Time to collapse following slaughter without stunning in cattle.

Time to physical collapse was examined in 174 cattle which were restrained in the upright position and then released immediately from the restraint following the halal cut. The frequencies of swelling and false aneurysm in the cephalic and cardiac severed ends of the arteries were recorded. Fourteen percent of the cattle collapsed and stood up again before finally collapsing. The average time to final collapse for all the cattle was 20s (sd+/-33). In 8% of the animals time to final collapse was 60s. Seventy-one percent of the cattle that took more than 75s to collapse had false aneurysms in the cardiac ends of the severed carotid arteries. The frequency of swelling at the cephalic severed ends of the carotid arteries in 129 cattle was 7%. Failure to collapse within 60s was associated with swelling of the cephalic ends of the carotid arteries.

Handling of slaughter cattle in pre and post transport situations including loading and unloading on journeys up to 8 hours in Germany.

In a field study 63 commercial cattle transports to German slaughter plants including 580 bulls, cows and heifers were investigated to estimate the impact of pre and post transport aspects on animal welfare. Study 1 evaluated these aspects as part of a large model covering all possible influences at transport and slaughter on biochemical stress response and carcass and meat quality. Included were keeping system, behavioural and clinical observations at loading, unloading and lairage, transport time, loading density, mounting prevention, regrouping and lairage time. In study 2 more detailed questions about loading and unloading were answered by investigating the impact of facility design and handling criteria on cattle behaviour and heart rate. Cattle from tied housing show an increased stress response to all transport procedures. Many aspects of facility design and handling contribute to quality of loading. Cattle show calmer behaviour, turn, balk or fall less if they are not mixed and driven in small groups on driveways without impediments but with regular sideblock, not wider than the vehicle ramp. Vehicle ramps should have high and closed side gates, be inclined less than 20 degrees, and the step towards ramp should be less than 15 cm. Unloading is improved if performed level and to the back of the vehicle (behaviour, heart rate, cortisol, CK). Direct reloading should be avoided and mounting should be prevented during transport and lairage (CK, lactate, bruising). But mounting prevention devices may increase bruising if set too low (< 20 cm above withers). Longer lairage time is disadvantageous (CK, energy metabolism).

[Humane killing of animals in agricultural management]. / Tierschutzgerechtes Töten von Tieren in landwirtschaftlichen Betrieben.

The special problem of handling weak, chronically ill, injured farm animals or those not sellable for slaughter is described. Farmers generally do not have sufficient knowledge in killing animals. They need external help or they must take specific training courses to get the necessary knowledge. Solutions how to improve animal welfare in this field are given.

[Fatal accident to a horse from a narrow transverse beam in the box door]. / Tödlicher Unfall eines Pferdes durch einen zu niedrigen Querbalken über der Boxentür.

It is reported on the fatal accident of a horse due to a cross-beam too low above the door of the stable, in which the animal suffered several skull fractures and a tear of the musculus longus capitis from the base of the skull. The aim of this article is, to supply a contribution to the establishment of minimal requirements for the housing of horses, in this case for the request of the minimum height of stable doors and ceilings as well as for constructions on horse transporters. On the grounds of this example, the natural behaviour of horses is discussed at the hand of the literature and the efforts are shown to improve the existing inadequacies in the housing and transport of horses with regard to the judicial situation. In the light of section 2 of the animal protection law, as to the construction of horse stables the importance is especially emphasized to consider the panic behaviour in connection with abrupt flight reactions as physiologic in the prevention of accidents.

[Animal welfare in the slaughterhouse]. / Tierschutz am Schlachthof.

The importance of correct handling of slaughter animals at the farm, on transport and in the slaughterhouse is described. The status of animal welfare in slaughterhouses, the relations between animal welfare, preslaughter animal condition and meat quality are discussed. Possibilities of better information exchange by integrated quality systems are shown. A summary of the first-year-work experiences of the Beratungs- und Schulungsinstitut für tierschonenden Umgang mit Nutz- und Schlachttieren (bsi) gives an overview of handling and related animal welfare problems during the slaughter process.