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Evaluation of parameters for monitoring welfare during transport and lairage at the abattoir in pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

E Fàbrega ,
J Coma ,
J Tibau ,
X Manteca  and
A Velarde
E Fàbrega*
Affiliation:
IRTA, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, 17121 Monells, Girona, Spain
J Coma
Affiliation:
Grup Vallcompanys, Polígon Industrial ‘El Segre’, Lleida, Spain
J Tibau
Affiliation:
IRTA, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, 17121 Monells, Girona, Spain
X Manteca
Affiliation:
Departament de Biologia, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08913, Bellaterra, Spain
A Velarde
Affiliation:
IRTA, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, 17121 Monells, Girona, Spain
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: Emma.Fabrega@irta.es
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Abstract

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New transport legislation and society demands may increase the need for a ‘fast’ method to assess animal welfare at the abattoir. The objective of this study was to identify valid and feasible parameters which could be easily assessed at slaughterline in pigs. Eight transports (4 ‘far’ and 4 ‘near’ the abattoir) were evaluated using a questionnaire which included both animal-based and environment-based parameters. A ‘welfare index’ (WI) (0 = worst to 1 = best) was estimated for each transport based on the questionnaire. Lean and fat content, skin lesions, pH and electrical conductivity (PQM) were measured in 120 or 60 pigs per transport. When pH > 6 the meat was considered dry, firm and dark (DFD) and when PQM > 9 μs meat was pale, soft and exudative (PSE). Odds ratio between welfare index and slaughterline recordings was estimated. Differences in WI between the different transports were smaller than expected (WI ranged from 0.4 to 0.6). However, a significant relationship between higher percentage of DFD meat and lower welfare index (odds ratio: 2.25) was found. These results suggest that parameters like DFD meat could be used at the abattoir to perform a ‘snapshot’ welfare evaluation.

Keywords

animal welfarefast monitoringlairagepigslaughterline recordstransport
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 16 , Issue 2: Special Issue: Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level , May 2007 , pp. 201 - 204
Copyright
© 2007 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

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