Mortality in rabbits transported for slaughter

Welfare of domestic birds and rabbits transported in containers

This opinion, produced upon a request from the European Commission, focuses on transport of domestic birds and rabbits in containers (e.g. any crate, box, receptacle or other rigid structure used for the transport of animals, but not the means of transport itself). It describes and assesses current transport practices in the EU, based on data from literature, Member States and expert opinion. The species and categories of domestic birds assessed were mainly chickens for meat (broilers), end-of-lay hens and day-old chicks. They included to a lesser extent pullets, turkeys, ducks, geese, quails and game birds, due to limited scientific evidence. The opinion focuses on road transport to slaughterhouses or to production sites. For day-old chicks, air transport is also addressed. The relevant stages of transport considered are preparation, loading, journey, arrival and uncrating. Welfare consequences associated with current transport practices were identified for each stage. For loading and uncrating, the highly relevant welfare consequences identified are handling stress, injuries, restriction of movement and sensory overstimulation. For the journey and arrival, injuries, restriction of movement, sensory overstimulation, motion stress, heat stress, cold stress, prolonged hunger and prolonged thirst are identified as highly relevant. For each welfare consequence, animal-based measures (ABMs) and hazards were identified and assessed, and both preventive and corrective or mitigative measures proposed. Recommendations on quantitative criteria to prevent or mitigate welfare consequences are provided for microclimatic conditions, space allowances and journey times for all categories of animals, where scientific evidence and expert opinion support such outcomes.

Health status of slaughtered animals as indicated by postmortem inspection at slaughterhouses

The study focused on the comparison of health of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, poultry and ostriches slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic based on the occurrence of findings detected during a postmortem veterinary inspection in the period from 2010 to 2019. The level of health was expressed as the so-called PA index obtained by the ratio of the number of findings to the total number of observations (15) during the pathoanatomical examination in the slaughterhouse multiplied by one hundred. Mammals (cattle, pigs, sheep and goats) generally had a higher PA index than birds (domestic chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, ostriches), with the exception of kids and rabbits. The highest PA index was found in cows (15.13) and piglets (12.18); whereas the lowest PA index was found in broiler chickens (0.102), rabbits, and geese (both 0.14). In poultry, the PA index values were below 1, with the exception of laying hens (PA index 2.165). A higher PA index was found in a group of adult animals (the PA index ranged from 2.17 to 15.13) and groups of young animals culled from farms (the PA index ranged from 10.79 to 12.18) than in fattened animals (the PA index ranged from 0.10 to 5.32). A comprehensive overview of the health condition of slaughtered animals enables the farmers, veterinarians, transporters and slaughterhouse operators to take appropriate and precisely targeted preventive measures, thereby increasing the animal welfare and health in the future while reducing the incidence of carcass damage.

Traumatic Injuries Detected during Post-Mortem Slaughterhouse Inspection as Welfare Indicators in Poultry and Rabbits

Simple Summary

An analysis of the slaughterhouse post-mortem examination records over a decade showed that for animals transported to slaughter in containers, the risk of traumatic injury was highest in laying hens (2.80%) and rabbits (1.52%), while the overall incidence of trauma was below 0.5% in other species. The results show that the current rearing conditions and/or pre-slaughter handling of poultry and rabbits have comparatively negative welfare consequences, with significantly more traumatic injuries to the limbs than on the trunk in all species studied. In poultry, traumatic findings on the trunk were orders of magnitude lower to negligible, so the focus should be on preventing injuries to the limbs. In rabbits, the difference was less pronounced with a high number of injuries found on both limbs and trunk.

Abstract

The findings of traumatic injuries during post-mortem inspection in slaughterhouses reflect the level of pre-slaughter handling of animals at the farm and during transport to the slaughterhouse. The prevalence of traumatic injuries was monitored in poultry (1,089,406,687 broiler chickens, 20,030,744 laying hens, 1,181,598 turkeys, 37,690 geese, 28,579,765 ducks) and rabbits (1,876,929) originating from farms in the Czech Republic and slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic between 2010 and 2019. The greatest incidence of traumatic injuries was found in laying hens (2.80%) and rabbits (1.52%); while the overall incidence of trauma was less than 0.5% in other species and categories. The results show that the current rearing conditions and/or pre-slaughter handling of poultry and rabbits particularly affect the limbs; traumatic findings were significantly (p < 0.01) more frequent on the limbs than on the trunk in all species studied. In poultry, traumatic findings on the trunk were orders of magnitude lower to negligible, so the focus should be on preventing injuries to the limbs. In rabbits, the difference was less pronounced, and many injuries were found on both limbs (0.83%) and trunk (0.69%). Our results emphasize the need to reconsider both housing and pre-slaughter handling methods to determine minimum standards for the protection of rabbits, which are still lacking in European legislation.

