Stunning Swine with CO2 Gas: Controversies Related to Animal Welfare

Mota-Rojas, Daniel; Bolaños-López, D.; Concepcion-Mendez, M.; Ramirez-Telles, Jorge; Roldán-Santiago, P.; Flores-Peinado, S.; Mora-Medina, Patricia

doi:10.3923/ijp.2012.141.151

Cited by 21 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…Behaviors chosen for welfare assessment included those associated with physiological distress, such as open-mouth breathing (Forslid, 1987;Martoft et al, 2002;Mota-Rojas et al, 2012), or psychological distress, such as escape (Blackshaw et al, 1988;Velarde et al, 2007), righting response (Grandin, 1998;Kohler et al, 1999;AVMA, 2013), defecation, and urination.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of flow rate and gas mixture on the welfare of weaned and neonate pigs during gas euthanasia1

Sadler

Hagen²,

Wang

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Science

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The objectives of this study were to assess efficacy and welfare implications of gas euthanasia when applied to weaned and neonate pigs. Parameters associated with welfare, which were measured before loss of consciousness, included open-mouth breathing, ataxia, righting response, and escape attempts. Two age groups (weaned and neonate) were assessed in 9 gas treatments arranged in a 2 × 4 factorial design, with 2 gas types (CO 2 = 100% CO 2 and 50:50 = 50:50 CO 2 :argon) and 4 flow rates (box volume exchange/min: slow = 20%; medium = 35%; fast = 50%; prefill = prefilled followed by 20%) and a control treatment in which ambient air was passed through the box. Pig pairs (10/treatment) were placed in a modified Euthanex AgPro system (Euthanex Corp., Palmer, PA). Behavioral and physiological responses were observed directly and from video recordings for latency, duration, prevalence (percent of pigs affected), and frequency (number of occurrences/pig). Data were analyzed as linear mixed models or with a Cox proportional hazard model as appropriate. Piglet pair was the experimental unit. For the weaned pig, welfare was superior with CO 2 relative to 50:50 within 1 or more flow rates on the basis of reduced duration of open-mouth breathing, duration of ataxia, frequency of escape attempts, and duration and frequency of righting response (P < 0.05). No measured parameters indicated superior welfare with the use of 50:50, whereas latencies to loss of posture and last movement favored CO 2 (P < 0.05). Faster flow rates were associated with reduced (P < 0.05) duration or frequency of open-mouth breathing, ataxia, and righting response, as well as superior (P< 0.05) indicators of efficacy, including latencies to loss of posture, gasping, and last movement, relative to slower flow rates. Weaned pigs were more likely to defecate (P < 0.01), display nasal discharge (P < 0.05), and display longer (P < 0.001) latencies to loss of posture and last movement than neonates. Duration of ataxia was the only parameter for which neonates were superior (P < 0.01) to weaned pigs during euthanasia. As such, a 50:50 CO 2 :argon gas mixture and slower flow rates should be avoided when euthanizing weaned or neonate pigs with gas methods. Neonate pigs succumb to the effects of gas euthanasia quicker than weaned pigs and display fewer signs of distress. This is a manuscript of an article that is not peer-reviewed from Journal of Animal Science 92 (2014): 793, doi:10.2527/jas.2013-6598. ABSTRACT:The objectives of this study were to assess efficacy and welfare implications of gas euthanasia when applied to weaned and neonate pigs. Parameters associated with welfare, which were measured prior to loss of consciousness, included open-mouth breathing, ataxia, righting response, and escape attempts. Two age groups (weaned and neonate) were assessed in 9 gas treatments arranged in a 2 × 4 factorial design, with 2 gas types (CO 2 = 100% CO 2 or 50:50 = 50:50 CO 2 :argon) and 4 flow rates (box volume exchange/min: slow = 20%; medium = 35%; fast...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of flow rate and gas mixture on the welfare of weaned and neonate pigs during gas euthanasia1

