Transportation
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Caring for animals in transit.
It’s in everyone’s best interest to take extreme care when transporting pigs, either between barns or from barn to processor. Consumers in Manitoba, Canada and nations around the world are extremely quality conscious when it comes to getting value for their food dollars. Farmers also must be quality conscious if they are to reap the benefits of the hard work and investment that goes into raising pigs.
Stress and exhaustion increase muscle temperature and deplete the supply of glycogen, the energy stored in pigs’ muscle tissue that produces moist, pink, high-quality pork. Heat, cold, fear, bumpy roads, stops and starts, prodding and rough handling are some of the things that cause stress and exhaustion in animals during handling and transportation. That stress can severely reduce meat quality and price.
When animals are stressed before slaughter, glycogen levels drop. The result is known as Pale, Soft and Exudative (PSE) pork, a product that is unappealing to consumers. Extreme exhaustion during transit can result in Dark, Firm, Dry (DFD) meat, which has even lower consumer appeal and shorter shelf life.
Stress Busters
Move pigs in small groups.
Eliminate visual gaps.
Use gradual slopes and curves.
Remove potentially frightening objects.
Remove possible injury causes.
Choose low-stress moving devices.
Use the pig’s “flight zone” as shown in the illustration to determine how to move pigs. Pigs naturally resent handlers getting into their personal space, and their instinctive escape routes will be the direction they move to put space between themselves and their handlers.
Manitoba Pork Council has worked with industry experts to develop resources such as this to help producers and farm employees reduce the stress for animals during transportation. A special section of the Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals is dedicated to transportation.
Also refer to:
Pigs in Transit
Humane Handling and Euthanasia of Swine
This publication will provide anyone who handles pigs with standards for live animal assessment to ensure proper, humane handling of unfit swine, as required by law and animal welfare standards.
Marketing unfit hogs is not acceptable and it is the responsibility of anyone owning or handling pigs to ensure this does not occur. It is completely unacceptable for unfit animals - those that are sick, injured or would suffer unduly if not handled properly - to be transported to market. These animals require immediate action.
Manitoba Pork Council, Alberta Pork and Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) developed this manual and the accompanying poster for handling unfit pigs. These materials feature quick reference illustrations and short descriptions that allow producers and anyone handling hogs to clearly understand the standards for humane handling of unfit hogs and to make responsible decisions on the job. While not intended to set treatment protocol, these materials help reinforce the law and the ethics of responsible animal care. Enforcement agencies will use this manual and the producer's due diligence as guides for what are considered generally accepted practices and what are not. Copies of this brochure are available for producers and industry partners from Manitoba Pork Council. Call 1-888-893-7447.