Abstract

Monitoring animal welfare at a slaughterhouse is somehow different from the situation on the farm. The throughput numbers can be very high, and there is no possibility to know the individual history, background or habits of each animal. The animals are unfamiliar to the staff and viceversa. Furthermore, most animals will be unknown to each other even if they may be delivered in groups or batches, and it is not rare to see mixing of completely unfamiliar animals. The slaughter plants’ environment is of course completely unknown to the animals, with large areas not always designed to minimize noise or visual distraction for animals. Sub-optimal handling of animals can unfortunately be seen at many slaughterhouses, where animals are coerced roughly, using sticks or prods and loud voices, forcing the animals to move fast in the desired direction. Vets need to be aware of these factors because they can cause excessive prodding for animals, which may become balking, excited and stressed. A survey of 10 italian slaughter plants revealed that: 5 plants had slick floors that would cause animals to slip and fall, 9 plants had high pitched motor noise or hissing air that made animals balking; air drafts blowing down the chutes, which will often impede animal movement, were a problem in 9 of the observed plants. Simple modifications of lighting and elimination of air drafts and hissing will often greatly improve animal movement.

Autore Pugliese

• Celano Gaetano Vitale , Bozzo Giancarlo

Tutti gli autori

• CELANO G.V.;BOZZO G.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Non Disponibile

Anno di pubblicazione

2014

ISSN

2239-7132

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Scopus

2

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile