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Schneidewind SJ, Langforth S, Meemken D. Animal welfare at German abattoirs: insights into the occurrence of violations against laws and regulations from official veterinarians and judicial decisions. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1354039. [PMID: 38511193 PMCID: PMC10951995 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1354039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction This study investigated the occurrence of various animal welfare violations at German abattoirs by analyzing the results of an anonymous online survey and relevant German court decisions. Methods The survey targeted official veterinarians (OVs) and other individuals responsible for enforcing animal welfare laws and regulations at German abattoirs. Participants were asked to report the five most common animal welfare violations in their workplaces during the past 3 years (2019-2021), and whether 22 specific given violations had occurred or not (in the same timeframe). The court decisions were examined to determine how many abattoirs were penalized for a specific animal welfare violation and the details about the number and species of affected animals. Results Overall, the violations examined throughout this study fell into one of the following categories: (1) use of prohibited driving aids (e.g., illicit use of electric prods, or hitting/beating animals); (2) inadequate husbandry in lairage; (3) inappropriate handling of animals with special care needs; (4) improper restraint, stunning, and bleeding of animals; and (5) unqualified task execution/inadequate administrative work (e.g., documentation of a violation). The violations analyzed in the scope of this study most frequently fell into categories 1, 2, and 4. Regarding the five violations that survey participants reported to be the most common in the years 2019-2021, 42.6% of responses (N = 277 reported violations) fell into category 4, followed closely by category 1 with 37.9%. Of the 22 violations surveyed in the second part of the survey, those reported by 50.0% or more participants were concentrated in categories 1, 2, and 4. Regarding the 16 relevant court rulings spanning from 2015 to 2022, the most frequently documented instances of misconduct primarily fell into category 1. Discussion The collected data suggest that there may be need for improvements regarding compliance with animal welfare legislation, especially concerning categories 1, 2, and 4. The authors suggest OVs to consider these findings when conducting monitoring activities at abattoirs and in the training and education of abattoir personnel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Janet Schneidewind
- Working Group Meat Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior, and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susann Langforth
- Working Group Meat Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Diana Meemken
- Working Group Meat Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Suba-Bokodi É, Nagy I, Molnár M. The Impact of Transportation on the Cortisol Level of Dwarf Rabbits Bred to Animal-Assisted Interventions. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:664. [PMID: 38473049 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: the popularity of rabbits has increased during the last decade and become the third most common companion animal in the EU. Rabbits' participation in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs) is growing. It is highly important to ensure the well-being of the animals in AAIs. Whereas the needs and the advantages of people involved in AAI are becoming more and more evident, the needs of animals are not clearly defined, therefore, it is a great field of inquiry. Animals who are used for AAI need to be transported regularly, which itself might be a source of stress. (2) Methods: the stress of rabbits-caused by transportation-was measured in a non-invasive way: cortisol levels were determined from feces, based on their breakdown products. Eighteen animals were involved in the study. Rabbits experienced a 30 min transportation every second day for two weeks (altogether six times) while 126 samples were collected. (3) Results: rabbits could handle the transportation procedure the first time but subsequently the stress hormone metabolites in feces samples increased regardless of the offered treatments (hay, carrot and apple) during the carriage. (4) Conclusions: those owners who use rabbits for Animal-Assisted Interventions need to take into account that transportation itself is a stressful experience for the animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éva Suba-Bokodi
- Institute of Animal Husbandry, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 40. Guba S. u., 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - István Nagy
- Institute of Animal Husbandry, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 40. Guba S. u., 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Marcell Molnár
- Institute of Animal Husbandry, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 40. Guba S. u., 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary
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Čobanović N, Čalović S, Suvajdžić B, Grković N, Stanković SD, Radaković M, Spariosu K, Karabasil N. Consequences of Transport Conditions on the Welfare of Slaughter Pigs with Different Health Status and RYR-1 Genotype. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:191. [PMID: 38254360 PMCID: PMC10812478 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
This study assessed the influence of transport conditions on welfare indicators of slaughter pigs with different health status and RYR-1 genotype. The group of pigs, predominantly consisting of Nn (56.67%) and subclinically diseased (60.00%) individuals, that were exposed to short transportation (<30 min) at high loading density (~235 kg/m2) had the highest slipping (p < 0.0001), falling (p = 0.0009), turning back (p < 0.0001), reluctance to move (p < 0.0001), panting (p < 0.0001) and shivering (p < 0.0001) frequencies at unloading. Subclinically diseased Nn pigs subjected to short transportation (<30 min) and high loading density (~235 kg/m2) had the highest lactate (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001), glucose (p = 0.0450 and p = 0.0002), CK (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0010), LDH (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0484), AST (p = 0.0208 and p = 0.0170), ALT (p = 0.0500 and p = 0.00081), ceruloplasmin (p = 0.0334 and p < 0.0001) and MDA (p = 0.0048 and p < 0.0001) concentrations, but the lowest sodium (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001), chloride (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0432), albumin (p < 0.0090 and p < 0.0001), PON-1 (p = 0.0122 and p = 0.0500) and GSH (p = 0.0042 and p = 0.0340) levels, respectively. In the group consisting of of stress-resistant (100%) and predominantly healthy (60.00%) pigs subjected to short transportation (<30 min) at high loading density (~235 kg/m2), none of the individuals showed irregular behavioural reactions during unloading. Healthy NN pigs that underwent short transportation (<30 min) at high loading density (~235 kg/m2) had the lowest lactate (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001), glucose (p = 0.0450 and p = 0.0002), CK (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0010), LDH (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0484) and ceruloplasmin (p = 0.0334 and p < 0.0001) levels, but the highest sodium (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001) and chloride (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0432) concentrations, respectively. In conclusion, the most compromised welfare was recorded in subclinically diseased Nn pigs exposed to short transportation (<30 min) and high loading density (~235 kg/m2), while under the same conditions, the welfare of healthy NN pigs was not compromised. Therefore, stress-carrier pigs with subclinical pathological lesions should not be considered fit for transportation, indicating that the health status and genotype are the key factors for optimising pig welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Čobanović
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.S.); (N.G.); (N.K.)
