±2.0kg) on commercial farms were killed with blunt trauma (n=32) or the Zephyr (n=46), and post-mortem examinations were conducted to score the severity of skull fractures and hemorrhage. Reflexes were similarly present in 2% of toms killed with the Zephyr and 6% of toms killed with blunt trauma. Although skull fracture scores were higher for the Zephyr (mean±SEM, Zephyr=3.1±0.1, Blunt trauma=1.69±0.14, t=-7.98, P<0.0001), hemorrhage scores did not differ. Time to cessation of convulsions did not differ (mean±SEM, Zephyr=199.5±6.7s, Blunt trauma=217.9±11.8s). Based on the absence of reflexes, blunt trauma and the Zephyr produce immediate insensibility by directly disrupting brain function, whereas the mechanical cervical dislocation method results in cervical crushing and anoxia, and fails to produce immediate insensibility.