Factors associated with fatigued, injured, and dead pig frequency during transport and lairage at a commercial abattoir1

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify environmental and management factors that are associated with the frequency of fatigued, injured, and dead pigs on arrival and in resting pens during lairage at a commercial Midwest abattoir. The terms transport losses or total losses refer to pigs that die or become nonambulatory at any stage of the marketing process. In this study, fatigued, injured, and dead pigs were summed into a variable termed total losses. Relative humidity (%), temperature ( degrees C), wind speed (m/s), and dew point ( degrees C) data were collected on 12,333 trailer loads of pigs. Week, sort from barn (first or third pig removal from barn), farm, normal vs. split load type (from 1 or multiple barns), load crew, driver, trailer, and wind direction were used as fixed effects in the model for the analysis of losses per load using generalized mixed models for Poisson distributions. Seven temperature-humidity indices (THI) were calculated and compared as model covariates. Load time per pig, trailer density (pigs per trailer x average BW/trailer space; kg/m(2)), wait time before unloading at the abattoir, and wind speed were used as model covariates. The log of the number of hogs per trailer was used to standardize the response variable. The linear covariate density accounted for the greatest portion of variance (based on F-value) followed by the fixed effect sort from barn, the fixed effect load type (pigs from 1 or multiple barns within a farm), load time per pig linear covariate, and THI. Pigs transported to the abattoir from June through July experienced fewer losses (P < 0.001) when compared with pigs that were transported from November through December. Keeping other factors constant, the log of total losses (%) per load increased by 0.0102x + 0.000541x(2) per unit of THI and 0.0191 kg/m(2) of density. Similarly, of 9 farms, the poorest-performing farm in regards to total loss percentage experienced 0.93% more losses per load when compared with the farm with the least loss percentage. This study demonstrates that multiple environment and management factors influence the incidence of market hog transport losses.

Effect of Transportation Distance on Weight Losses in Pigs From Dehydration

“…Mortality rate, carcasses showing foot lesions and abrasions, pigs with stress symptoms, and the loss of liveweight usually classify losses by transportation (FITZGERALD et al, 2009). However, these losses are associated with poor animal welfare during pre-slaughter logistics and management.…”

“…FITZGERALD et al (2009) assessed three different distances from the farm to the slaughterhouse, under humid continental climate, with average annual temperature of 12.69°C, with extreme hot and cold season (variation= -21.78 to 36.13°C), the weight losses were above 1.0% for the transportation of animals over distances beyond 80 km; below 0.5% for distances of 40 and 80 km. Distances smaller than 40 km have not had losses (p = 0.14) because the average values were smaller than the total losses of animals transported in a distance higher than 80 km.…”

“…Besides the long distance travelled, pigs suffer from other sources of distress such as the mixing of batches, human-animal interaction, physical changes like the ramp, floor and vehicle movement, exposure to the environment (temperature, humidity and radiation), and fasting (FITZGERALD et al, 2009). Inside the truck, environmental condition is a crucial factor to reduce body weight loss during animal transportation, as large amount of fluids due to panting and sweating are lost (MIRANDA-DE LA LAMA et al, 2014).…”

“…Multifactorial issues related to management, fasting, boarding, drivers' behavior, and transportation, might interfere in pigs' pre-slaughter losses (FITZGERALD et al 2009;RITTER et al, 2009;BECERRIL-HERRERA et al, 2010;OCHOVE et al, 2010;MARAHRENS et al, 2011). Several variables have been used to assess animal welfare during transportation that has a broad range of effects on pig's physiology.…”

Evaluación De Factores De Riesgo De Carne Pálida, Suave Y Exudativa (Pse) Debido a Las Condiciones Presacrificio en Cerdos

“…Asi mismo, estuvo acorde con los criterios exigidos por la legislación sanitaria, que establece que la duración del transporte de los cerdos, no debe ser mayor a 8 h (9). El tipo de camión utilizado para transportar los cerdos ha sido considerado como un factor de riesgo para la presencia de contusiones y de mortalidad durante el transporte (10,13). En el presente estudio, el tipo de camión no se asoció con la presentación de carne PSE.…”