Meat quality and transport stress of cattle

This study evaluated the effect of transport time up to 14 hours and the effects of vehicle design on animal welfare, stress and meat quality. 18 transports (six short, medium and long) with a total of 486 animals (118 sample animals, heifers and bulls) were carried out on commercial vehicles in summer 2000 and winter 2001. Animal welfare and stress were evaluated by blood serum parameters, heart rate monitoring, behaviour recording and occurrence of carcass bruising. Meat quality was evaluated by post mortem muscle glycogen content, pH value, temperature, drip loss, colour and tenderness measurements. Heifers had lower heart rates than young bulls during loading (95 vs 114 beats per minute, bpm), whereas during transport, both had an average heart rate of 100 bpm, furthermore during unloading, heifers had higher heart rates than bulls (109 vs 100 bpm). Blood sampling during unloading could have marginally increased heart rates during the unloading procedure. Studied cattle had lower heart rates during medium and long distance transports compared with short transports. Monitoring of animal behaviour during transport showed that the former settled down faster than the latter. Single- and two-animal pens in medium and long distance vehicles prevented nervous and stressful movements of cattle, which were more prominent in large pens of short distance lorry. Present results suggest that larger pens of three or four animals could increase cattle stress during transport. Moreover during unloading, cattle loaded in single- or two-animals pens had significantly lower blood cortisol content than those loaded in larger groups of three or four animals (P < 0.01). The amount of severe carcass bruising was highest in animals transported over short times and loaded into groups of four cattle. Severe damages occurred most often on perianal and hipbone area of the carcass surface. Present results showed that muscle glycogen level was highest after long transport. These animals were fed more regularly from the last feeding up to stunning than medium or short distance animals. Animals in single-pens had the highest muscle glycogen level. Transport distance or number of animals in one pen had a minor effect on muscle pH values or temperatures during 24 hours post mortem (pm). Drip loss of the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) was highest after long transport, but animal number in one pen had no effect on drip loss. Colour of the LD muscle was independent on transport conditions. Light colour of three animal groups resulted from high amounts of heifers, which had lighter colour than bulls. All meat samples were quite tender. However, heifers had significantly tender meat than young bulls (P < 0.001). Higher amounts of heifers had the most tender meat after short transports. Mean DFD (dark, firm, dry) meat occurrence was 2.1% in this project, DFD frequency was lowest after short, then after long and highest after medium distance transports. Because of not evenly distributed numbers of bulls (low) and heifers (high) it was difficult to compare short and long distance transport effects.     

Effect of commercial transport in Spain on cattle welfare and meat quality

The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of transport of cattle from the farm to the abattoir on the animal's welfare and post mortem meat quality (instrumental and sensorial). Thirty-nine commercial journeys were followed in Spain from July 2000 to July 2001 at varying distances from a local abattoir in the city of Zaragoza. Blood samples were taken at the farm and at sticking and meat pH24 was measured at 24 hours post-mortem. Samples from the M. longissimus dorsi thoracis were taken from 48 slaughter bulls and analysed in terms of instrumental and sensorial qualities. Cortisol, glucose, CPK, lactate and N:L ratio increased during transport compared to control values. Cortisol was higher after 1-2 h transport compared to journeys that were less than 1 h or more than 2 h long. In general the parameters indicated slightly more stressful conditions under winter conditions than in the summer. Meat tenderness measured by a Warner-Bratzler device demonstrated that there was no significant effect of either transport time or season. There was no significant change in pH24 or meat colour at 24 h with transport time. Transport time had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on overall liking and animals transported in summer had slightly more tender meat and higher overall liking.     

