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Abstract by the authors: In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the animal welfare legislation. The present Opinion deals with protection of cattle (including calves) during transport. Welfare of cattle during transport by road is the main focus, but other means of transport are also covered. Current practices related to transport of cattle during the different stages (preparation, loading/unloading, transit and journey breaks) are described. Overall, 11 welfare consequences were identified as being highly relevant for the welfare of cattle during transport based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: group stress, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, motion stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, respiratory disorders, restriction of movement, resting problems and sensory overstimulation. These welfare consequences and their animal-based measures are described. A variety of hazards, mainly relating to inexperienced/untrained handlers, inappropriate handling, structural deficiencies of vehicles and facilities, poor driving conditions, unfavourable microclimatic and environmental conditions, and poor husbandry practices leading to these welfare consequences were identified. The Opinion contains general and specific conclusions relating to the different stages of transport for cattle. Recommendations to prevent hazards and to correct or mitigate welfare consequences have been developed. Recommendations were also developed to define quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions within the means of transport and spatial thresholds (minimum space allowance). The development of welfare consequences over time was assessed in relation to maximum journey duration. The Opinion covers specific animal transport scenarios identified by the European Commission relating to transport of unweaned calves, cull cows, the export of cattle by livestock vessels, the export of cattle by road, rollon-roll-off ferries and ‘special health status animals’, and lists welfare concerns associated with these.
Italian journal of animal science, 2022, Vol.21 (1), p.914-923
Abstract by the authors: Animals may be subjected to various stressors during transport, which may compromise their health and welfare as well as meat quality. In the chain of operations between a farm and a slaughterhouse, animal transport is probably the most stressful and injurious stage. Data on mortality is commonly collected at slaughterhouse as a retrospective indicator of animal welfare during transport. Ten-year prevalence of mortality of all the species and categories of animals (cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits and ostriches) regularly scheduled for slaughter in the Czech slaughterhouses was assessed as dead on arrival after road transport from 2010 to 2019. Among livestock, the highest mortality was found in pigs (0.065%); statistically higher compared to cattle (0.027%) and sheep (0.015%). In animals shipped in containers (rabbits, broiler chickens, end-of-lay hens, turkeys, geese and ducks), the highest prevalence was found in laying hens (0.507%), statistically higher compared to broiler chickens (0.425%) and rabbits (0.199%). The lowest prevalence was observed in geese (0.003%). There was a trend for decreasing death losses of pigs in more recent years and losses in broiler chickens and ducks increased. The results indicate that the current transport conditions should be re-evaluated for poultry. Emphasis should be put on the assessment of animal fitness before transport. This is especially important for animals at the end of their production cycle such as dairy cows, sows, and laying hens. They were more likely to die during the journey. Highlights Dead on arrival is an animal-based measure commonly applied at slaughterhouse as a retrospective indicator of animal welfare during transport. In a cross-species comparison, the highest prevalence was observed for animals transported in cages and for end of production cycle animals. To reduce mortality, several factors have to be considered by the meat industry other than the species-related ability to cope with transport.
Abstract by the authors: Animal transport represents even nowadays one of the stressors that induce poor animal welfare. The research aimed to identify potential risk factors affecting the health and welfare of horses transported to the slaughterhouse and methods in which they could be corrected. The study tracked a total of 3196 adult horses from collecting farms (lot F, n: 2490), and from households (lot H, n: 706) transported to the slaughterhouse on a journey that did not exceed 8 hours, in accordance with the Regulation EC 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The incidence of injuries in loading/unloading of horses, varied in group F (12.2%) compared to H (3.4%). Associated with this incidence, the behavioural response was passive for 10% horses in group F, in comparison to 70% horses in group H, as against the restlesness noticed for 42% horses in group F, and 21% in H. In determining the risk factors associated with the poor welfare of horses during short-term transport, the lack of experience of both horses and personnel involved in transport-related operations, mainly moving, loading and unloading, were taken into account, as playing a main part in animal health and welfare.
