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Bruises in culled cows: when, where and how are they inflicted?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2012

A. C. Strappini ,
J. H. M. Metz ,
C. Gallo ,
K. Frankena ,
R. Vargas ,
I. de Freslon  and
B. Kemp
A. C. Strappini*
Affiliation:
Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
J. H. M. Metz
Affiliation:
Farm Technology Group, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
C. Gallo
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
K. Frankena
Affiliation:
Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
R. Vargas
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
I. de Freslon
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
B. Kemp
Affiliation:
Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
*
E-mail: anastrappini@uach.cl
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Abstract

In Chile, cow carcasses present the highest bruise prevalence compared with other cattle categories; however, the causes of the bruises are frequently unknown. In this study, 52 cull cows were transported to the slaughterhouse in three batches under identical transport conditions. A combination of direct observation and video analyses was used to determine moment, pre-slaughter stage and cause of potential bruising events during the period from loading on the farm until stunning at the slaughterhouse. After slaughter, number of bruises, location on the carcass and characteristics of the bruises were assessed. Seventy-eight bruises were observed on 37 carcasses. Fifty-two bruises were linked back to their causal event. Results showed that 46% of these bruises were a result of interactions between animal and facility, and most of them were inflicted in the stunning box, 27% of the bruises originated from animal–animal interactions and were mostly inflicted during lairage, another 27% was a result of human–animal interactions and were mostly inflicted during loading and unloading of animals. The percentages of potential bruising events resulting in a bruise were 43%, 9% and less than 1% for animal–facility, human–animal and animal–animal interactions, respectively. Most bruises on the back site were inflicted when the animal was in the stunning box (91.2%), whereas bruises on the pin site were mostly (75%) inflicted during loading at the farm. One may conclude that in relative short journeys (⩽4 h) directly from farm to the slaughterhouse and long lairage times (>12 h), most bruises are the result of circumstances at the slaughterhouse. A substantial amount of these bruises could be avoided by proper animal handling and adequate stunning facilities.

Keywords

bruisescowstransportpre-slaughter handling
Type
Behaviour, welfare and health
Information
animal , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , March 2013 , pp. 485 - 491
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2012

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