Effect of transport stress on physiological responses of male bovines

Forty-eight slaughter bulls were transported by road in groups of eight for approximately 30 min, 3 h and 6 h in two replicates. Animal welfare during the transport process was assessed. Loadings and unloadings were evaluated with a scoring method. Heart rates were monitored at the farm before loading and during all stages of transport. Blood samples were taken from all animals a week before transport and at sticking and analysed in terms of haematological values: hematocrit, haemoglobin, red and white blood cells (RBC and WBC), differential WBC counts and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio. Glucose, creatine kinase, lactate and cortisol were also determined. To evaluate differences in meat quality, pH and water-holding capacity (WHC) were measured 24 h after slaughter. The loading and unloading scores were very low (low stress) but were associated with changes in heart rate, especially loading. Animals recovered their resting heart rate during the journey in medium and long transports. On the other hand, animals transported around 30 min maintained an elevated heart rate during the whole journey. All animals showed a stress response with significantly higher (p < 0.05) levels of erythrocyte series, N:L ratio, glucose and lactate. Animals transported for 3 and 6 hours had significantly (P<0.05) higher levels of cortisol than controls or 30 min transports, without differences between control and the shortest journey. Different transport times did not influence meat quality. Under good conditions, the transport had a slight effect on welfare, meat quality or physiological parameters related with stress.     

The new E.U. Animal Transport Regulation: improved welfare and health or increased administration?

There is public discussion of the new E.U. Animal Transport Regulation No 1/2005 of Dec. 2004 and its advantages and draw-backs. This Regulation is no longer a Directive, so that it is directly applicable in the Members States. Although the Regulation is recognised to have great potential to improve welfare and health of transported animals, it will also increase administrative work. Most improvements will come through better education and the increased responsibilities of animal attendants, drivers, keepers and transport organisers, and through the stricter control mechanisms (log book, training, instructions etc.) and the introduction of the GPS control systems to further enhance the transparency of animal movements. The formats of the transport certificates used in all Member States will be harmonised. Technical records will be kept on air temperature and water consumption. Contact offices in all member states for transport affairs will improve the exchange of data between the responsible authorities and harmonise control and surveillance practice. Specific regulations are now in place for horses (broken, unbroken, registered) and for the transport age of young animals (piglets, lambs, calves, foals). In spite of some substantial improvements there are still significant gaps in our knowledge of both normal and long transports, for example optimal journey times, food and water supply on long transports, environmental factors such as vibration, motion, light and ventilation requirements in different European geographical regions. The same is true for the epidemiological aspects of the prevention of disease transmission; for example, very little is known about the bacterial and particulate emissions of the animal transport vehicles which travel across Europe. A serious drawback of the regulation is the fact that it does not abolish the unloading of animals on long transports to rest for 24 h at staging points, so that the concomitant risks to health and welfare remain, as do the opportunities for the transmission of infectious diseases at these stations. Two examples are given that demonstrate the physiological (heart rate) and biochemical (cortisol) reactions of cattle during transport. It seems useful to observe how the new Regulation affects practice and to assess the usefulness and practicability of the new rules after one or two years of operation. At the same time, more detailed research should be carried out in order to further adapt the Regulation to the needs of the animal species and gender in terms of travel time periods, food supply and resting schemes. This should also include reconsideration of loading and unloading rules in staging points on long journeys for all animals, particularly in view of risks of injury and transmission of infectious diseases. Investigations should be carried out to improve our understanding of the bio-aerosol emissions from driving and standing vehicles. Transport schemes on long journeys should be more closely adapted to the needs of the animals. The new Regulation represents another step forward toward improved animal welfare during transport in spite of some increase in the administrative measures required. It is necessary to bring together veterinary and animal science, engineering, logistics and practical and technical experience in order to improve the Regulation and the health and welfare of animals during transport.     

Welfare and health of horses transported for slaughter within the European Union Part 1: Methodology and descriptive data

Reasons for performing study: Anecdotal evidence collected by a variety of organisations has highlighted poor welfare in horses transported long distances to slaughter within the European Union. Objective: To investigate welfare of horses being transported long distances within the EU to slaughter. Methods: Data on transported horses were recorded at 2 assembly centres in Romania and at 4 abattoirs in Italy over an 8 month period in 2008. Results: A total of 1519 horses in 64 separate shipments were observed in Romania prior to transport of which 212 horses were deemed unfit for transport and only 3 shipments (5%) complied with Council Regulation (EC) no. 1/2005 with respect to both horse and vehicle compliance. The destination most commonly stated for the horses from these assembly centres was Italy. A total of 1271 horses in 63 separate shipments were observed after transport in Italy, of which 86 horses in 4 shipments had also been observed prior to transport in Romania. The majority of the horses observed at these abattoirs originated from Poland (51%) and Romania (44%). On arrival in Italy at the time of unloading, 471 of 1271 horses (37%) were deemed unfit for transport in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) no. 1/2005 and none of the shipments were compliant with respect to both vehicle and horse requirements. An average of 6 horses per shipment (28% of each shipment) had at least one acute injury on arrival in Italy. A significantly higher prevalence of severe injuries and lameness was found in animals on arrival In Italy compared with animals leaving Romania. Horses examined on arrival in Italy were twice as likely to have 1–3 acute contusions or excoriations as horses examined in Romania. There was also a 2‐fold increase in the number of animals deemed unfit for transport. Conclusion: This study has identified evidence of poor welfare in horses being transported long distances to slaughter, including severe lameness and injuries, and a high level of noncompliance with Council Regulation (EC) no. 1/2005 on the Protection of Animals during Transport.     

国内外肉牛福利及其研究进展

动物福利是影响动物产品品质与安全的重要因素。肉牛作为重要肉品来源,为人们生活提供营养丰富的牛肉产品,并且因产业链长,面临的福利问题多很受人们关注。文章根据国内外肉牛福利研究的一些资料,主要阐述肉牛在饲养、运输和屠宰过程中的福利问题及肉牛福利对牛肉品质的影响研究进展,为中国肉牛福利标准的制定以及肉牛养殖业饲养管理规范提供参考。     

Effects of travel distance and season of the year on transport‐related mortality in cattle

The number of animals that die during transport to a slaughterhouse or shortly after being delivered to a slaughterhouse may serve as an indicator of animal welfare during transport. The aim of this study was to determine the mortality rate in cattle resulting from transport to slaughter in the Czech Republic in the period from 2009 to 2014, and to investigate the effect of travel distance and season of the year. Transport‐related mortality rates were recorded for all categories of cattle for the following travel distances: up to 50 km, 51–100 km, 101–200 km and over 200 km. Higher mortality rates occurred with shorter travel distances (<50 km and 51–100 km) when compared to longer travel distances (101–200 km and > 200 km), with a significant difference (P < 0.01) between short and long travel distances being found in feeders and dairy cows. Also, the season of the year had a significant impact on the mortality rate among transported cattle. The highest mortality rate in all categories was observed in spring months. The lowest mortality rate was found in autumn months for fat cattle and dairy cows and in winter months for feeders and calves.     

Animal protection during transport in Hungary

To assess animal welfare during transport in Hungary, a questionnaire study was carried out in 1998. The questionnaire consisted of 39 questions addressing some general characteristics as well as specific ones regarding means of transport, fulfillment of the animals' needs on board and others. Three-hundred and ninety-one questionnaires were analysed representing about 0.1% of all yearly transports in Hungary. The most significant problems encountered were with conditions of transport that are more relevant for longer transports, especially those exceeding eight hours. Such are, inter alia, weather protection, ventilation, means to tie or separate animals and the provision of food and water. Even though there are several different types of vehicle available for transporting animals in Hungary, vehicles that are not appropriate for the species, distance or other conditions of the transport are sometimes used. Our results apply to the preparatory phase before the introduction of new, EU conform legislation on the protection of animals during transport. They enable more specific investigations or corrective measures to be undertaken by the competent authority responsible for the enforcement of such regulations in Hungary.     

Critical points in the transport of cattle to slaughter in Spain that may compromise the animals' welfare.

The welfare of cattle depends greatly on the attitudes and training of stockpersons and on the availability of appropriate facilities. Much has been learned about stress during transport, but less attention has been paid to identifying and correcting critical points, partly because they vary widely both nationally and internationally. A survey of cattle transport in Spain was made in an effort to determine which parts of the process most compromised the animals' welfare. Data were collected on the methods and facilities for loading and unloading, transport times, types of vehicle and slaughterhouse practices. Loading facilities were adequate and loading times generally short but some farms continued to use an electric goad and weather-proofing was generally poor. The average journey time within Spain was three-and-a-half hours, but many trips were made abroad (especially to Italy), few drivers received specific training courses and the types and quality of vehicles varied widely. The average unloading time was very short but the animals were not always inspected for injuries or dirtiness. Lairage times were normally more than eight hours but few slaughterhouses had air-conditioning equipment to prevent excessive heat or dehydration. Almost all stockpersons avoided either regrouping animals or housing or transporting animals at high densities.     

Handling of slaughter cattle in pre and post transport situations including loading and unloading on journeys up to 8 hours in Germany

In a field study 63 commercial cattle transports to German slaughter plants including 580 bulls, cows and heifers were investigated to estimate the impact of pre and post transport aspects on animal welfare. Study 1 evaluated these aspects as part of a large model covering all possible influences at transport and slaughter on biochemical stress response and carcass and meat quality. Included were keeping system, behavioural and clinical observations at loading, unloading and lairage, transport time, loading density, mounting prevention, regrouping and lairage time. In study 2 more detailed questions about loading and unloading were answered by investigating the impact of facility design and handling criteria on cattle behaviour and heart rate. Cattle from tied housing show an increased stress response to all transport procedures. Many aspects of facility design and handling contribute to quality of loading. Cattle show calmer behaviour, turn, balk or fall less if they are not mixed and driven in small groups on driveways without impediments but with regular sideblock, not wider than the vehicle ramp. Vehicle ramps should have high and closed side gates, be inclined less than 20 degrees, and the step towards ramp should be less than 15 cm. Unloading is improved if performed level and to the back of the vehicle (behaviour, heart rate, cortisol, CK). Direct reloading should be avoided and mounting should be prevented during transport and lairage (CK, lactate, bruising). But mounting prevention devices may increase bruising if set too low (< 20 cm above withers). Longer lairage time is disadvantageous (CK, energy metabolism).     

Scoring system for evaluating the stress to cattle of commercial loading and unloading

The loading and unloading of cattle for road transport is stressful but the stress is difficult to evaluate in terms of the welfare of the cattle. Over one year, 40 normal commercial journeys in northern Spain were analysed in terms of time limits and behavioural events in order to design an objective method for assessing the stresses imposed on the animals, and a scoring method was developed for assessing the welfare of the animals during loading and unloading. Several definitions of time intervals were assessed to calculate a time score per animal, and easily observable behavioural events were scored and combined with the time score to obtain a total loading/unloading score. More than half of the loadings and unloadings involved turns, slips and vocalisations. Mounts and bouts of fighting were infrequent and balks and falls were significantly more frequent during loading than unloading. The plasma concentrations of cortisol, glucose and lactate, the activity of creatine kinase and the pH of the meat 24 hours after the animals were slaughtered were also measured. The results indicated that loading was more stressful than unloading and that higher scores implied significantly higher levels of stress.     

Effects of transport and lairage time on some blood constituents of Friesian-cross steers in Chile

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of two transport journeys (3 and 16 h) and four lairage times at the abattoir (3, 6, 12 and 24 h) on some stress indicators in steers to validate the current Chilean legislation of a minimum lairage period of 12 h for cattle arriving at abattoirs.The study was carried out twice, 80 steers in the winter and 80 in the summer of 1999. Forty steers were transported for 3 h and 40 for 16 h. At arrival in the slaughterhouse, the 40 transported steers were randomly divided in four lairage groups. Blood samples were collected before loading at arrival at the slaughterhouse and at slaughter during exsanguination.Mixed models were used to determine the associations between the stress indicators and the independent variables while correcting for the repeated observations on animals. Lairage increased plasma cortisol and PCV values independent of the transport duration. Glucose concentrations in steers transported for 16 h further increased after 3 and 6 h of lairage but decreased after 12 and 24 h of lairage. In steers transported for 3 h, glucose concentrations only increased after 24 h of lairage. After 24 h of lairage, the steers transported for 16 h had increased βHB concentrations compared with those transported for 3 h. Plasma CK activity was increased in steers after transport but was not affected by lairage. The study shows that there is no beneficial effect on the welfare of the animals by a long lairage time at the abattoir.     

Mortality in rabbits transported for slaughter

During transport rabbits may be exposed to various stressors which can compromise both their welfare and meat quality. Mortality related to the commercial transport of rabbits for slaughter was analyzed in the Czech Republic in the period from 2009 to 2016. The overall transport‐related mortality of rabbits was 0.19%. Transport distance was found to have an impact on rabbit mortality; significantly (p < .001) greater losses were found in rabbits transported over longer distances. Mortality rates ranged from 0.02% in rabbits transported over distances of less than 50 km to 0.29% in rabbits transported over distances exceeding 400 km. A significantly (p < .001) increased risk was also associated with shipments in which 500 and more rabbits were delivered per batch. No effect of season was found. Our results show that rabbits can be transported within a wide range of temperatures (from ?5 to 19.9°C) with no negative impact on mortality in transit. However, journeys carried out at temperatures below ?5°C and above 20°C were associated with increased death losses (0.17% and 0.15%, respectively).     

Dynamic performances of cattle transporting vehicle on Scandinavian roads and behavioural response of animals

Driving performance, air quality in the vehicle, and handling during loading and unloading are the main factors, which could affect animal welfare. During transport of animals from farms to abattoirs, animals on the vehicle are subjected to vibrations in all directions. Performances of a typical vehicle for cattle transport have been studied under field commercial conditions. During the experiment, tri-axial vibrations on the vehicle, as well as velocity, slope and position were measured. The animals were video recorded for behavioral analyses. Geographical positions, speed and slope of roads were recorded using, GPS. Measurements were made with and without animals on the vehicle. The roads in the region are narrow almost everywhere, but rather plane and of good quality. Three road types were identified: straight and plain, curvy and graveled roads. Events such as sudden stops and curves were observed and noted. Vibration levels in tri-axial directions have been measured and analysed for different speeds and road types both when the vehicle was fully loaded and unloaded. There is a significant difference between the performances of the vehicle when loaded and unloaded. Very high vibrations values have been noted during the empty driving and these values were reduced by up to 9 times when the vehicle was loaded. Less vibrations amplitudes were observed and animals were calmer on ferry transport than on road transport. It has also been noted that animals prefer to stand perpendicular to the direction of vehicle's motion during transport.     

Comparison of the effects of different transport conditions and lairage times in a Mediterranean climate in South Africa on the meat quality of commercially crossbred Large white x Landrace pigs

Information on the effect of road transportation conditions and lairage times on the meat quality of pork under South African conditions is very sparse. In this investigation, the effects of 2 road conditions (rough road with frequent stops - A; smooth road, few stops - B) and 2 lairage holding periods (2 h and 24 h) on the physical meat quality attributes of commercially produced pigs during summer (ambient temperatures > 30 degrees C) in the Western Cape (South Africa) were investigated. Pig meat from pigs transported on a road that caused more stress (A), had lower pH 45 (measured 45 min post mortem) values after 2 h lairage than pigs transported over a smoother road. Pigs B had a lower muscle pH 24 (measured 24 h post mortem) than group A, indicating that they had more glycogen reserves available for post mortem glycolysis. Road conditions A were more stressful resulting in a higher incidence of PSE pork, as shown by the percentage drip loss and the L* values. When the lairage period was increased to 24 h prior to slaughter, pigs transported under road conditions A had time to replenish their energy reserves and the pH 45, drip loss and L* values were within an acceptable range. However, pigs transported under road conditions B had lower pH 45 and higher pH 24 values, indicating that the lairage period was too long and that energy reserves were depleted in order to adapt to the stressful conditions. Results from this investigation indicate that improvement of the transport/road conditions will result in better pork quality.     

The influence of land transport on animal welfare in extensive farming systems

The land transport of animals can have 3 types of influence on their welfare. First, the handling, loading, and novelty of the transport environment and experience can induce a psychological stress response in animals. Second, the withdrawal of feed and water and the need to stand and maintain balance for transport periods can cause a physiological and fatigue challenge to the animals. Finally, the thermal and physical conditions of the vehicle and journey can present a risk to the physical integrity of the transported animals.The key determinant of animal welfare is the way in which transport is conducted. The stress response during loading and the initial stages of transport may be minimized by careful handling, good design of facilities, and appropriate stocking densities and driving techniques. Where animals are not fed and watered during land transport, they vary in their ability to cope with periods of feed and water withdrawal, depending on their species, age, physiological state, and pre-transport access to feed and water. Journey conditions can also be an influence, with cold conditions exacerbating the effects of feed withdrawal and hot conditions increasing the risk of dehydration. The facilities containing the animals on the vehicle should minimize the risks of physical injury caused by falls, knocks, bruising, and the protrusion of body parts. Stocking density can also be managed to lessen the influences on animal welfare caused by hot conditions. In a well-ventilated vehicle, it is the stationary periods rather than periods in motion that present the greatest risk of heat stress. The opposite is true for very cold conditions. The land transport of livestock is neither inherently good nor inherently bad for their welfare. Rather, it is the way that it is done, and the management of the risks involved, that determine the level of welfare of the animals involved.     

