Effects of Housing, Short Distance Transport and Lairage on Meat Quality of Finisher Pigs

Abstract

Transport and associated handling can have adverse effects on pig welfare and meat quality. The purpose of the study was to determine (the variation of) effects of farm management, climate parameters, transport and lairage conditions on the meat quality of fattening pigs, heterozygous for the halothane gene. A total of 4763 fattening pigs were transported from 1 farm to a commercial slaughterhouse (distance 110 km) in 121 transports. From 2404 carcasses, carcass temperature and pH were measured 45 min post-mortem; 48 hours post-mortem pH, electrical conductivity, drip loss and meat color were registered. During the raising period sex, conditions at weaning (purchased or not as piglet, vaccination against mycoplasma) and (type of) pen during fattening (i.e., from about 22 kg to 105 kg) were registered to relate with pork quality. Transport season, weather parameters, regrouping or not during loading, transport combination (truck, trailer and driver), transport compartment and transport conditions (loading density, transport duration and unloading time) were monitored. At the slaughterhouse, duration of lairage and carcass conformation were followed up to examine correlations with meat quality parameters. Effects of farm management, climate parameters during transport, transport and slaughterhouse conditions on pork quality were demonstrated. Specifically, reducing lung lesions by vaccination during raising, no mixing of pigs during the transport process, sufficient lairage time and transporting no extreme muscled pigs can improve meat quality.

Impact of Procedures and Human-Animal Interactions during Transport and Slaughter on Animal Welfare of Pigs: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Regarding pig transport, there were different potential factors and procedures influencing animal welfare [ 2 ] and, indirectly, the meat quality [ 26 , 27 ].…”

“…Drivers can induce stress in pigs during different transport steps, because they are also present during loading and unloading [ 27 ]. The evaluation of truck drivers and their behaviour by using meat quality parameters is challenging as these parameters were influenced by many factors [ 27 ].…”

“…Drivers can induce stress in pigs during different transport steps, because they are also present during loading and unloading [ 27 ]. The evaluation of truck drivers and their behaviour by using meat quality parameters is challenging as these parameters were influenced by many factors [ 27 ]. It was shown that low average vehicle speed resulted in higher blood cortisol and creatine kinase (CK) levels, showing that pigs were more stressed, even after relatively short transport durations of up to 90 min [ 30 ].…”

“…Lower stocking density during transport was related to higher meat pH 48h [ 27 ]. Moreover, higher pH 30min values could result if the stocking density ranged from 196 to 256 kg/m 2 [ 17 , 18 ].…”

Fasting Finisher Pigs before Slaughter Influences Pork Safety, Pork Quality and Animal Welfare

“…However, pigs at other stages of production probably need specific considerations during transport, due to their physiological conditions or age [74]. It is well known that there is a correlation between the conformation (i.e., muscled) and body condition of pigs and meat quality [75]. More research about the need and impact of fasting on cull sows and boars is needed.…”