Abstract by the authors: The transport of young calves is a welfare concern. Young calves aged ≤3 mo are particularly vulnerable to compromised welfare, and are at a relatively high risk of morbidity and mortality compared with adult cattle. Calves face several potential challenges to welfare during and after transport, including food and water deprivation, disease, injury, and stress from handling, social mixing, and new environments. The key risk factors identified for poor calf welfare associated with transport include long transport and fasting durations, young age at transport, poor colostral immunity, timing within the calving season, lack of bedding in trucks, and high stocking density. Maximizing calf welfare thus requires a multifaceted approach, such as minimizing transport and fasting durations, transporting at an appropriate stocking density with comfortable bedding, only transporting calves that are healthy and fit, and optimizing pre-transport calf management. More research is needed to understand the effect of transport on the mental or affective state of calves.
Abstract : The long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter has been strongly criticized in various political arenas: in Europe there is now a campaign underway to end transportation that takes over 8 hours. This debate is investigated here by means of a case study. The research data consists of regulatory texts used in the EU and in Finland. These texts are analyzed initially according to their contents, that is, a content analysis, designed to find out how and in which connections the animal is conceptualized. This analysis is then amplified by means of critical discourse analysis to discover the kinds of discourse that are most powerful and stabilized, and also to reveal their institutional origins. The results show that there is a strong difference between market-driven and animal-centric interpretations of unnecessary suffering. It is also evident that pressure has been growing in favour of the animal-centric perspective on the part of both animal welfare NGOs and of citizens. Nevertheless, it has been observed that the fields of science that could offer expertise on the issue have been poorly utilized in the process of devising policies.
Abstract by the authors: The welfare of sheep transported by sea is a pertinent issue for Australia’s agriculture industry and a subject of concern amongst the general public. Evaluating the effect of sea transport on the welfare of livestock requires an accurate system of reporting. This study piloted an animal welfare monitoring protocol during two sea voyages from Australia to the Middle East. Sheep health and behaviour were analysed to determine if the protocol could detect animal responses to voyage conditions such as feeding management and changes to the pen environment. Data were recorded for target pens of five different commercial lines of Merino sheep. Principle Components (PC) analysis on behavioural data identified three principal components which were compared with voyage day, management and environmental conditions using general linear mixed modelling (GLMM). PC factor 1 scores (23.35 % of total variance) showed that resting and recumbency increased as the voyage progressed. PC factor 2 scores (17.09 % variance) demonstrated that behavioural responses to heat fluctuated by voyage day. PC factor 3 scores (9.48 % variance) showed reduced flight distances and increasingly competitive feeding behaviour as the voyage progressed. Environment and management conditions were associated with behavioural changes, with Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) being the most influential measure affecting all three PC factors (p < 0.001). There were few diseases or symptoms of ill-health (including veterinary treatments) or mortalities recorded for sample pens; however, associations between ill-health and nutrition, environmental conditions and behaviour, were identified using GLMM. Increases in WBGT were linked to increased nasal discharge (p < 0.001), ocular discharge (p < 0.05), pink eye (p < 0.05) and Panting Score 4 (p < 0.01). With few recordings of ill-health, and a low mortality incidence, it was difficult to interpret the results of comparisons between health and behaviour. It is likely that associations between health indicators and behavioural variations will be more meaningful if a welfare monitoring protocol were applied to a larger sample size. The pen-side assessments presented in this study provided a practicable and comprehensive system for monitoring the behaviour and health of sheep during sea voyages. The application of such assessments on an industry basis could better inform all stakeholders about the welfare of sheep during sea transport.