肉牛运输应激危害及动物福利化预防措施

肉牛的运输福利是关乎内蒙古地区畜牧业发展的重要因素之一,作为畜牧业大省,内蒙古地区每年都进行大量的调运肉牛操作,不规范的运输会引起动物发生应激反应,进而使肉品质的下降。因此在实际生产中应注重运输环节的动物福利问题。文章通过总结实践和经验,分析了内蒙古地区肉牛运输中存在的问题及其危害,并提出了运输过程中的福利化预防措施,以其为改善肉牛运输福利提供参考。     

Acute phase protein response during road transportation and lairage at a slaughterhouse in feedlot beef cattle

The effects of transport for 5 hr by road and lairage for 48 hr on acute phase protein in Limousine feedlot beef cattle (n = 10, 14-16 months old, body weight 620 ± 70 kg) were examined. Blood was collected at before loading, immediately after unloading and 12, 24 and 48 hr after the initiation of transportation. Serum was collected for assay of haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA), plasma was obtained for assay fibrinogen (Fb) and the white blood cell count (WBC) was determined in whole blood at each time point. A significant effect of experimental conditions on Hp, SAA and WBC was observed. In particular, this effect was found 24 hr after transport for Hp and SAA and after 48 hr for WBC. Application of a linear regression model showed a high correlation between WBC and Hp and SAA. Lairage in a slaughterhouse represents a stressful condition that can compromise animal welfare and meat quality. Monitoring of SAA with the highest sensitivity and specificity could be a useful marker of welfare condition in this period.     

Long-distance transport of hair lambs: effect of location in pot-belly trailers on thermo-physiology,welfare and meat quality

Livestock transport exposes animals to a range of potential stressors that may compromise their welfare and final product quality, and those effects typically increase with the distance travelled. In North America, producers often use pot-belly vehicles for long hauls but little is known about their suitability for transporting lambs. We followed two long-distance trips using pot-belly trailers carrying 500 lambs (each) from Northern to Central Mexico in winter, to measure possible effects on animal welfare and meat quality. Sixty lambs per trip were placed at different locations within the pot-belly trailer. Animals were equipped with iButton Thermochron® temperature devices, which registered body temperature throughout pre- and post-slaughter stages. Despite the rather cool winter conditions, lambs placed in the “belly” and “nose” compartments had higher body temperatures at loading, during transport and lairage and after slaughter (carcass temperature). Those lambs also had higher levels of plasma cortisol, glucose and creatine kinase (CK), and a higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. Regarding meat quality, ultimate pH (24 h) was higher in all locations, especially in LT4 location. Overall, the results suggest a link between thermal stress during transport, elevated physiological indicators of stress and poorer meat quality.     

Influence of crate height during slaughter transport on the welfare of male turkeys

1. Poultry are usually transported in crates which provide the birds with very limited space. Slaughter transport of male turkeys is often carried out using crates that are 40?cm or less in height where it is not possible for them to stand up. There is little information on how this physical restriction over many hours affects the birds.

2. The aim of the study was to compare the welfare of male turkeys transported in crates 40?cm and 55?cm in height. Observations on the birds’ behaviour during lairage, carcass damage and meat quality were carried out after four commercial slaughter transport journeys.

3. Birds in 40?cm crates panted more and lay down more than birds in 55?cm crates during lairage. A large percentage of the carcasses had some damage. Significantly more birds from the 55?cm crates had scratches on their backs than birds from the 40?cm crates. There was no significant difference in meat quality between birds transported in the two crate heights.

4. Both positive and negative effects of increased crate height were established and there is no evidence from this study that merely increasing crate height improves turkey welfare. Other solutions should therefore be sought in order to improve the welfare of birds during transport.