Risk assessment in animal welfare – Especially referring to animal transport

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

“…In addition, economic drivers such as better prices in more distant markets may increase transport duration and frequency. In the past decade, livestock transportation in NA has gained increasing attention from the public, animal rights organizations, governments and stakeholders alike because of both perceived and real effects on animal welfare as well as food safety, meat and carcass quality (Keeling, 2005;Marahrens et al, 2011). These concerns are heightened by the fact that the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has recognized the importance of maintaining good animal welfare during transport as well as the fact that transportation is one of the most important pre-harvest variables with respect to meat quality and should be considered a critical control point (Broom, 2005;OIE, 2004;Speer et al, 2001).…”

Development and application of a protocol to evaluate herd welfare in Dutch dairy farms

“…HACCP commonly ends in a risk assessment for a list of critical control points or hazards (Marahrens et al, 2011). Our protocol, however, merely yielded the herd prevalence for a list of parameters that indicated negative welfare.…”

Effect of Transportation Distance on Weight Losses in Pigs From Dehydration

“…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.…”

“…Animal distress occurs from loading, journey and unloading activities, and the distress may result in meat loss, named as preslaughter logistic injuries. The percentage of mortality might indicate meat loss, as well as the number of lesions and condemnation rate (KAPELANSKI et al, 2009;MARAHRENS et al, 2011). The transportation also influences meat quality such as the amount of PSE (Pale, Soft, and Exudative), DFD (Dark, Firm, and Dry) meat (OCHOVE et al, 2010;PARANHOS DA COSTA et al, 2012;SANTIAGO et al, 2012), and LwL (Liveweight Losses).…”

“…MARAHRENS et al (2011), considered animal transport condition to estimate the hazard and risks characterization in qualitatively and quantitatively aspects and the exposure assessment and suggest the guidelines to animal welfare risk assessment on transport need for further investigation and evaluation of multiple scenarios to enable practical relevance, due to general lack of data of transport effect on the animal resulting in a high uncertainty of risk estimates.…”