Abstract by the authors: Although there now exists a wide range of policies, instruments and regulations, in Europe and increasingly beyond, to improve and safeguard the welfare of farmed animals, there remain persistent and significant welfare issues in virtually all types of animal production systems ranging from high prevalence of lameness to limited possibilities to express natural behaviours. Protocols and indicators, such as those provided by Welfare Quality, mean that animal welfare can nowadays be regularly measured and surveyed at the farm level. However, the digital revolution in agriculture opens possibilities to quantify animal welfare using multiple sensors and data analytics. This allows daily monitoring of animal welfare at the group and individual animal level, for example, by measuring changes in behaviour patterns or physiological parameters. The present paper explores the potential for developing innovations in digital technologies to improve the management of animal welfare at the farm, during transport or at slaughter. We conclude that the innovations in Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) offer significant opportunities for a more holistic, evidence-based approach to the monitoring and surveillance of farmed animal welfare. To date, the emphasis in much PLF technologies has been on animal health and productivity. This paper argues that this emphasis should not come to define welfare. What is now needed is a coming together of industry, scientists, food chain actors, policy-makers and NGOs to develop and use the promise of PLF for the creative and effective improvement of farmed animal welfare.
Abstract by the authors: Australian livestock industries face increased scrutiny from animal welfare groups and society, and the long-distance transport of livestock by sea has recently gained particular attention. Other than non-compliance with broad regulatory standards and voyage mortality rates, there is minimal information to ascertain the welfare of exported livestock. There is currently no standardised, validated animal welfare assessment protocol for livestock on-farm prior to live export or when undergoing transport. This study describes a novel assessment protocol suitable for use on live feeder and slaughter animals exported by sea from Australia. Health and welfare indicators for use in the livestock export supply chain were identified by reviewing three internationally recognised animal welfare assessment protocols for livestock; Welfare Quality , AWIN and AssureWel, as well as consulting with industry compliance standards and guidelines. This paper proposes a welfare protocol designed to assess sheep and beef cattle exported by sea from Australia, and incorporates environmental-, resource-, management- and animal-based measures. In collaboration with industry, this welfare protocol can be tested on commercial livestock consignments, and be used for ongoing management, for increased transparency and to provide feedback to operators for continuous improvement.
Abstract by the authors: In this paper various welfare aspects of long distance transport of animal are introduced. Scientific evidence is presented together with ethical and public concerns, as well as enforcement problems with examples from current practice and research. The on-going project on 'Renovation and promoting high quality control posts in the European Union' is presented as it foresees a significant improvement of the equipment as well as the management of 12 Control Posts (CPs) located at the cross roads of important flows of animals transported over long journeys in the EU. The aim is to conclude with a model to assure quality and welfare during all phases of long distance transport and mainly when animals are uploaded and housed at a control post.
Abstract: 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.
Abstract: Australian livestock industries face increased scrutiny from animal welfare groups and society, and the long-distance transport of livestock by sea has recently gained particular attention. Other than non-compliance with broad regulatory standards and voyage mortality rates, there is minimal information to ascertain the welfare of exported livestock. There is currently no standardised, validated animal welfare assessment protocol for livestock on-farm prior to live export or when undergoing transport. This study describes a novel assessment protocol suitable for use on live feeder and slaughter animals exported by sea from Australia. Health and welfare indicators for use in the livestock export supply chain were identified by reviewing three internationally recognised animal welfare assessment protocols for livestock; Welfare Quality ® , AWIN and AssureWel, as well as consulting with industry compliance standards and guidelines. This paper proposes a welfare protocol designed to assess sheep and beef cattle exported by sea from Australia, and incorporates environmental-, resource-, management- and animal-based measures. In collaboration with industry, this welfare protocol can be tested on commercial livestock consignments, and be used for ongoing management, for increased transparency and to provide feedback to operators for continuous improvement.
