Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T07:22:28.709Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Short as well as long transport duration can affect the welfare of slaughter pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

C Werner ,
K Reiners  and
M Wicke
C Werner*
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Georg-August University Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
K Reiners
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Georg-August University Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
M Wicke
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Georg-August University Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Attention to the welfare of animals during slaughter transport and lairage at the abattoir is important not only to consumers, but also to the meat production industry. Inadequate transport conditions can result in higher animal mortalities and meat quality problems after slaughter of such animals. In the present study the development of mortality rates both during and after the transport of slaughter pigs, and the incidence of pathological findings, was investigated. It could be shown that the percentage of animals which died during transport and in lairage clearly decreased between 1999 and 2003. This improvement was due mainly to the reduction of animal losses in the summer season where the highest losses over the investigated years occurred. Considering the duration of the transport it could be shown that not only very long (8 h), but also short journeys (1 h) can affect the welfare of animals with increased mortalities and pathological findings during the veterinary inspection at the slaughterhouse, particularly in the summer season. The results presented indicate that the tightening of European animal welfare legislation concerning loading, transport, unloading and lairage of slaughter pigs improved mortality rates and the incidence of pathological findings. Another reason could be a reduction of the percentage of stress susceptible pigs in the porcine population. However, until now the regulations on animal welfare during pig slaughter transport focused only on long-term journeys; the results presented show that short journeys can also affect the welfare of the animals.

Keywords

animal welfaredurationlairageseasonslaughter pigstransport
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , August 2007 , pp. 385 - 389
Copyright
© 2007 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Abbott, TA, Guise, HJ, Hunter, EJ, Penny, RHC, Baynes, PJ and Easby, C 1995 Factors influencing pig death during transit: an analysis of drivers’ reports. Animal welfare 4: 29–40Google Scholar
Bradshaw, RH, Hall, SJG and Broom, DM 1996 Behavioural and cortisol response of pigs and sheep during transport. The Veterinary Record 138: 233–234CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Broom, DM 1996 How well do farm animals cope with their environment during transport. Fleischwirtschaft 76: 279–281Google Scholar
Fabrega, E, Diestre, A, Carri-Un, D, Font, J and Manteca, X 2002 Effect of the halothane gene on pre-slaughter mortality in two Spanish commercial abattoirs. Animal Welfare 11: 449–452CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fischer, K 1995 Schlachttiertransport Auswirkungen, Schwachstellen, Maßnahmen. Fleischwirtschaft 75: 790–796. [Title translation: Animal transport - effects, weak points, measures]Google Scholar
Fuji, J, Otsu, K, Zorzato, F, De Leon, S, Khanna, VK, Weiler, JE, O'Brien, PJ and McLennan, DH 1991 Identification of a mutation on porcine ryanodine receptor associated with malignant hyperthermia. Science 253: 448–451CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guardia, MD, Estany, J, Balasch, S, Oliver, MA, Gispert, M and Diestre, A 2004 Risk assessment of PSE condition due to pre-slaughter conditions and RYR I gene in pigs. Meat Science 67: 471–478CrossRefGoogle Scholar
German Weather Service 2004 Climate information system (Klimainformationssystem des DWD (KLIS). http://www.dwd.deGoogle Scholar
Hambrecht, E, Eissen, JJ, Newmann, DJ, Smits, CHM, den Hartog, LA and Verstegen, MWA 2005 Negative effects of stress immediately before slaughter on pork quality are aggravated by suboptimal transport and lairage conditions. Journal of Animal Science 83: 440–448CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leheska, JM, Wulf, DM and Maddock, RJ 2003 Effects of fasting and transportation on pork quality development and extent of post-mortem metabolism. Journal of Animal Science 81: 3194–3202Google Scholar
Randall, JM, Duggan, JA and Alami, MA 1995 Impact of movement and vibration on animals. Fleischwirtschaft 75: 201–204Google Scholar
Schütte, A, von Wenzlawowicz, M and von Mickwitz, G 1994 Animal transport and meat quality in pigs. Fleischwirtschaft 74: 126–132Google Scholar
Warriss, PD 1998 The welfare of slaughter pigs during transport. Animal Welfare 7: 365–381Google Scholar