Changes in selected biochemical indices related to transport of broilers to slaughterhouse under different ambient temperatures

Abstract

The effect of transport distance on selected biochemical parameters (corticosterone, uric acid, triglycerides, total protein, glucose, and lactate) under various ambient temperatures was monitored in a group of unsexed Ross 308 broilers aged 42 d. Broilers were transported to the slaughterhouse over 3 different travel distances (10, 70, and 130 km). They were sampled before and after each transportation in 3 various periods with different ambient temperatures (-5 to +5°C, 10 to 20°C, and 25 to 35°C), which approximately correspond to temperature conditions during transport in individual seasons of the year (winter, fall, summer). The changes in biochemical parameters were specific in their dependence on the travel distance and the ambient temperature under which the broilers were transported. The highest corticosterone concentration was found in broilers before transport (i.e., immediately after catching, crating, and loading) at all ambient temperatures. The concentration of corticosterone was higher at winter temperatures than at summer and fall temperatures. Triglycerides decreased with travel distance, although this effect was detected under summer temperatures only. The concentration of total protein was higher only after 10 km of transport and then it decreased with travel distance at all monitored ambient temperatures. A highly significant decrease (P < 0.01) in the glucose level of broilers was observed after 130 km of transport when compared with broilers before transport at fall and winter temperatures. The effect of travel distance on lactate concentrations was the same at all monitored ambient temperatures, with the lactate level decreasing with travel distance. The results obtained indicate that pretransport handling procedures (catching, crating, and loading) may be more stressful for broilers than the transport itself. To improve broiler meat quality, it is necessary to meet the need for broilers to recover before being slaughtered. With regard to different seasons of the year, we can assume that transport under conditions of low ambient temperatures in winter represents a more stressful event than transport during fall and summer.

Parameters of Physiological Responses and Meat Quality in Poultry Subjected to Transport Stress

“…Zhang et al reported that blood glucose increased for short time transport, which was supplied by liver glycogen and a 3 h transport could decrease plasma glucose level, because of the exhaustion of liver glycogen [16]. Similar reductions of glucose following long transport duration were also found by Suchy et al, Sarkar et al and Vosmerova et al [20,21,23]. When the breakdown of liver glycogen could not make up for the shortage of glucose, animal body initiates the use of fat and protein.…”

“…Consequently, the increasing of HL ratio is a reliable and steady parameter reflecting poultry transport stress [6,18,19]. Transport duration could considerably affect plasma glucose level [16,[20][21][22]. Zhang et al reported that blood glucose increased for short time transport, which was supplied by liver glycogen and a 3 h transport could decrease plasma glucose level, because of the exhaustion of liver glycogen [16].…”

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

“…Several studies have considered the effect of transportation duration and distance on animal welfare and resultant meat quality of broiler chickens. However, the reports are contradictory, where the majority of studies have associated long-term transportation to higher mortalities (Nijdam et al, 2004;Vecerek, Grbalova, Voslarova, Janackova, & Malena, 2006;Vieira, Silva, Barbosa Filho, Vieira, & Broom, 2011;Vieira, Silva, Barbosa Filho, Vieira, Rodrigues-Sarnighausen, et al, 2011;Warriss, Bevis, & Brown, 1990;Whiting et al, 2007), but some have indicated that short-term transportation could be more stressful to the birds (Vosmerova et al, 2010). Nijdam et al (2004) reported an increase of 6% in DOA for each additional 15 min in transportation time and an additional increase of 3% for each extra 15 min in lairage time based on transport of 1907 Dutch and German broiler flocks, and concluded that the concurrent effect of temperature and journey duration is an important determinant of DOA.…”

“…According to Whiting et al (2007), travel time plays an important role in DOA rates, where the combination of time of slaughter, shrink and travel time accounted for 10.5% of the variability in the DOA rate. On the contrary, Vosmerova et al (2010) pointed out that shorter transportation duration might be more stressful to the birds, because they do not have enough time to recover from the stress induced during handling and crating, which was shown to be the highest of all sources of stress. Silva, Simoes, Rossa, Ida, and Shimokomaki (2011) did not find any effect of transportation distances of 15 to 57 km on DOA rates during winter transportation.…”

Physiological and Behavioral Responses of Young Chicks to High Ambient Temperature

“…Yaman et al (2000) described similar triacylglycerol pattern in growing feed-deprived chicks while plasma cholesterol was not influenced. Triacylglycerol concentration was decreased with travel distance at summer temperature (Vosmerova et al, 2010). Moraes et al (2003) suggested that reduction in plasma triacylglycerol may be a consequence of some mechanism which enhances thermotolerance of broilers.…”