Paper
Mortality in Pigs Transported for Slaughter
- Authors:
- V. Vecerek; M. Malena; I. Bedanova; E. Voslarova
- Abstract
- In the period from 2009 to 2013, veterinary inspectors recorded the numbers of different categories of pigs (finisher pigs, culled sows and piglets) transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic, and the numbers of animals dying as a result of their transport to slaughterhouses, specifically, the numbers of animals that died in transport vehicles or shortly after they arrived to the slaughterhouse. The lowest transport-related mortality was found in finisher pigs (0.07%). Furthermore, a significant negative correlation (r = -0.9000, P = 0.0187) was found between mortality rates and monitored years in finisher pigs, which indicated a decreasing tendency in pig losses in the monitored period. Significantly greater (P < 0.05) mortality was found in culled sows (0.23%) and piglets (0.44%). The death of animals during transport for slaughter is a major factor indicating the level of welfare in transported animals. Despite a decreasing tendency in mortality of finisher pigs transported for slaughter in Europe, our study suggests that there are still categories of pigs in which significantly greater losses occur in transit. Further research should focus on methods of improvement of transport conditions, particularly in culled pigs.
- Keywords
- Finisher Pig; Sow; Piglet; Transportation; Mortality
- StartPage
- 27
- EndPage
- 31
- Doi
- 10.18005/JAEB0301004