Factors affecting the mortality of pigs being transported to slaughter

Abstract

A multilevel logistic regression model was used to identify and quantify the effects of factors affecting the mortality of pigs being transported to slaughter under commercial conditions. A survey of 739 journeys to 37 slaughterhouses in five eu countries was carried out, and information potentially related to the welfare and mortality of the pigs and the number of injuries were recorded. The average temperature during the journey, its duration, the average loading time per pig, the recorded injuries, fasting before transport, and the interaction between fasting and journey duration were used in the final model. The average mortality was 0.11 per cent and the average proportion of injured pigs was 0.36 per cent, and these figures were significantly correlated (P<0.001). In 29 per cent of the journeys the pigs were not fasted before being loaded, which doubled the risk of mortality irrespective of whether the pigs were injured or not. The risk of mortality increased with average temperature. In journeys with fasted pigs that did not have any recorded injury, average temperature was more important than the duration of the journey. The risk of mortality increased as the average time taken to load them decreased, and the risk was highest when the pigs were not fasted and when injuries were recorded. Other factors such as the country, loading density, availability of drinking water and type of ventilation did not affect the risk of mortality.

Risk assessment in stock calf transportation from France to Italy: the contribution of road inspections

“…of animals loaded; x2=travelled distance (km). The data were analyzed using the SAS Proc Logistic software package (SAS, (Guàrdia et al, 2004) and the risk of pig mortality after transport to the slaughterhouse (Averos et al, 2008).…”

Scientific Opinion Concerning the Welfare of Animals during Transport

“…The use of an electrical goad increased heart rate over a short time interval, by up to 200 bpm, partly because the pigs were running to avoid the electric shock (Küchenmeister et al, 2005). Averós et al (2008) reported in their survey on mortality of pigs in five EU countries that the risk of mortality increased as the average time taken to load them decreased. Driessen et al (2008) studied the influence of olfactory substances on heart rate and lying behavior of pigs during transport simulation.…”

“…Based on meat quality and transport losses they concluded that transport should not take more than 16 h in order to improve carcass quality and animal welfare. Assessment of mortality risk factors revealed that average temperature is more important than the duration of the journey (Averós et al, 2008).…”

“…On the basis of data collected on 2.7 million pigs slaughtered in the USA, Sutherland et al (2009) found that the effect of journey time on the percentage of dead pigs increased for journeys lasting more than 30 minutes and decreased for journeys lasting between 5 and 11 hours. In a survey of 37 abattoirs in five EU countries, Averós et al (2008) showed that the risk of mortality in relation to journey duration increased when the pigs had not been fasted before the journey, but that duration had little effect when the pigs had been fasted, even for journeys lasting 24 hours. Kephart et al (2010) did not observe any association with journey length in deliveries characterised by low mortality rate (0.06%).…”

“…In a survey of 739 journeys to 37 slaughterhouses in five EU countries, the risk for mortality and injuries was evaluated (Averós et al, 2008). Mortality risk increased with average air temperature and was highest when pigs were not fasted.…”