Transportation of food Animals
Jessy Bagh1, Pragya Joshi2 and Annada Das3
1Department of Livestock Production & Management, College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha – 751003;
2 One Health Support Unit, Confederation of Indian Industry- Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru, Karnataka- 560017; 3 Department of Livestock Products Technology, Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal-700037;
Introduction
Transportation and handling of food animals are important components in animal production systems. The different animals have been transported ever since the animals were domesticated. Most animals will be transported at least once in their lifetime. These animals need to be moved for a number of reasons including marketing, slaughter, re-stocking, from drought areas to better grazing and change of ownership. Transport, means the movement of animals effected by one or means of transport and the related operations including the period immediately before loading, including any waiting periods, loading, transfer, rest periods and unloading at the place of destination (BIS, 2007). Animals destined for slaughter are stressed by factors such as loading, transportation, restraint, handling, and novelty of the slaughter environment, adverse weather conditions, hunger, thirst and fatigue. Animals could also suffer from pre-slaughter stresses arising from bruises, injuries, starvation, tiredness, water and food deprivation, lameness, and suffocation or transit fever. Transportation affects adversely the condition of the animal and the consistency of the flesh. There are regulations in different countries, which govern the transport of animals by rail and road and these should be strictly enforced. The careful handling of food animals before slaughter has great importance. Large and small cattle and animals of different species must be separated by partitions. Birds must only be transported in cages or other airy receptacles. Food and water must be withheld for 24 hours during transportation. And if the journey is of 36 hours duration, animals must be fed and watered in transit. Transportation may take place by moving on foot, trucking by road, by rail , by sea and by air.
Different modes of transportation:
The different methods used to move animals are on hoof, by road motor vehicle/ truck, by rail, by ship and by air.
- Transport of animals on foot
Driving is the most economical way of transport, at least for short distances, when an adequate supply of food and water can be arranged at suitable points along the route.
- Transport by road / truck
Transport by trucks is no doubt comfortable but the vehicles should be suitably constructed for carrying different species of animals and must permit careful loading and unloading of animals. Distance up to 500 kilometers or 12-15 hours journey may be negotiated by road truck. If the journey requires to be continued for more than 12 hours, the animals should be unloaded and offered sufficient feed and water.
- Transport by rail
Specially constructed wagons meant for transport of animals are used especially for distance of above 500kms. Animals must be provided with adlib feed and water at least an hour before the journey commences. Arrangement should be made to unload the animals after about every 1000km and offer feed and water before reloading. Floor space in rail–cattle–wagons requires that cattle should be placed crosswise, alternately head to tail in a fully loaded wagon. Adult bulls and steers require for this purpose 66cm and cows 57cm of the wagon length. The space recommended for pigs is about 0.4 m2 per animal, for calves 0.31m2 and for sheep 0.24m2.
- Transport by sea
Vessels, ships or boats used for the sea transport of animals should be designed, constructed and fitted as appropriate to the species, size and weight of the animals to be transported. Large number of animals can be transported by this method and mostly used for export and import of exotic animals. Animals undertaking a journey of 24 hours or more must be fed and watered before. If the journey is of 36 hours duration they must be fed and watered in transit.
- Transport by air
High valued animals are transported by air route. Since short duration, the animals do not feel any exhaustion during transit. Emergency access should be allowed. Provision of at least 10 cm (4 inch) clearance above the animal’s head when standing in its normal position and Facility for provision of water and possibly feed during transportation of longer than 6 h duration should be provided.
Effect of transportation on food animals
The different conditions encountered in food animals during or after transportation are given below:
- Transit-fever or shipping fever is a catarrhal disease which affects mainly cattle in poor condition that get fatigued due to long journey by rail or sea without sufficiency of food. It develops due to Pasteurella and requires proper treatment, otherwise virus may act as secondary invader and aggravate the condition. It is common in colder months, on post-mortem lobar pneumonia is noticed, the interlobular septa being some time thickened due to serious infiltration. Acute enteritis is usually present, though spleen appears normal. The affection does not respond well to treatment early slaughter is advisable before the on-set septic lung changes.
- Transit-tetany or rail-road-sickness occurs under similar circumstances but almost invariably in cows, particularly those in advanced pregnancy and in warmer month of the year. It is a disease, which bears resemblance, to milk fever and the affected animals usually respond to calcium therapy. There is no specific post-mortem lesion.
- Stress and fatigue conditions are inevitable sequel to transportation and do have a bearing on meat quality.
- Loss of weight or shrinkage occur due to dehydration and depletion of muscle glycogen during the period of journey. In general, it ranges from 3 to 10 % depending on the conditions and duration of transport.
- Bruises, torn skin and broken bones are noticed due to transportation in most of the species. The instances are particularly high in sheep and pigs. Muscular bleeding may occur especially in pigs.
- Death may occur during long transportation. Sheep and pigs are particularly susceptible if animals of unequal age and size are loaded in road trucks without proper partitions due to suffocation. Sheep and goats could also die in long distance transportation by ship due to non-inflammatory diarrhoea.
Effect of transportation stress on meat quality:
The changes in meat quality are mainly related with the levels of glycogen, lactic acid (pH), temperature, and ammonia and amide nitrogen. Stresses in any form seriously affect these entities. Glycogen level decreases with the formation of lactic acid after slaughter and a lower pH results into better keeping quality of meat. There should be a rapid glycolysis and fall in pH immediately after death. Increased temperature of the carcass will lead to reduced ability of the muscle proteins to hold water and some proteins become insoluble in the acidic fluids, with the production of pale, soft, exudative meat (PSE). Similarly, the dark, firm, dry (DFD) condition is linked with stressful situation before slaughter. PSE meat is more common in pigs and DFD in cattle. These conditions are undesirable and affect the acceptability by the consumers.
Figure 1: Transport induced changes in meat quality (Source: TANUVAS).
Conclusion
The most meat animals in developing countries are transported by moving on the hoof, by road and rail. Transportation of animals is the most stressful and injurious step in the chain of operations. It contributes significantly to poor animal welfare and loss of production. There is increasing public interest and concern for, the welfare of animals during transport. Cruel transport of animals is punishable in the case of a first offence, with fine which shall not be less than ten thousand rupees but which may extend to twenty five thousand rupees, or with imprisonment up to 2 years, or with both, and in the case of a second or subsequent offence, with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but may extend to one lakh rupees, and with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but may extend to three years. Transportation causes elevation in heart rate, respiration rate, plasma cortisol, glucose, total protein and urea concentration. Shrinkage (body weight loss: 3-10 %) occurs in almost all livestock species transported by all five modes of transportation. As transportation duration increases, body weight loss also increases. As distance to be travelled increases, mortality rate also increases. Animals can be transported more effectively and with less stress by sticking to the various specifications and following some ameliorative measures which in turn leads to animal welfare and better productivity of animals.
