AT THE ARRIVAL TO THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE

ARRIVAL TO THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, UNLOADING AND LAIRAGING Moving (handling) animals from one place to another is the main activity after arrival to the slaughterhouse What are the three main reactions of animals when moved (handled)? Flight Fight Freeze

UNLOADING OF CATTLE DESENHO DA RAMPA DE DESEMBARQUE Source WSPA Steps

UNLOADING

TIRED CATTLE

POOR DESIGNS TO BE AVOIDED

UNLOADING FACILITIES NON SLIPPERY FLOORS

LOADING RAMPS CENTRE OF GRAVITY Loading Unloading Time in sec. Angle of ramp in degrees

UNLOADING OF SHEEP

DESIGN OF FACILITIES FOR SHEEP

Source WSPA Steps FLOORS AND Foto: Temple Grandin SIDEWALLS

Falls = 1% Slips = 3% SLIPS AND FALLS

VIDEO - SLIPS AND FALLS Source WSPA Steps

SLIPPERY FLOORS

LEAVE CATTLE ENOUGH TIME TO GET OUT OFF THE LORRY

ANTI SLIPPERY FLOORS (VIDEO)

POORLY DESIGNED RAMP (VIDEO)

VERY GOOD HANDLING WITH AIR (VIDEO)

GOOD UNLOADING (VIDEO)

UNLOADING OF SHEEP

HANDLING PRINCIPLES IN UNLOADING

HANDLING PRINCIPLES Unload in groups Leave animals to have enough time to observe environment and leave lorry in their own pace Use flight zone and point of balance principles Use humane handling tools Move from darker to lighter area Remove any distractions Do not force animals that move slowly to move faster Unloading of agitated cattle is more challenging and timely

ANTE MORTEM INSPECTION In terms of both animal welfare and public health, animals should to arrive at the slaughterhouse: Free from blemishes and injury Free from disease Unstressed as much as possible.

WHAT A HEALTHY ANIMAL LOOKS LIKE?

A HEALTHY ANIMAL Clean coat, head up, alert with clean eyes and a moist nose No discharges from the eyes or nose or excessive drooling from the mouth Excreta is fairly thick consistency and free from blood Urine is straw coloured Cattle walk easily without sign of lameness or staggering, bearing weight on all four limbs No coughing or wheezing with a normal quiet breathing pattern Active interest in immediate surroundings No groaning, teeth grinding, kicking belly, arching back No abnormal lumps, lesions, sores, bruises, marks or open wounds Healthy pink skin and gums No signs of heat or cold stress

FITNESS TO SLAUGHTER Working groups session

IMMOBILE ANIMALS

INJURED AND IMMOBILE ANIMALS

EMERGENCY SLAUGHTER OF DOWNER CATTLE Source WSPA Steps

ANIMAL THAT IS UNABLE TO MOVE MUST NEVER BE DRAGGED

1º 2º EMERGENCY KILLING WITH STUNNING 3º Source WSPA Steps

ANIMALS UNABLE TO MOVE Source: HSA, 2006

TIRED ANIMALS

VIDEO - FITNESS TO SLAUGHTER Source WSPA Steps

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PRE SLAUGHTER PHASES Loading Transport Unloading Vykadanie Lairage Handling to stun Stunning Sticking Stressful - Positive +

LAIRAGING KEEPING ANIMALS IN HOLDING PENS Main function to safeguard continuous supply of animals It is generally considered that cattle can be transported (in some climates) around 18 hours without an access to feed and water Fasting period (from food withdrawal at the farm till slaughter) can be flexible, however long fasting with heat stress and poor transport can trigger maturation of meat towards the DFD meat How long cattle should be kept in the lairages? Minimum time of resting?

SHEEP IN LAIRAGES Knowles et al. (1993) studied effects of 9 and 14 hr of road transport recovery after transport, in lairage, required 24 hrs for dehydration and 96 hrs for liveweight. high levels of plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate, free fatty acids and urea, indicated that the animals were in a catabolic state. Knowles (1998) reported that complete recovery from 14 hr of transport stress takes almost 5 days. Ii is not economical to keep sheep in a lairage for full time recovery, After 2-3 hours period to settle down and drink animals should be slaughtered

THREE KEY FUNCTIONS FROM AW POINT OF VIEW To provide a space for rest To provide a water (maybe food if necessary) To protect animals from adverse weather Cattle transported for up to 24 hours spend first 20 minutes exploring the new environment, drinking and mounting each other. If there are new animals in the lairage fighting starts soon Progressive decrease of activities can be observed after 40 minutes. Activity was longest in those animals transported furthest.

VIDEO FIRST MOMENTS IN THE LAIRAGE

FASTING OF PIGS + ve - less spillage of gut in evisceration and less waste - empty stomach and guts (easy to eviscerate and process) - lower mortality in transport (motion sickness, vomiting and aspiration) -ve - higher bacterial contamination (Salmonella) of guts and contamination of other animals - More frequent occurrence of DFD meat - fasting over 20 hours - lowers carcass weight as liver glycogen is used and pig starts to metabolize fat reserves - changes structure and size of liver - Optimal time of fasting AROUND 12-18 hours

DESIGN OF LAIRAGES FOR SHEEP

DESIGN AND USE OF LAIRAGES Non slippery floors, Water has to be provided ad libitum at all times At least 20 % of animals should be able to drink at same time All animals should be able to lay comfortably down in one time and rest Preferable shape of pens is rectangular with one side longer than other - to support movement and handling (in and out) Space of 2,5m2 for a 450 kg cattle is recommended by experts when kept overnight Optimum capacity of each pen should be 15 animals Aggressive animals should be separated from the group Groups should not be mixed

PROTECTION FROM SUNSHINE Source WSPA Steps

WATER THROUGHS

DENSITY Source WSPA Steps 2,5m² / 450Kg

Source WSPA Steps COOLING BY WATER (MIST)

ENTRANCES TO PENS (FLIGHTY ANIMALS) Source WSPA Steps

RACEWAYS TO POINT OF RESTRAINT

DESIGN

TEMPLE GRANDIN HANDLING SYSTEMS

LAIRAGE

THERMOREGULATION AND HEAT STRESS

HEAT STRESS

VIDEO THERMAL STRESS

WATER IN THE LAIRAGES

PIGS NOT USED TO DRINK FROM NIPPLE DRINKERS

MIXING PIGS FROM DIFFERENT FARMS

SPACE All animals must be able to lie down comfortably at once and rest i.e 0,6 m2 per animal ( 105 kg weight) May change according to season and weight

DESIGN OF LAIRAGES (HOLDING PENS) FOR PIGS Passing through design Non slippery floors, well lit Pens should have full side walls (best material is concrete) Water has to be provided ad libitum at all times All animals should be able to lay comfortably down in one time and rest Preferable shape of pens is rectangular - pigs do like push their backs towards the walls and cool down Space of 0,6 m2 for 105 kg weight is recommended Optimum capacity of the pen should not exceed 25-30 pigs

OPTIMAL DESIGN OF LAIRAGE

SHEEP LAIRAGE DESIGN 2

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Organisation mondiale de la santé animale World Organisation for Animal Health Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal 12 rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, France - www.oie.int oie@oie.int