The effect of two different lactation environments on the development of pig behaviour was examined at weaning and on days 1, 8, 15 and 57 post weaning. Ten focal indoor-bred pigs and 10 focal outdoor-bred pigs were weaned and mixed together into a group of 60 to 80 mixed indoor- and outdoor-bred pigs. There were six replicate groups. Scans of all focal animals were made using time sampling with a 2-min interval, for 3·0 h immediately following weaning and from 06:00 to 11:00 h on days 1, 8, 15 and 57 post weaning. All pens were straw bedded with two different types of feeder system: one seven-space ad libitum hopper and two rooting-action feeders each accommodating up to four piglets at one time.From weaning to day 1 post weaning, outdoor-bred pigs were observed to feed more than were indoor-bred pigs (115·6 v. 97·0 observations per pen per day, P < 0·05, s.e.d. = 1·18). From days 8 to 57 post weaning, outdoor-bred pigs were observed to root more than were indoor-bred pigs (22·5 v. 14·7 observations per pen per day, P < 0·05, s.e.d. = 1·22). These findings support the hypothesis that the lactation environment has a significant effect on the behaviour of pigs in their subsequent growing environment. However, such effects appear not to lead to differences in carcass weights, rigor following dressing or carcass blemish at slaughter.

A survey was conducted at five UK abattoirs to trace the source of dirty beef cattle and identify factors in the production chain that contributed to their dirtiness. The Meat Hygiene Service Clean Livestock score categories were used and the animals' histories were traced back to their farm of origin. Comprehensive information was collected relating to the farm, transport and lairage phases for 675 cattle from 85 batches. The mean score of the animals on arrival at the abattoir was 1.57, with 2.8 per cent in categories 3 and 4, and none in category 5. Regression analysis, blocking the data by farm of origin, revealed that age, feed type, coat length, clipping, journey distance and time, and abattoir were the six principal factors that affected the scores. Cattle under 20 months of age were cleaner than older cattle. Dry diets resulted in lower scores than wet diets. 'Shorthair' cattle were cleaner than 'medium' or 'longhair' cattle, and cattle which had been clipped were cleaner than unclipped animals. The cattle which had travelled over 150 miles (15 per cent) were dirtier than the others. Within each abattoir there were variations in score between 1 and 4, and the mean scores of the five abattoirs ranged from 1.19 to 1.76. A significant part of this variation could only be accounted for by unmeasured variables such as abattoir management practice, assessors' categorisations and climate.

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Many cases of food-borne illness in the UK are related to the consumption of contaminated meat products. This has highlighted the importance of adopting hygienic procedures throughout the meat production chain, including the farm environment (Pennington, 2000). Many factors are known to affect the hygienic condition of finished cattle (Davies et al., 2000) and various husbandry practices may be used to improve cleanliness at slaughter. Feed withdrawal, for example, may be used to reduce faecal output and improve the visible cleanliness of hides. However, the extent to which this impacts upon microbiological contamination of the hide, and its effects on pathogen levels following transport to the abattoir remain to be determined. This study investigated the interactive effects of feeding a straw-only diet prior to transport and journey time on the microbiological status of cattle faeces and hides.

The constraints upon the sow-piglet relationship differ markedly between husbandry systems. Within the farrowing crate the sow and the piglets are physically unable to remove themselves from one another. In most outdoor farrowing systems the sow must remove herself from her litter in order to feed and drink and, where piglets are successfully restrained within the farrowing hut, may spend a significant proportion of her time seperated from the litter. Frequently piglets are not successfully restrained and from the first week after farrowing will spend time following the sow. The aim of this experiment was to examine whether the constraints upon the access of the piglets to the sow in the neonatal environment effect the post-weaning behaviour of piglets.