Pre-slaughter care, handling & transport of

meat animals including poultry

DR.GOPAL PATRA
DEPTT. OF LPT, F/O-VAS
WBUAFS
 Pre-slaughter Care of Animals
1. Pre-slaughter care and handling can markedly influence
the quality and quantity of meat.

2. Fatigued and excited animals are to be rested before

slaughter.

3. Inadequate rest period may reduce the keeping quality of

flesh.

4. Excited, stressed, fatigued, suffocated, bruised and injured

animals are not expected to yield whole some meat.

5. Excessive holding in lairages may increase the numbers of

certain organisms in animals.
 Resting in lairage
1. Rest before slaughter is essential to produce meat with
good keeping quality.
2. In relation to weight loss suffered during transit, it is
possible to restore this loss with adequate rest in many
cases, if not in all cases.
3. A period of 12-24 hours with a maximum of 36 hours
detention and rest in lairage is essential for such animals
before slaughter.
4. Factors that determine the duration of rest include:
-Species of animal
-Age, sex, class and condition of animal
-Time of the year
-Length of journey
-Method of transportation.
 Watering
Animals should receive ample drinking water
during their detention in the lairage.
1. Which lower the bacterial load in the intestine.

2. Facilitate easy removal of the hide or pelt during

dressing.

3. Prevents shrinkage losses in body

4. Improve the efficiency of stunning by electrical

means
 Feeding
1. Muscle glycogen is a desirable component of meat. Its
presence ensures an adequate amount of lactic acid
after slaughter and low pH.
2. Such meat possesses good appearance, taste,
tenderness and keeping quality.
3. Pre-slaughter feeding of easily digestible carbohydrates
(Molasses) to pigs showed restoration of muscle
glycogen and a subsequent low muscle pH.
4. Moreover feeding 1.3 Kg of sugar for three or more
days before slaughter of cattle and pigs has increased
daily weight gain, dressing percentage and liver weight.
 Fasting
It is a duty of inspector to ensure that they are
not presenting the animals for slaughter with
full stomachs because.

-Full stomach causes extensive contamination

of carcass and offal's if accidentally cuts.

-Wet hide and fleeces encourage the transfer

of fecal materials particularly to area such as
the shank, brisket and hocks.
 TRANSPORTATION OF LIVESTOCK INCLUDING POULTRY

1.Having produced healthy animals in good

condition and as clean as possible it is
necessary to keep them free from
contamination at the point of slaughter.

2. It is of equal importance to keep them free

from injury, stress, loss of weight and disease
during the journey.
 Mode of Transportation

1. On foot- Driving on Hoof

2. By Road – Trucking

3. By Rail

4. By Ship or Boat:
 1. On foot- Driving on Hoof
1. Animals reared within 8-10 Kms from the point of
slaughter can be driven on foot.

2. This distance should be covered in 4-5 hours.

3. The time can be adjusted in early morning during

summer and later morning during winter season.

4. It allows them to browse on indigenous grass or

shrubs and have access to water en route.
Source: Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules , 2001
FOOT TRANSPORTATION
FOOT TRANSPORTATION
 2. By Road – Trucking:
1. Transport by trucks is no doubt comfortable but
the vehicles should be suitably constructed.

2. Distance up to 500 Kms or 12-15 hours journey

may be negotiated by road truck.

3. If the journey requires to be continued for more

that 12 hrs, the animals should be unloaded and
offered sufficient feed and water.
 Vehicle design and facilities
1. Road vehicles must be of durable construction and provided with
fittings at intervals of not more than 1m along the sides of the vehicles.
2. Proper partition provided to separate unequal animals and which
should be at least 1.27 m high in case of cattle and 76 cm in case of
sheep/pigs.
3. There must be sufficient space between each floor and the roof in
multi-tier vehicles and should enable animals to stand upright and
allow proper circulation of air. Ideally it should be 1.98m.
4. Floors of trucks should be non-slippery. Floor of ramps must be fitted
with suitable patterns to prevent animals from slipping.
5. All vehicles having more than one floor must be provided with suitable
a lighting gears to move animal from one floor to another.
6. Tying points should be provided to secure animals, if necessary.
7. Vehicle interior surfaces including wheel arches must have no
projections liable to cause injuries.
 Separation of animals during transport
1. Cow with suckling calves and a bull over 10 m of
age.

2. Sow with piglets and a boar over 6m of age.

3. Secured and unsecured animals may not be

carried in the same undivided vehicle except
unweaned young with their mothers.

