Farm animal welfare during transport and at the slaughterhouse : perceptions of slaughterhouse employees, livestock drivers, and veterinarians

Lipovšek, Maja (author), Kirbiš, Andrej (author), Tomažič, Iztok (author), Dovč, Alenka (author), Križman, Manja (author)

Animal welfare is a multidimensional concept that includes several physical and psychological parameters of the animal. The aim of this study was to assess animal welfare during transportation and in Slovenian beef, pork, and poultry slaughterhouses. A questionnaire was used for this study. Several parameters of animal welfare were rated on a 5-point scale, such as health status, animal behavior, lairage or transport vehicle conditions, and driver regulation compliance. The scale was also used for the second part of the study. This consisted of two studies: (1) self-assessment by slaughterhouse employees and livestock transport drivers and (2) animal welfare observational assessment performed by two veterinarians. The results were compared with each other. Ten large slaughterhouses and nine livestock drivers took part in the survey. The results showed that slaughterhouse employees knew more about animal welfare than livestock truck drivers, but both groups were not sufficiently familiar with animal welfare laws and regulations. This study found that the experts’ assessments were generally lower than the self-assessments of employees and livestock drivers. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that there is a need to improve the awareness and knowledge of slaughterhouse employees and livestock drivers regarding animal handling and animal welfare regulations.

• Language: English
• Keywords: abattoirs, animal welfare, legislation, veterinary medicine
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty; BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 3, art. 443
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-154198
• UDC: 636.09:614
• ISSN on article: 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani14030443
• COBISS.SI-ID: 183054083
• Publication date in RUL: 31.01.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Animals
• Shortened title: Animals
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-2615
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519120409

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 31.01.2024

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: V4-2024
• Name: Reja domačih živali z nadgradnjo dobrobiti živali v skladu z družbenimi zahtevami

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0092
• Name: Zdravje živali, okolje in varna hrana