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Home / Equine Research Bank / Can Vet J / Patterns and durations of journeys by horses transported fro...
The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne2015; 56(6); 581-586;

Patterns and durations of journeys by horses transported from the USA to Canada for slaughter.

Abstract: Concern has been expressed over the welfare of horses transported from the USA for slaughter in Canada. United States Department of Agriculture owner/shipper certificates for the year 2009 were analyzed to provide quantitative information on the patterns and durations of these journeys. In 2009, horses from 16 states in the northern USA were transported to 6 equine slaughter plants in Canada. Thirty-two percent of loads were from auction centers, 33% from feedlots, and 35% from horse collection centers. The median duration of the journey was 19 h. Thirty-six percent of horses were transported for 48 h. Some journeys exceeded those specified in regulations and, based on other research, would put these horses at risk of negative welfare outcomes, such as dehydration, injury, and fatigue. Des préoccupations ont été exprimées à propos du bien-être des chevaux transportés des États-Unis au Canada aux fins d’abattage. Les certificats de propriétaires/expéditeurs du ministère de l’Agriculture des États-Unis pour l’année 2009 ont été analysés afin de fournir des données quantitatives sur les trajets et la durée de ces déplacements. En 2009, des chevaux provenant de 16 États du nord-est des États-Unis ont été transportés à 6 abattoirs équins au Canada. Trente-deux pour cent des chargements provenaient de centres de ventes aux enchères, 33 % de parcs d’engraissement et 35 % de centres de collecte de chevaux. La durée médiane du déplacement était de 19 h. Trente-six pour cent des chevaux étaient transportés pendant 48 h. Certains déplacements dépassaient les durées précisées dans les règlements et, en se basant sur d’autres recherches, ils exposeraient les chevaux à un risque d’effets néfastes pour le bien-être, comme la déshydratation, les blessures et la fatigue.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).
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Publication Date: 2015-06-02 PubMed ID: 26028678PubMed Central: PMC4431154
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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The research examines horse transportation from the United States to Canada for slaughter, and the associated welfare issues. It utilizes data from the US Department of Agriculture to study transport patterns and durations in 2009.

Study Methodology

  • The study analyzed owner/shipper certificates from the US Department of Agriculture for the year 2009.
  • The documentation provided necessary quantitative data to gain insights into patterns in duration of the journeys that horses underwent from the USA to Canada for slaughter.

Origin and Destination

  • According to the data, horses from 16 states in the northern USA were transported to six equine slaughter plants in Canada.
  • The study highlighted that the origin of these horses could be traced back to auction centers, feedlots, and horse collection centers. The percentages were closely split across these three categories: 32% of loads being from auction centers, 33% from feedlots, and 35% from horse collection centers.

Duration of Journeys

  • The median duration of the journey from the USA to Canada was found to be approximately 19 hours.
  • A breakdown of transport times revealed that 36% of horses were transported for less than 6 hours, 11% for 6 to 18 hours, 13% for 18 to 24 hours, 25% for 24 to 36 hours, 9% for 36 to 48 hours, and an estimated 6% for over 48 hours.

Welfare Concerns and Regulatory Compliance

  • The study highlighted potential welfare threats that such long transportation lengths may pose to the equines, including dehydration, injury, and fatigue.
  • It also stressed that a segment of these journeys contravened the stipulations in regulations. These instances could have consequential adverse welfare outcomes for the horses. The study thus emphasizes the importance of regulatory compliance for the welfare of animals during transportation.

Cite This Article

APA
Roy RC, Cockram MS. (2015). Patterns and durations of journeys by horses transported from the USA to Canada for slaughter. Can Vet J, 56(6), 581-586.

Publication

The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
ISSN: 0008-5286
NlmUniqueID: 0004653
Country: Canada
Language: English
Volume: 56
Issue: 6
Pages: 581-586

Researcher Affiliations

Roy, R Cyril
  • Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3.
Cockram, Michael S
  • Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3.

MeSH Terms

  • Abattoirs
  • Animal Welfare
  • Animals
  • Canada
  • Horses
  • Time Factors
  • Transportation
  • United States

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar Schmidt C, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Stahl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Earley B, Edwards S, Faucitano L, Marti S, Miranda de La Lama GC, