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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Horse Transport to Three South American Horse Slaughterhouse...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(4); doi: 10.3390/ani10040602

Horse Transport to Three South American Horse Slaughterhouses: A Descriptive Study.

Abstract: Between November 2016 and October 2017, 23 horse transports from 18 collection points to two slaughterhouses in Argentina and one in Uruguay were monitored. The goal of this study was to characterize the current practices in commercial horse transports and to detect potential threats to horse welfare. A total of 596 horses were transported over an average distance of 295 ± 250 km. Average transport duration was 294 ± 153 min. The infrastructure did not always promote smooth loading, but the amount of horses that refused to enter the trailers was limited. In each loading space, a camera was mounted to observe horse behaviour during the journey. Ambient temperature and relative humidity (RH) were recorded every five minutes in each loading space. In 14 of the 23 transports, the maximum temperature rose above 25 °C and the average temperature was over 25 °C during six transports. The average temperature humidity index (THI) exceeded 72 during six transports. The average stocking density was 1.40 ± 0.33 m2 per horse, or 308 ± 53 kg/m2. The degree of aggression differed between the front and rear loading space. Stocking density, environmental parameters, trailer characteristics, and transport duration and distance did not influence aggressiveness.
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Publication Date: 2020-04-01 PubMed ID: 32244781PubMed Central: PMC7222728DOI: 10.3390/ani10040602Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research project aimed to explore the conditions and practices of commercial horse transports to slaughterhouses in Argentina and Uruguay, with a focus on potential threats to horse welfare during transportation. The study spanned a year and covered 23 horse transports with a total of 596 horses.

Methodology

  • The study was conducted from November 2016 to October 2017, monitoring 23 horse transports. These transports originated from eighteen different collection points and were directed to two slaughterhouses in Argentina and one in Uruguay.
  • The horses in the transports were monitored over distances averaging 295 ± 250 km and durations averaging 294 ± 153 minutes.
  • Ambient temperature and relative humidity were regularly recorded every five minutes within each loading space throughout the journeys. Cameras were also mounted in each of these spaces to observe horse behavior.

Key Findings

  • The infrastructure did not always facilitate smooth loading of horses onto the transports, although the numbers of horses that refused to enter the trailers were limited. This suggests that while loading was not always easy, it was not a significant issue in transport.
  • In 14 out of 23 transports, the maximum temperature inside the loading spaces exceeded 25°C, and the average temperature was over 25°C during six transports.
  • The average temperature humidity index (THI), which measures environmental comfort, exceeded 72 during six transports. This could indicate potentially uncomfortable or even harmful conditions for the horses.
  • The average stocking density was found to be 1.40 ± 0.33 m2 per horse or 308 ± 53 kg/m2. Overcrowding could potentially contribute to stress and aggression among the horses.
  • The degree of aggression among horses was observed to vary between the front and rear loading spaces. However, this aggression did not seem to be influenced by factors such as stocking density, environmental parameters, trailer characteristics, or transport duration and distance.

Implications

  • The findings suggest that there could be areas for potential improvement in commercial horse transport practices, particularly concerning loading procedures and control of environmental conditions inside the trailers.
  • Understanding the factors that contribute to aggression among horses during transport could help in devising strategies to mitigate these issues and improve overall horse welfare in these situations.

Cite This Article

APA
Nivelle B, Vermeulen L, Van Beirendonck S, Van Thielen J, Driessen B. (2020). Horse Transport to Three South American Horse Slaughterhouses: A Descriptive Study. Animals (Basel), 10(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040602

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 4

Researcher Affiliations

Nivelle, Béke
  • Laboratory of Livestock Physiology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
  • Dier&Welzijn vzw, 3583 Paal, Belgium.
Vermeulen, Liesbeth
  • Westvlees NV, 8840 Westrozebeke, Belgium.
Van Beirendonck, Sanne
  • Bioengineering Technology TC, KU Leuven, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
Van Thielen, Jos
  • Bioengineering Technology TC, KU Leuven, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
  • Thomas More, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
Driessen, Bert
  • Laboratory of Livestock Physiology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
  • Dier&Welzijn vzw, 3583 Paal, Belgium.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Felici M, Nanni Costa L, Zappaterra M, Bozzo G, Di Pinto P, Minero M, Padalino B. Journeys, Journey Conditions, and Welfare Assessment of Broken (Handled) Horses on Arrival at Italian Slaughterhouses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 12;12(22).
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  2. Mijares S, Calvo-Lorenzo M, Betts N, Alexander L, Edwards-Callaway LN. Characterization of Fed Cattle Mobility during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 11;11(6).
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  3. Fletcher KA, Padalino B, Felici M, Bigi D, Limon-Vega G, Grist A, Gibson TJ. Assessment of ante mortem welfare indicators and the pathophysiology of captive-bolt trauma in equids at slaughter. Anim Welf 2024;33:e65.
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  4. Božić Jovanović V, Trailović R, Vićić I, Grković N, Radaković M, Karabasil N, Kaić A, Čobanović N. Influence of Loading Density and Gender on the Welfare and Meat Quality of Horses During Transport for Slaughter. Animals (Basel) 2024 Oct 24;14(21).
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