The relationship between tail biting in pigs, docking procedure and other management practices.

The tail length (docked, tipped or undocked) and tail status (bitten or unbitten) of 27,870 pigs from 450 units was recorded at six UK abattoirs. A farm survey of the final finishing stage was used to investigate the relationship between management practice and tail biting. This showed that docking was the most important factor influencing the probability of being not bitten, with 2.4% of docked and 8.5% of long-tailed pigs being tail-bitten. The following factors reduced the probability of long-tailed pigs being tail-bitten; light straw provision, use of natural ventilation or artificially controlled natural ventilation (ACNV), mixed sex grouping, meal or liquid feeding, and use of double or multi-space feeders. Docked and long-tailed pigs provided with light straw and natural ventilation/ACNV had levels of tail biting of 1.2% and 4.3% respectively; 3.9% of docked pigs with artificial ventilation and no straw were tail-bitten. Long-tailed pigs fed via double or multi-space feeders also had 3.9% of tails bitten.

Use of a clustering reaction to detect low levels of moisture in bulk oxygen using an atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer.

Atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (APIMS) is being routinely used to quantify trace impurities in bulk gases used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. APIMS has been successfully applied for the quantification of ppt levels of O(2), H(2)O, CO(2), and CH(4) in Ar, N(2), and He. However, it has not been successfully used to quantify trace impurities in bulk O(2) due to the low ionization potential of O(2). APIMS relies on charge-transfer reaction between the ions of the bulk gas molecules and impurity molecules. Since all the relevant impurity molecules have ionization potentials higher than that of O(2), APIMS has not been used to analyze for impurities in O(2). We report here the detection of sub-ppb levels of H(2)O in O(2) by making use of the clustering reaction between O(2)(+) and H(2)O. The declustering region in an APIMS, which is normally used to break apart unwanted and interfering clusters, has to be carefully adjusted to keep intact the weakly bound cluster O(2)(+)·H(2)O. Our results indicate a statistical detection limit of less than 300 ppt for the detection of H(2)O in O(2).

The effect of stocking density in transit on the carcass quality and welfare of slaughter pigs: 1. Carcass measurements.

In a trial involving 2496 pigs, the effect of transport stocking densities of 201, 241, 281 and 321kg m(-2) on carcass quality and welfare were evaluated. This range encompassed the upper level set for 100kg pigs in European Union legislation (235kg m(-2)). Four farms and two lorries were involved over 16 experimental days with an average journey time of 3hr. Stocking density had no effect on any variables measured. Source farm had a significant effect on ultimate pH, reflectance and electrical conductivity in the m. longissimus dorsi, reflectance in the m. adductor and extent of rigor mortis development in the m. semimembranosus. Overall, the measurements made produced no evidence that transport stocking density had an effect on the carcass quality or welfare of 95kg pigs on short journeys.

Gastric ulcers in finishing pigs: their prevalence and failure to influence growth rate.

In an abattoir survey the stomachs of 1242 pigs from 15 farms were examined. Ulceration of the pars oesophagea was present in 22.95 per cent with a range from 4.7 to 57.4 per cent. The ulcers were graded mild in 9.5 per cent and severe in 13.4 per cent of the stomachs. Bile staining and hyperkeratinisation of the pars were significantly more common in stomachs with ulcers than in those without (P < 0.001), although the difference between the hyperkeratinisation in cases with severe ulcers and cases without ulcers was not significant. The daily liveweight gains of 208 males and 150 females from two units with a high prevalence of ulcers were calculated from their weaning weights at about five weeks of age and their slaughter weights at around 90 kg. At the abattoir their stomachs were examined for the presence of ulcers of the pars. The daily liveweight gain of the males was significantly greater than that of the females (P < 0.001), but the presence of mild or severe ulcers had no influence on the rate of gain of the pigs from either unit. The prevalence of ulcers in the males and females was 57.2 and 49.3 per cent, respectively, but the difference was not significant.

Abattoir observations of the weights of stomachs and their contents in pigs slaughtered at known times after their last feed.