4. Cattle and swine shouldn’t be carried.

5. Horned & polled animals.

 Care of animals during road transport
1. Loading and unloading must be carried out in such a way that animals
are not injured.

2. It is essential that while transport animals don’t suffer exposure to

weather, inadequate ventilation etc.

3. Adequate and suitable feed and water must be offered to animals at

least every 12 hours during journey.

4. Unfit animals and those likely to give birth during journey are not
permitted to travel.

5. Any animal that becomes unfit must be taken without delay to the
nearest place for veterinary treatment or for slaughter.

6. Carcass must not be carried in vehicles in which live animal is being

carried.
TRANSPORTATION BY TRUCKS
TRANSPORTATION BY TRUCKS
TRANSPORTATION BY TRICYCLES
 3. By Rail
1. This is the most important means of transporting animals
and is carried out under specific regulation.

2. Specially constructed wagons meant for transport of

animals are used especially for distance of above 500kms.

3. Animals must be provided with adlib feed and water at

least an hour before the journey commences.

4. Arrangement should be made to unload the animals after

about every 1000km and offer feed and water before
reloading.

5. This mode ensures comparatively less losses on account

of shrinkage and death.
 4. By Ship or Boat

1. Ships are used only for international

transport.

2. The transportation of food animals by boat

comes into consideration from across the
sea.
 HANDLING AND TRANSPORTATION OF POULTRY

1. Crates, coops or cages are used in vans.

2. Prevents overcrowding & suffocation.
3. Loading of birds is carried out in dim light
(morning or late evening).
4. Transportation of birds in cool period prevents
excessive shrinkage.
5. Bulk weighing of birds.
6. Shrinkage of 3-4% during transportation.
7. Birds should be kept off feed for 12 hrs before
slaughter.
 Pre-Slaughter handling of animals
1. Handling of animals should conform to humane standards at every
stage.

2. It will safeguard the animal welfare as well as meat quality

3. Rough handling of animals before slaughter can result in several

physiological stresses.

4. Loading and unloading operation have to be prompt.

5. Pre-slaughter shearing and washing of sheep is quite stressful and

leads to bruises.

6. Lairage serves as a resting ground for the tired and stressed

animals.
HUMANE HANDLING ?
I AM YOUR FOOD, DO I DESERVE THIS TREATMENT ?
 Floor space Requirement

1. Pig – 0.42 m2 (4 ½ square ft.)

2. Sheep/Goat – 0.255 m2 (2 ¾ square ft.)

3. Calves – 0.325 m2 (3 ½ square ft.)

4. Cattle – 0.51 m2 (16 ¼ square ft.)

General Affections of Transport and Movement of Livestock
Stress : Leads to DFD beef and PSE pork

Bruising : Due to improper loading, unloading and care during

transport.

Trampling : This occurs when animals go down due to slippery floors

or overcrowding.

Suffocation : This usually follows on trampling and improper

vehicle design.

Heart failure : Occurs mostly in pigs when overfed prior to loading

and transportation.

Heat stroke : High environment temperatures and humidity- Pigs

are often susceptible.
Sun burn : Exposure to sun affects pigs seriously
Bloat : Restraining ruminants or tying their feet without
turning them
Poisoning : Animals can die from plant poisoning during
trekking on hoof
Predation : Unguarded animals moving on the hoof may be
attacked
Dehydration : Animals subject to long distance travel
without proper watering will suffer weight loss and may die
Exhaustion : May occur for many reasons including advance
pregnancy and in young ones
Injuries : Broken legs, horns
Fighting : This occurs mostly when a vehicle loaded with
different species of animal, or amongst horned and polled cattle.
Mortality : Inadequate ventilation and undue stress
Shrinkage : Loss of weight due to improper care of animals
i.e. feeding and watering
 EFFECT OF TRANSPORT ON MEAT ANIMALS
1. Stress and Fatigue: It effects of meat quality. These
conditions may at time lead to shipping fever and transit
tetany. Shipping fever develops due to pasteurella and
requires proper treatment.
2. Loss of weight or shrinkage: It takes place due to
dehydration and depletion of muscles glycogen during the
period of journey.
3. Bruises: Bruises are noticed in most of the species due to
transportation. The instances are particularly high in sheep
and pigs.
4. Death: It may occur during long transportation. Sheep and
pigs are particularly susceptible if animals of unequal age
and size in road trucks without partition due to suffocation.