Abstract by the authors: Land transport is a common and unavoidable experience for most livestock, yet it remains a health and welfare concern. From the animals' perspective, transport involves mixing with other animals, novel experiences, and prolonged standing, often after periods of water and feed withdrawal ('curfews'). Although the physical effects of transport have been studied, often by the impact on meat quality, the effects on the mental well-being of sheep are unknown. The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence the behavioural expression of sheep undergoing land transport, using observers who were blinded to the experimental treatments to score the animal's body language during land transport. Various vehicle crate types, deck positions, sheep breeds and point of origin were compared. All treatments were variations on current commercial transport, and therefore stocking density was similar between the vehicles as per regulatory requirements, but truck designs varied. This study supports using the scoring of behavioural expression to assess sheep welfare during transport. Land transport is an unavoidable experience for most livestock, yet there is limited research comparing animal welfare under different conditions. We video recorded sheep responses during short (2 h) commercial road transport journeys. Using Qualitative Behavioural Assessment, observers (blinded to the treatments) scored the behavioural expression of sheep and reached significant consensus in their scoring patterns (p < 0.001). There were also significant effects of vehicle crate design (sheep transported in a 'standard' crate were more calm/relaxed than those transported in a 'convertible' crate), deck position (sheep on upper decks were more curious/alert than those on lower decks), and sheep breed (fat-tail sheep were more agitated/distressed than merino sheep) on observer scores. We only found marginal differences for sheep originating from feedlot or saleyard. Significant effects of vehicle driver (included as a random factor in all but one of our analyses) suggest driving patterns contributed to demeanour of the sheep. Finally, the fourteen drivers who participated in the study were asked their opinions on livestock transport; none of the factors we tested were identified by drivers as important for sheep welfare during transport. This study supports the use of qualitative measures in transport and revealed differences that could inform truck design.
Abstract by the authors: The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of application of EC Regulation 1/2005 and national legislation in the area of animal protection during transport in our country. Short or long distance of animal transport done often in poor conditions can produce suffering of the animal involved. EU and national legislation in the field, wanted that suffering being minimized or even missing. A Commission report on animal transport Regulation showed that current legislation applicable from 2007 made some improvements in this area but it is still far from satisfactory especially in terms of time journey in relation with travel conditions (means of transport construction, microclimate and methods of loading/unloading, supplies of food and water, stop for watering, feeding and rest). The study was based on answers given by drivers and attendants of animals involved in transport to some questions in the field. Results showed that livestock transporters lined to current legislation requirements thus ensuring the protection and animal welfare. This was due both proper equipping vehicles, especially long-term transport and training of the drivers and attendants of animals in order to obtain the Certificate of competence.
Zusammenfassung: Tiertransporte sind in der Europäischen Union sowie in Deutschland ein essentieller Produktionsschritt in der Fleischproduktion. Dabei steht der Transport von Schweinen immer wieder im Fokus der öffentlichen Diskussion. Ein wachsendes Tierschutzbewusstsein in einigen Teilen der Gesellschaft führt zu einer kritischen Haltung gegenüber der Tiergerechtigkeit von Tiertransporten. Aus anderen Forschungsarbeiten ist bekannt, dass eine Veränderung des Wissens einer Person durch Informationen, Auswirkungen auf die Einstellung haben kann. Dieser Zusammenhang wurde wissenschaftlich bei dem Transport von Schweinen bisher nicht untersucht und wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit aufgegriffen. In einer Onlinebefragung von 272 deutschen Verbrauchern wird der Einfluss von Informationen in Form von Texten und Bildern auf die Einstellung der Probanden gegenüber Tiertransporten untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die untersuchten Informationen positiv auf die Einstellung der Verbraucher auswirken. Jedoch ist zu beobachten, dass trotz der zusätzlichen Informationen die Einstellung zu Tiertransporten eher ablehnend bleibt.
Abstract: In the European Union, and Germany in particular, the transport of livestock is an essential step in the meat production process. Pig transport especially, has frequently been the focus of public interest. In the last several decades, awareness for animal welfare has grown in society, which has often led to negative attitudes from the public towards farm animal husbandry and transportation. It is a well-known fact that a person’s knowledge and his/her attitude are strongly linked. Thus far, the connection between knowledge and attitude with regards to the transport of farm animals, especially pigs, has not been scientifically examined. In an online survey taken by 272 German consumers the effect that additional information in the form of written texts and pictures on public perception was examined. The results of this study reveal that this additional information does have a positive effect on the respondents’ attitudes, yet consumer attitudes remain rather negative.
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