road Transport of cattle swine and poultry in north america and its impact on Animal welfare carcass and meat quality a review

This paper reviews the effects of road Transport on the welfare, carcass and meat quality of cattle, swine and poultry in North America (NA). The main effects of loading density, trailer microclimate, Transport duration, Animal size and condition, management factors including bedding, ventilation, handling, facilities, and vehicle design are summarized by species. The main effects listed above all have impacts on welfare (stress, health, injury, fatigue, dehydration, core body temperature, mortality and morbidity) and carcass and meat quality (shrink, bruising, pH, color defects and water losses) to varying degrees. It is clear that the effect of road Transport is a multi-factorial problem where a combination of stressors rather than a single factor is responsible for the Animal‘s well-being and meat quality post Transport. Animals least fit for Transport suffer the greatest losses in terms of welfare and meat quality while market ready Animals (in particular cattle and pigs) in good condition appear to have fewer issues. More research is needed to identify the factors or combination of factors with the greatest negative impacts on welfare and meat quality relative to the species, and their size, age and condition under extreme environmental conditions. Future research needs to focus on controlled scientific assessments, under NA conditions, of varying loading densities, trailer design, microclimate, and handling quality during the Transport process. Achieving optimal Animal well-being, carcass and meat quality will entirely depend on the quality of the Animal Transport process.

Road Transport of cattle, swine and poultry in North America and its impact on Animal welfare, carcass and meat quality: A review

article i nfo This paper reviews the effects of road Transport on the welfare, carcass and meat quality of cattle, swine and poultry in North America (NA). The main effects of loading density, trailer microclimate, Transport duration, Animal size and condition, management factors including bedding, ventilation, handling, facilities, and vehi- cle design are summarized by species. The main effects listed above all have impacts on welfare (stress, health, injury, fatigue, dehydration, core body temperature, mortality and morbidity) and carcass and meat quality (shrink, bruising, pH, color defects and water losses) to varying degrees. It is clear that the effect of road Transport is a multi-factorial problem where a combination of stressors rather than a single factor is re- sponsible for the Animal‘s well-being and meat quality post Transport. Animals least fit for Transport suffer the greatest losses in terms of welfare and meat quality while market ready Animals (in particular cattle and pigs) in good condition appear to have fewer issues. More research is needed to identify the factors or combination of factors with the greatest negative impacts on welfare and meat quality relative to the species, and their size, age and condition under extreme environmental conditions. Future research needs to focus on con- trolled scientific assessments, under NA conditions, of varying loading densities, trailer design, microclimate, and handling quality during the Transport process. Achieving optimal Animal well-being, carcass and meat quality will entirely depend on the quality of the Animal Transport process.

Animal Transport and welfare with special emphasis on Transport time and vibration

Farm Animals are Transported several times during their lifetime and often long distances, and most of them are to slaughter. During Transport they are exposed to a number of stress inducing factors. The main objective of the thesis work was to study the welfare of pigs, cows and bulls during Transport from farm to abattoir. Parameters such as cortisol, glucose, lactate, creatine kinease, behaviour, carcass pH, temperature, relative humidity, THI and vibration were used to evaluate welfare of the Animals. Transport-related activities such as loading, Transport, stopping, queuing, unloading and waiting at lairage and their durations were also monitored. Moreover locations of collection points and trucks routes were registered. During the experiments, GPS, temperature-relative humidity and vibration sensors and video camera were mounted on Animals Transport vehicles. The vehicles had natural ventilation and air suspension systems. Blood parameters and their correlation with Transport time were evaluated. Cortisol concentration was negatively correlated in pigs, cows and bulls except for bulls at 12 h during summer. Correlation of lactate was strong and of glucose weak in pigs and cows. In bulls there were strong glucose (summer) and weak lactate correlations. Change in creatine kinease concentration in cows, bulls and pigs were positively correlated. However it increased at earlier Transport time in cattle than in pigs. Animals behaviour such as lying, travel sickness (pigs), swaying and loss of balance (cattle) were strongly correlated with Transport time. Transport of cattle on gravel road at 70 km h-1 induced highest vibration level, 2.27 m s-2. Above 85% of the pigs in the third floor preferred lying in travel direction due to higher lateral acceleration. Pigs were exposed to heat and cattle to cold stress. Queuing at abattoir occurred in around 20 % of the deliveries. Queuing time at the abattoir varied between 7 and 98, with an average of 23.7 minutes. Potential savings for routes was up to 23%, therefore reducing negative impact on Animal welfare and consequently on meat quality and environment. Pigs in the third floor were exposed to higher lateral acceleration. Based on behaviours and stress hormones, it could be concluded that on cattle an increase from 4 to 8 h and on pigs from 8 to 12 h Transport time had higher effect on welfare. To reduce impact of vibration Transporters have to adapt speed of vehicle to road and Animals conditions.

