Malena M., E. Voslářová, A. Kozák, P. Bělobrádek, I. Bedáňová, L. Steinhauser, V. Večerek: Comparison of Mortality Rates in Different Categories of Pigs and Cattle during Transport for Slaughter. Acta Vet. Brno 2007, 76: S109 -S116.The death of animals during transport for slaughter is a major factor indicating the level of welfare in transported animals. However, research data that report the level of animal welfare as reflected in transport-related mortality rates of individual animal species and categories are missing. The present study focused on losses of pigs and cattle in the period from 1997 to 2006. Transport-related mortality rates were recorded by species and categories of animals and also for the following travel distances: up to 50 km, 51-100 km, 101-200 km, 201-300 km, and over 300 km. Rates differed according to species and category. The highest mortality rates were found in young sows, sows, and boars (0.2562%) followed by fattened pigs (0.1075%), excluded dairy cows (0.0396%), calves (0.0269%), and fattened cattle (0.0069%). Significant differences were found among mortality rates (p < 0.05). The lowest mortality rates occurred with shorter travel distances (< 50 km and 51-100 km) when compared to long travel distances (101-200 km, 201-300 km and > 300 km), with a significant difference (p < 0.05) between short and long travel distances being found in fattened pigs, fattened cattle and dairy cows. Mortality rates in animals during transport for slaughter show young sows, sows, and boars to be the most susceptible to transport-related stress, followed by fattened pigs, dairy cows, and calves, whereas the highest resistance was observed in fattened cattle.

Objective For many generations, most species of farm animals have been subjected to intense and strictly targeted selection for improvement of their performance traits. This has led to substantial changes in animal anatomy and physiology, which resulted in considerable differences between the current animal breeds and their wild ancestors. The aim of the study was to determine whether there is breed-specific variability in behaviour as well as differences in emotional reactivity and preferences of laying hens. Methods The investigations involved 50 Green-legged Partridge, 50 Polbar, and 50 Leghorn hens. All birds were kept in the same conditions, and the behavioural tests were carried out at 30 weeks of age. We used the tonic immobility test and a modified open-field test including such objects as water, commercial feed, feed enriched with cereal grains, finely cut straw, and insect larvae, a sandpit, a mirror, and a shelter imitating a hen nest. Results The research results demonstrate that the birds of the analysed breeds differ not only in the excitability and emotional reactivity but, importantly, also in the preferences for environment-enriching elements. Ensuring hens’ well-being should therefore be based on environmental modifications that will facilitate acquisition of essential elements of chickens’ behaviour. The greatest emotional reactivity was found in the Leghorn breed, which may be a result of correlated selection aimed at an increase in chicken productivity. Conclusion The differences in the behaviour of the birds from the analysed breeds indicate that laying hens cannot be regarded as one group of animals with the same environmental requirements.

The aim of the study was to associate behavioural reactions of laying hens with the level of stress and to answer the question whether it is possible to select reactions that will facilitate phenotypic assessment of the level of stress in these birds. The investigations were carried out in 50 Green-legged Partridge, 50 Polbar and 50 Leghorn birds. A modified open-field test (MOFT) and a tonic immobility test were applied. Next, the quality of feathers was evaluated and the level of corticosterone in the feathers was determined. The corticosterone level was assessed in relation to the genetic group and feather quality and in relation to the probability of the presence/absence of specific physiological-behavioural reactions. The analysis of the results revealed no correlations between the corticosterone level in the feathers and the quality of the feathers. In turn, there was a correlation between the hen breed and the corticosterone level in the feathers: a significant difference was found between Zk and Pb hens. It was demonstrated that the corticosterone level was significantly higher in birds that exhibited such behaviours as preening in the open-field test. To sum up the results, it can be concluded that such behaviours as feather preening and latency until tonic immobility occurs can be indicators of stress in laying hens. HIGHLIGHTSThere was a correlation between the breed and the corticosterone level in the feathers: there was a significant difference between the Green-legged Partridge (3.97 ± 0.17) and Polbar (4.50 ± 0.19) hens. No significant correlations were found between the corticosterone level and the behavioural reactivity in the analysed hens. It was demonstrated that the corticosterone level was significantly higher in birds that exhibited self-grooming behaviours in the open-field test (4.61) than in hens that did not show such behaviours (3.91). ARTICLE HISTORY

ABSTRACT:Poor welfare is the cause of high mortality among hens and roosters transported to poultry processing plants. In the Czech Republic, death rates among hens and roosters in transport to poultry slaughter plants were monitored between 1997 and 2004, and their total mortality rate was in the 0.925% ± 0.479% range. Death rates among hens and roosters were influenced by the transport distance to poultry processing plants. The percentage of dead birds increased from 0.592% ± 0.575% at transport distances up to 50 km to 1.638% ± 0.952% at transport distances up to 300 km. The bird mortality was also influenced by the season of the year. Higher mortality rates were ascertained during the cold months of the year, specifically in October through to April.

Numbers of food animal carcasses classified as capable for human consumption (edible), capable for processing (conditionally edible) and condemned belong among important parameters of health status of animals both on farm level and at slaughterhouses. The figures relating to these parameters were monitored at slaughterhouses during the periods of 1989 to 1994 and 1995 to 2000. Relative numbers of food animal carcasses classified as edible increased during the period of 1995 to 2000 in comparison to the period of 1989 to 1994 in different species as follows: in cows from 77.14 to 79.48%, in heifers from 83.06 to 92.49%, in bulls from 89.62 to 95.52%, in calves from 49.20 to 63.76%, in pigs from 95.13 to 97.27%, in sheep from 93.08 to 98.08%, in goats from 68.40 to 93.08%, in horses from 64.67 to 84.41%, in chickens from 97.06 to 98.48%, in hens from 94.41 to 95.16%, in turkeys from 97.41 to 98.00%, in ducks and geese from 98.70 to 99.13% and in rabbits from 83.95 to 93.64%. The increase was proven to be statistically significant in all species, production and age groups of food animals. It can be concluded that health status of food animals at slaughter has significantly improved during the recent period in all species, production and age groups included in the study. Best health status was currently found in chickens, ducks and geese, followed by turkeys, hens, sheep, pigs, bulls, rabbits, heifers and goats. On the other hand, poor health status was found in horses, cows and especially in calves.