Sadler

Hagen²,

Wang

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Science

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“…This suggests that part of the increase in adopting a supine posture after 12 h of transport is attributable not just to fatigue, but also to thermoregulation (overcrowding). The mixing of unfamiliar animals that occurs during transport is another factor that causes stress (Edwards 2002;Ekkel et al 2003;Mota-Rojas et al 2009, 2012bBecerril-Herrera et al 2010). Experiments have shown that mixing provokes an increase in the number of fights among piglets, an additional factor that could contribute to the onset of fatigue (see Berry and Lewis 2001).…”

Section: Duration Of Transportmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On this topic, studies conducted with adult pigs have found that the animals are more likely to lie down during the final hours of a long highway journey (Grandin, 1997;Becerril-Herrera et al 2010;Mota-Rojas et al 2012b). This coincides with recent results from Mota-Rojas et al (2006), who evaluated the position upon arrival of three groups of pigs that had been transported for periods of 8, 16 and 24 h. They observed that as trip time increased the number of animals that arrived in a prostate position also rose.…”

Section: Loading Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Stressor factors in the transport of weaned piglets: a review

et al. 2013

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ABSTRACT:The transport of weaned piglets is considered an important stress factor since the conditions involved in shipping affect the animals' health and welfare. The principal stressor factors that piglets experience during transport include: mixing with unfamiliar animals, overcrowding, heat, cold, temperature fluctuations, vibrations, and noise. It is well known that all these factors contribute to raising the level of stress caused by the weaning process; however, the additional effects attributable to transport immediately after weaning impact the physiology, metabolism and behaviour of piglets, predisposing them to delayed growth. For this reason, animal transport must be well-planned and take into account such aspects as preparation of the piglets, choosing the best route and vehicle type, assuring adequate vehicle design and maintenance, and providing sufficient space. Also important for assuring the welfare of the piglets during transport are sufficient rest time, appropriate access to food and water, defined measures for monitoring the animals during the trip, implementing means of disease control, and establishing the steps to be followed in case of an emergency.

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“…) and that can lead to injury and even death, circumstances that cause considerable economic losses in the livestock industry (Carter & Gallo ; Minka & Ayo ; Mota‐Rojas et al . , , ; Ishiwata et al . ; Engelbrecht et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptation of ostriches to transport‐induced stress: Physiometabolic response

Vazquez-Galindo¹,

Aluja²,

Guerrero‐Legarreta

et al. 2012

Animal Science Journal

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This study assessed the effects of five different transport periods on physiometabolic responses and gas exchange in ostriches. It included 138 ostriches that were assigned to five experimental groups. G1 included 78 birds that were set aside as a reference group (RG). Each one of the four remaining experimental groups included 20 ostriches, which were transported in the following manner: G1 on one occasion for a period of 1 h; G2 on one occasion for 2 h; and G3 on one occasion for 3 h; G4a was made up of the ostriches from G1 but they were shipped on a second occasion, for 2 h (making a total of 3 h); finally, G4b was that same group, but after a third transport period, on this occasion during 3 h (for a total of 6 h). Groups G2 and G3 presented the most marked blood alterations (P < 0.05), including an increase in pH, hypocapnia (27.8 ± 0.80 mmHg), hypernatremia (171.75 ± 1.84 mmol/L), hypocalcemia (0.95 ± 0.03 mmol/L), and hyperglycemia (224.05 ± 3.94 mg/dL). Also, group G3 presented the lowest hematocrit values (26.5 ± 0.47 HTC%). Therefore, transporting ostriches with no prior experience for 3 h caused the most pronounced physiometabolic changes.

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Stunning Swine with CO2 Gas: Controversies Related to Animal Welfare

Cited by 21 publications

References 0 publications

Effects of flow rate and gas mixture on the welfare of weaned and neonate pigs during gas euthanasia1

Effects of flow rate and gas mixture on the welfare of weaned and neonate pigs during gas euthanasia1

Stressor factors in the transport of weaned piglets: a review

Adaptation of ostriches to transport‐induced stress: Physiometabolic response

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