The Health and Welfare of Rabbits as Indicated by Post-Mortem Findings at the Slaughterhouse

Simple Summary

Veterinary inspection at the slaughterhouse plays an important role in the surveillance system for animal health and welfare. The study focused on the quantification and identification of pathological findings in rabbits slaughtered at the slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic in the period from 2010 to 2019. The ratio of the number of pathological findings to the total number of rabbits slaughtered was 0.0214, i.e., for every hundred rabbits, 2.14 findings were made documenting the impairment of health and/or welfare to an extent leading to pathological changes detected during the post-mortem inspection of the rabbits at the slaughterhouse. The pathological findings that occurred most often were those on the limbs (0.84%), trunk (0.71%), kidneys (0.17%), and liver (0.05%), along with generalized changes (0.37%). The results show that findings on the limbs and trunk were dominated by findings of traumatic origin. Findings in the kidneys and liver were most often of a chronic nature. Findings of abscesses were most frequent among generalized findings.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess post-mortem findings according to their localization and the nature of damage and to assess the standard of health and welfare of farmed rabbits on the basis of these findings. A total of 40,206 pathological findings were recorded in 1,876,929 rabbits slaughtered at slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic in the period from 2010 to 2019. Pathological findings on the limbs (0.84%), the trunk (0.71%), the kidneys (0.17%), and the liver (0.05%), along with generalized changes (0.37%), occurred most frequently. Findings of traumatic origin dominated among findings on the limbs and trunk, which indicates the inappropriate housing and handling rabbits on farms and during transport. Findings in the kidneys and liver were most often of a chronic nature having an evident correlation with the diet of intensively fed rabbits, with shortcomings in the diet having an impact on the parenchyma with chronic manifestations in the liver and kidneys. Among the generalized findings, multiple abscesses, which were probably associated with the infection of injuries occurring during fattening, and emaciation resulting from current husbandry practices, leading to insufficient feed intake or the development of disease in some individuals, predominated.

Prevalence of post mortem lesions recorded in the largest Italian rabbit slaughterhouse over a fifteen-years period (2003-2017)

<p>The present research was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of gross lesions in condemned rabbit carcasses by analysing data recorded in a large Italian slaughterhouse. From 2003 until 2017, a total of 103 080 019 rabbits were processed: 101 722 673 were finishing rabbits and 1 357 346 were breeding females. A total of 742 397 carcasses were condemned due to lesions. Condemned carcasses from young rabbits (n=545 070) evidenced: 33.6% enteritis, 31.5% subcutaneous abscesses, 29.7% cachexia and 3.84% lung disease. Among breeding rabbits (n=197 327) there were 38.9% cachexia, followed by 35.8% uterine pathologies (breeding females), 14.9% subcutaneous abscesses, 5.42% ulcerative pododermatitis, 2.61% chronic nephritis and 2.47% lung disease. Regarding season-related lesions, for growing rabbits the total prevalence of lesions and diseases was the highest in winter (enteritis increased in winter, but subcutaneous abscesses were higher in summer). Rabbit does showed the highest prevalence of subcutaneous abscesses in summer and ulcerative pododermatitis in winter. From 2003 to 2017, the overall number of condemned carcasses doubled in both categories, with a sharp increase from 2012 till 2017. The prevalence of lesions among slaughtered rabbits differed between growing and breeding categories, which was attributable to different farming conditions, physiological status and slaughter age. Based on the above-mentioned findings, better management strategies at different stages of the rabbit production chain seem to be a necessary way to manage resulting waste and address possible economic concerns.</p>

Stunning methods and slaughter of rabbits for human consumption

This opinion on the killing of rabbits for human consumption ('slaughtering') responds to two mandates: one from the European Parliament (EP) and the other from the European Commission. The opinion describes stunning methods for rabbits known to the experts in the EFSA working group, which can be used in commercial practice, and which are sufficiently described in scientific and technical literature for the development of an opinion. These are electrical stunning, mechanical stunning with a penetrative and non-penetrative captive bolt and gas stunning. The latter method is not allowed in the EU anymore following Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009, but may still be practiced elsewhere in the world. Related hazards and welfare consequences are also evaluated. To monitor stunning effectiveness as requested by the EP mandate, the opinion suggests the use of indicators for the state of consciousness, selected on the basis of their sensitivity, specificity and ease of use. Similarly, it suggests indicators to confirm animals are dead before dressing. For the European Commission mandate, slaughter processes were assessed from the arrival of rabbits in containers until their death, and grouped in three main phases: pre-stunning (including arrival, unloading of containers from the truck, lairage, handling/removing of rabbits from containers), stunning (including restraint) and bleeding (including bleeding following stunning and bleeding during slaughter without stunning). Ten welfare consequences resulting from the hazards that rabbits can be exposed to during slaughter are identified: consciousness, animal not dead, thermal stress (heat or cold stress), prolonged thirst, prolonged hunger, restriction of movements, pain, fear, distress and respiratory distress. Welfare consequences and relevant animal-based measures (indicators) are described. Outcome tables linking hazards, welfare consequences, indicators, origins, preventive and corrective measures are developed for each process. Mitigation measures to minimise welfare consequences are also proposed.

Pre-Slaughter Handling Implications on Rabbit Carcass and Meat Quality – A Review

Procedures that result in poor welfare of animals are unacceptable to many people. Consumers have become demanding about the quality of meat, but are also concerned about animal welfare during the production, transport, and slaughter stages. There is a well-known, clear relationship between animal welfare and the quality of animal products. Improper handling of farmed animals contributes to low meat quality. This rule refers to all animals raised for meat, including rabbits. Fasting, loading for transport, long distance transport in difficult environmental conditions, improper stocking density, lying down during transport, lairage, and stunning methods may negatively affect the quality of rabbit meat. A general conclusion from reviewed scientific articles is that many pre-slaughter factors influence the physiological and productive measurements of rabbits, through the effect on their welfare. Because of the complexity of the rabbit meat production chain, the possibility of excluding all the defined stressors is limited.