The occurrence of reflexes and reactions in cattle following stunning with a captive bolt at the slaughterhouse.

The difference in the frequency of the occurrence of reflexes/reactions in 355 cows (average weight 505.5 ± 7.9 kg) and 262 bulls (average weight 735.6 ± 8.4 kg) following stunning with a Matador SS 3,000 B trigger-activated captive bolt gun (Termet) was determined. The stun shot more than 2 cm from the ideal position was found in 79.6% of animals. Vocalization, corneal reflex, rhythmic breathing, blinking, eyeball rotation and the absence of tongue protrusion occurred more frequently in bulls (p < .05). Spontaneous limb movements and nystagmus occurred more frequently in cows (p < .05). No difference between bulls and cows was determined in the occurrence of a response to painful stimuli or attempts to regain normal posture. No dependency was determined between the frequency of the occurrence of a reflex/reaction and the distance of the stun shot from the ideal point on the skull for any of the monitored signs. This study shows that the occurrence of reflexes/reactions following the stunning of cattle with a captive bolt is not only dependent on the position of the shot if placed within a 9 cm radius from the ideal point on the cattle skull.

The Impact of Deviation of the Stun Shot from the Ideal Point on Motor Paralysis in Cattle.

The effect on motor paralysis of a deviation in the stun shot placement from the ideal point on cattle skulls was monitored in 627 bovine animals (271 bulls and 356 cows) stunned with a captive bolt during slaughter in a slaughterhouse. The number of animals that experienced motor paralysis and the necessary fall of the animal in the stunning box were recorded after the stun shot. Subsequently, the position of the stun shot was measured on the skull of the slaughtered cattle in relation to the ideal point on the skull, and at a deviation from the ideal point, the quadrant on the skull in which the bullet was located was determined. The results show that with the increasing distance of the placement of the stun shot from the ideal point on the skull, the incidence of failure to induce motor paralysis in cattle increases significantly (p < 0.01) from 2.4% (within 3 cm of deviation) to 72.2% (at deviations ˃ 7 cm). There was a significant increase in the failure to induce motor paralysis in bulls as well as in cows, but this was more frequent in bulls regardless of the magnitude of the deviation from the ideal point (with the exception of a distance greater than 7 cm where the chances of inducing motor paralysis in bulls and cows are equally low). The incidence of failure to induce motor paralysis in cattle was not dependent on the placement of a stun shot in various quadrants on the skull. With the increasing deviation in any direction from the ideal point, the likelihood of effective stunning of cattle decreases. The results are important from the animal welfare point of view of the slaughter of cattle, and demonstrate the necessity of optimum placement of the stunning shot on the bovine skull in order to achieve the successful motor paralysis of cattle during their stunning at the slaughterhouse.

The effect of foodborne sertraline on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The worldwide consumption of antidepressants is raising as well as their concentrations in the aquatic environment. This increases the risk of food chain contamination and bioaccumulation in aquatic biota. The aim of this study was to describe a potential risk of sertraline as a pollutant from water environment, wherein rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) has been chosen as the test organism, because predatory fish are on the top of the food chain in the aquatic environment. The effects of foodborne sertraline were tested on rainbow trout during a 28-day toxicity test according to OECD 215 method. Sertraline was incorporated in commercial feed at a dose of 4.4 µg/kg (environmental concentration), 42 µg/kg and 400 µg/kg. The results confirmed that sertraline has a significant effect on fish behaviour, resulting in suppression of the escape reflex and increased resistance to stress. Moreover, increased Fultons condition factor was found in fish fed with the highest concentration of sertraline. Haematological analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in the number of neutrophilic bands and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and decreased number of lymphocytes. The results of biochemical examination showed a statistically significant decrease in ammonia and lactate concentrations and histological examination revealed changes in gills and caudal kidney. Although sertraline reduces stress in fish, the decline in nonspecific immunity is a risk to fish population stability.

Welfare of end-of-lay hens transported for slaughter: effects of ambient temperature, season, and transport distance on transport-related mortality.

The transport of end-of-lay hens for slaughter presents a particular cause for concern in relation to hen welfare due to their less robust condition. During the period of 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2017, 17,436,074 end-of-lay hens transported for slaughter in 3,144 consignments were monitored, i.e., all hens transported from Czech farms to slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic in the monitored period. The overall mortality of hens during transport for slaughter was 0.516%. A significant (P < 0.05) impact of outside temperature and month of the year on transport-related mortality was found. Lower outside temperature was connected with the increased hen mortality and vice versa. Correspondingly, more deaths of end-of-lay hens occurred in the cold winter months of January (0.717%) and December (0.695%); on the contrary, the lowest death rates were recorded in August (0.364%). Differences were also found when comparing transport-related mortality rates according to the transport distance. The lowest mortality (0.338%) was found in hens transported for distances up to 50 km; longer distances were associated with increasing (P < 0.05) death rates, with the greatest losses (0.801%) recorded for distances from 201 to 300 km. These findings document the need for increased care for end-of-lay hens during their transport for slaughter in the winter at lower outside transport temperatures, in particular below 0°C (e.g., by adequate temperature regulation in the means of transport), and of hens transported over longer distances (if the transport distance cannot be reduced).

Comparison of the frequency of patho-anatomic findings in laying hens with findings in broiler chickens and turkeys detected during post-mortem veterinary inspection.