Vibration on Animal Transport Vehicles and Related Animal Behaviours with Special Focus on Pigs

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of vibration on postural stability of cattle, behaviours of pigs and vibration transmission from floor 1 to floor 3 and driving performance in terms of vibration level on pigs Transport vehicle. Single deck cattle and 3 deck pigs Transport vehicles were used for the experiments. Vibration sensors and video camera were mounted in the observation boxes. Observation box of pigs was on the third floor. Continuous recording and measurements were made during the journeys to adequately describe vibration and behaviours. The experimental design consisted of three series having three replications. Swaying and loss of balance constantly increased with Transport time for bulls and cows. In proportion to Transport retching and vomiting of pigs increased in a linear form with increase of Transport time over 85% (P < 0.006) of the pigs preferred to lie in travel direction. Along the vertical and lateral directions vibration transmitted from 1st to 3rd floor was between 108% and 113%, thus amplified. Different drivers but same duration and route could result different levels of vibration in all axes. These behavioural responses indicated that vibration and associated driving performance had a considerable effect on welfare of cattle and pigs. Vibration was amplified from floor 1 to 3 in vertical and lateral directions and pigs on floor 3 were exposed to a higher level of vibration in the two axes. Performance of drivers varied considerably as related to vibration emanated from pigs Transport vehicle.

Animal Transport and welfare with special emphasis on Transport time and vibration including logistics chain and abattoir operations

During Transport Animals are exposed to a number of stressors such as, separation from familiar and mixing with unfamiliar groups, vibration and Transport time. Logistics chain of Animals comprises collecting from farms, Transport, unloading and slaughter chain operations. The current licentiate thesis deals with Transport of pigs and cattle from farms to abattoirs including all logistics chain.

Two trucks with natural ventilation and air suspension systems were used for field experiments. Stress hormones such as cortisol, glucose, lactate and creatine kinease, ethological parameters, carcass pH value, temperature and relative humidity were measured to study effect of Transport on pigs welfare. Vibration levels on chassi, floor and cattle were studied and the influence of speeds, road types and cattle standing orientations on vibration levels were investigated. Field measurements were also conducted to describe the potential effect of operations planning and route optimization on welfare and meat quality.

Highest pH24 value was (5.990.29) at 12 h summer Transport time. Concentrations of cortisol was inversely proportional (P

road Transport of cattle swine and poultry in north america and its impact on Animal welfare carcass and meat quality a review

This paper reviews the effects of road Transport on the welfare, carcass and meat quality of cattle, swine and poultry in North America (NA). The main effects of loading density, trailer microclimate, Transport duration, Animal size and condition, management factors including bedding, ventilation, handling, facilities, and vehicle design are summarized by species. The main effects listed above all have impacts on welfare (stress, health, injury, fatigue, dehydration, core body temperature, mortality and morbidity) and carcass and meat quality (shrink, bruising, pH, color defects and water losses) to varying degrees. It is clear that the effect of road Transport is a multi-factorial problem where a combination of stressors rather than a single factor is responsible for the Animal‘s well-being and meat quality post Transport. Animals least fit for Transport suffer the greatest losses in terms of welfare and meat quality while market ready Animals (in particular cattle and pigs) in good condition appear to have fewer issues. More research is needed to identify the factors or combination of factors with the greatest negative impacts on welfare and meat quality relative to the species, and their size, age and condition under extreme environmental conditions. Future research needs to focus on controlled scientific assessments, under NA conditions, of varying loading densities, trailer design, microclimate, and handling quality during the Transport process. Achieving optimal Animal well-being, carcass and meat quality will entirely depend on the quality of the Animal Transport process.

Road Transport of cattle, swine and poultry in North America and its impact on Animal welfare, carcass and meat quality: A review

article i nfo This paper reviews the effects of road Transport on the welfare, carcass and meat quality of cattle, swine and poultry in North America (NA). The main effects of loading density, trailer microclimate, Transport duration, Animal size and condition, management factors including bedding, ventilation, handling, facilities, and vehi- cle design are summarized by species. The main effects listed above all have impacts on welfare (stress, health, injury, fatigue, dehydration, core body temperature, mortality and morbidity) and carcass and meat quality (shrink, bruising, pH, color defects and water losses) to varying degrees. It is clear that the effect of road Transport is a multi-factorial problem where a combination of stressors rather than a single factor is re- sponsible for the Animal‘s well-being and meat quality post Transport. Animals least fit for Transport suffer the greatest losses in terms of welfare and meat quality while market ready Animals (in particular cattle and pigs) in good condition appear to have fewer issues. More research is needed to identify the factors or combination of factors with the greatest negative impacts on welfare and meat quality relative to the species, and their size, age and condition under extreme environmental conditions. Future research needs to focus on con- trolled scientific assessments, under NA conditions, of varying loading densities, trailer design, microclimate, and handling quality during the Transport process. Achieving optimal Animal well-being, carcass and meat quality will entirely depend on the quality of the Animal Transport process.