From 15 farms, 1242 pigs (range per farm 12-169) were sent for slaughter at known times after their last feed. The time of feeding, quantity and type of last feed, time of loading, time in transit, distance travelled, time in lairage and time of slaughter, were recorded. The mean +/- SD stomach weight and wet stomach contents weight were 0.68 +/- 0.12 and 0.55 +/- 0.45 kg, respectively. There were 148 stomachs (11.9%) with wet contents weights > 1 kg, nine > 2 kg but < 3 kg, and one weighed 3.04 kg. The means and ranges for times from last feed to loading interval, time in transport, and time in lairage were 13.6 (0-40), 3.1 (0.75-6.0) and 4.1 (2.1-12.5) h, respectively. The mean and range for distance travelled was 193.1 (43-320) km. Ten stomachs were collected at random from a further load of pigs from one farm. They had been fed 0.64 kg dry pellets and were slaughtered 18.5 h later. The mean and range for wet stomach contents weight was 0.87 kg (0.24-1.33). Samples were dehydrated and the mean calculated stomach dry matter content for the 10 pigs was 127.4 +/- 69.1 g.

Pig welfare and carcase quality: a comparison of the influence of slaughter handling systems at two abattoirs.

Pigs from four farms (two producing 'easy' and two 'difficult to handle' pigs) were slaughtered at two abattoirs, each with two slaughter handling systems, so that 25 pigs of each behavioural type were slaughtered by all four handling systems on each day; there were 16 replicates (3200 pigs) in total. The pigs at abattoir X were electrically stunned, either in a floor pen holding five pigs or in a race-restrainer. At abattoir Y the pigs were stunned either in a floor pen holding five pigs or in a dip-lift carbon dioxide stunner. The following measurements were made: hot carcase weight and backfat thickness at P2, degree of rigor mortis 35 minutes post mortem, skin blemish, pH and muscle reflectance in the m longissimus dorsi at 60 minutes and 18 hours post mortem, and pH and muscle reflectance in the m adductor at 18 hours post mortem. At abattoir X, the pigs slaughtered in the race-restrainer had heavier carcases (74.0 kg vs 73.0 kg, P < 0.05), developed rigor mortis more rapidly (8.1 mm vs 7.3 mm, P < 0.01), had more skin blemish (2.8 vs 2.7, P < 0.01), paler m longissimus dorsi muscles after one hour (15.7 vs 13.9, P < 0.01) and 18 hours (27.8 vs 26.6, P < 0.05), and paler m adductor muscles (24.5 vs 22.7, P < 0.001) after 18 hours. At abattoir Y, the pigs handled through the floor pen system had more skin blemish (2.7 vs 2.6, P < 0.05) and a tendency to develop rigor mortis more quickly (6.11 vs 5.32, P = 0.089).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of abattoir and slaughter handling systems on stress indicators in pig blood.

Pigs from four farms were slaughtered at two abattoirs, each with two slaughter handling systems. Pigs at abattoir X were electrically stunned, either in a floor pen holding five pigs or in a race-restrainer. At abattoir Y pigs were stunned either in a floor pen holding five pigs or in a dip-lift carbon dioxide stunner. At exsanguination, 96 blood samples (24/farm) were collected from pigs slaughtered through each slaughter handling system (384 samples in total). Serum samples were analysed for cortisol, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and LDH-isoenzymes. There were no significant differences between the systems at abattoir X. At abattoir Y, pigs slaughtered through the floor pen system had higher levels of LDH-5 (39.84 +/- 1.39 per cent of total LDH vs 34.76 +/- 1.21 per cent, P < 0.05) indicating greater skeletal muscle damage in the floor pen. Pigs at abattoir Y had higher mean serum levels of CPK than pigs at abattoir X (3.63 log10 U/litre vs 3.41 log10 U/litre, 0.03 sed, P < 0.001), higher total LDH activities (1269.5 U/litre vs 922.8 U/litre, P < 0.001) and higher cortisol concentrations (1.70 log10 ng/ml vs 1.51 log10 ng/ml, P < 0.001). These differences suggested that the levels of physical and psychological stress were higher at abattoir Y.