We have investigated the health condition of laying hens on the basis of patho-anatomic findings obtained during the veterinary inspection after slaughter. To assess the severity of the health condition of laying hens, we compared the incidence of findings with the findings in broiler chickens and turkeys. In the period from 2010 to 2017, 17,346,183 laying hens, 887,994,167 broiler chickens, and 919,843 turkeys were transported from Czech farms to slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic. The competent veterinary authority in the Czech Republic (the State Veterinary Administration) carried out a veterinary inspection of these birds slaughtered in the slaughterhouse and recorded the patho-anatomic findings. From the recorded data, the number of patho-anatomic findings (intravital origin) of the organs and parts of the bodies (liver, intestines, lungs, heart, spleen, genital tract, urinary system, CNS, skin, head, body, limbs, and whole animal) were analysed. We found increased patho-anatomic findings in the liver (26.76%) and limbs (6.03%) in hens, and also high numbers of findings in the category of total findings (1.57%) were detected. In liver findings, chronic findings (22.09%) were prevailing over the acute findings (4.67%), compared to broiler chickens (chronic 0.04%, acute 0.03%) and turkeys (chronic 1.90%, acute 0.00%). The differences between hens, broilers, and turkeys were significant (P < 0.001). The incidence of traumatic, chronic, and acute findings in hens (3.88%, 1.71%, and 0.44%, respectively) was higher (P < 0.001) in the case of the legs, compared with broiler chickens (0.02%, 0.08%, and 0.02%, respectively) and turkeys (0.27%, 0.23%, and 0.05%, respectively). The results show that the health condition of laying hens is significantly worse than in case of broiler chickens and turkeys, especially in the impact on the liver due to the likely effect of nutrition not corresponding to the intensity of the production of laying hens, and the impact on the limbs due in particular to traumatic changes caused by inappropriate transport handling and inadequate conditions (especially cage housing) of laying hens.

Mortality in rabbits transported for slaughter.

During transport rabbits may be exposed to various stressors which can compromise both their welfare and meat quality. Mortality related to the commercial transport of rabbits for slaughter was analyzed in the Czech Republic in the period from 2009 to 2016. The overall transport-related mortality of rabbits was 0.19%. Transport distance was found to have an impact on rabbit mortality; significantly (p < .001) greater losses were found in rabbits transported over longer distances. Mortality rates ranged from 0.02% in rabbits transported over distances of less than 50 km to 0.29% in rabbits transported over distances exceeding 400 km. A significantly (p < .001) increased risk was also associated with shipments in which 500 and more rabbits were delivered per batch. No effect of season was found. Our results show that rabbits can be transported within a wide range of temperatures (from -5 to 19.9°C) with no negative impact on mortality in transit. However, journeys carried out at temperatures below -5°C and above 20°C were associated with increased death losses (0.17% and 0.15%, respectively).

Pre-slaughter mortality among turkeys related to their transport.

Overall mortality among turkeys transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic from 2009 to 2014 was 0.147%. The lowest mortality (0.023%) was found in turkeys transported for distances up to 50 km; longer distances were associated with increasing death rates, with the highest losses (0.543%) recorded for distances from 201 to 300 km. Differences were also found when comparing transport-related mortality rates according to the season of the year. The highest mortality (0.228%) was associated with transports carried out in summer, whereas the lowest death rates were found in turkeys transported for slaughter in winter (0.105%) and autumn (0.113%). According to the ambient temperatures in which transports associated with the highest death rates among turkeys were carried out (14 to 21°C), it appears that heat stress can be a major factor in the birds' mortality. However, low ambient temperatures (i.e. below -2°C) also appear to increase transport-related mortality, as shown by our results. In addition to shortening the lengths of transport distances, appropriate consideration of prevailing climatic conditions and the sensitivity of turkeys to high and low temperatures during transport may also lead to a reduction in the number of turkeys dying during transport for slaughter.

Negative Trends in Transport-related Mortality Rates in Broiler Chickens.

The high incidence of deaths during transport for slaughter is associated with poor welfare and represents a considerable loss to the poultry industry. In the period from 2009 to 2014, all shipments of broiler chickens to poultry processing plants were monitored in the Czech Republic and the numbers of chickens transported and those dying as a result of their transport were recorded and analysed. Overall transport-related mortality of broiler chickens transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic was 0.37%. It ranged from 0.31% to 0.72%, the increase approximately corresponding to the increasing transport distance. Statistically highly significant (p<0.001) differences were found when comparing transport-related mortality rates in individual seasons of the year. The greatest mortality (0.55%) was associated with transports carried out in winter months whereas the lowest death losses (0.30%) were found in chickens transported for slaughter in summer months. Our study revealed greater transport-related mortality rates in broiler chickens transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic than expected when considering earlier studies. The most pronounced increases were found in transports for shorter distances and in winter months. However, an increase was found at all transport distances monitored except for distances exceeding 300 km and all seasons except for summer. Furthermore, a general increasing tendency in chicken losses during the monitored period was found. The particularly alarming finding is that the mortality of broiler chickens being transported to processing plants has been showing a long-term increasing tendency over the last two decades. Further research should focus on the identification of specific factors leading to such high and growing mortality rates and developing practical guidelines to improve the welfare of the birds in transit accordingly.