| | - Sara Čalović
- Department of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Branko Suvajdžić
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.S.); (N.G.); (N.K.)
| | - Nevena Grković
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.S.); (N.G.); (N.K.)
| | - Sanja Dj Stanković
- Center for Medical Biochemistry, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Milena Radaković
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobođenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.R.); (K.S.)
| | - Kristina Spariosu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobođenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.R.); (K.S.)
| | - Nedjeljko Karabasil
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.S.); (N.G.); (N.K.)
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Eichler F, Duckwitz V, Isbrandt R, Nicolaisen S, Langkabel N, Wiegard M, Meemken D, Thöne-Reineke C, Doherr MG. Opportunities to Improve Animal Welfare during Transport and Slaughter of Cattle and Pigs through Staff Training-Results of a Delphi Survey. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3859. [PMID: 38136896 PMCID: PMC10740533 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
To improve animal welfare for cattle and pigs during transport and at slaughter, online training modules for all staff including employees in the lairage pen, the slaughter line as well as animal welfare officers are developed at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. Before starting the development of these modules, an expert elicitation survey using a modified Delphi approach was performed to identify action points considered most relevant for animal welfare during transport and slaughter, and as having the potential for improvement through training. In total, 49 participating experts rated predetermined action points of each step in the transport and slaughter process in two survey rounds. The rating scale included numbers 0 (='not relevant', respectively 'no possibility of improvement') to 10 (='very relevant', respectively 'very high possibility of improvement'). None of the action points were rated with a median score of less than 5. Assessment of fitness for transport, unloading at the abattoir, handling at stunning and exsanguination were amongst the highest rated action points, and were therefore selected to develop online training modules. The Delphi approach was seen as a valuable method to include external expertise to select the most relevant action points for the development of online training modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Eichler
- Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Veronica Duckwitz
- Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rudi Isbrandt
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Svea Nicolaisen
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Langkabel
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mechthild Wiegard
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Diana Meemken
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christa Thöne-Reineke
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus G. Doherr
- Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
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Song D, Lee J, Kim K, Song M, Oh H, Chang S, An J, Park S, Jeon K, Kim H, Cho J. Effects of driving style and bedding in pigs transported to slaughterhouse in different temperatures. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2023; 65:878-889. [PMID: 37970499 PMCID: PMC10640947 DOI: 10.5187/jast.2023.e73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Animal welfare during transport became an largely issue because of increasing demand for improved animal welfare standards. Most studies on the animal welfare during transportation have concentrated on the atmosphere and the temperature of the truck compartments. Thus, the objective of study was to collect and quantify three axis acceleration and determine the effect of bedding for transporting pigs from farm to slaughterhouse. A total of 2,840 crossbred fattening pigs with a live weight of approximately 115 kg were used. They were raised in the same commercial farms and transported to the same commercial slaughterhouse. A 3×2×2 completely randomized factorial design was used to investigate effects of rubber type bedding (bedding or non-bedding) and two levels of driving style (aggressive or normal) in three different time periods with different outside temperatures. Air temperature treatments were as follow: high temperature ([HT] higher than 24°C); low temperature ([LT] lower than 10°C); normal temperature ([NT] 10°C to 24°C). In our experiment, pigs transported under aggressive driving style showed lower (p < 0.05) pH and water holding capacity (WHC) than those transported under normal driving style. Pigs transported under normal driving style showed a lower percentage of drip loss (DL) (p < 0.05) than those transported with an aggressive driving style. Also, transported with bedding showed higher (p < 0.05) lying behavior but lower (p < 0.05) sitting behavior than those transported without bedding. Pigs transported under normal driving style showed lower (p < 0.05) cortisol level than those transported under aggressive driving style. In conclusion, aggressive driving style cause acute stress in pigs, while bedding helps alleviate acute stress in pigs during transportation in LT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongcheol Song
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk
National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Jihwan Lee
- Department of Poultry Science, University
of Georgia (UGA), Athens, 30602, USA
| | - Kangheung Kim
- Department of Food Marketing and Safety,
Kunkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Minho Song
- Division of Animal and Dairy Science,
Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Hanjin Oh
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk
National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Seyeon Chang
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk
National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Jaewoo An
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk
National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Sehyun Park
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk
National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Kyeongho Jeon
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk
National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Hyeunbum Kim
- Department of Animal Resource and Science,
Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
| | - Jinho Cho
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk
National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
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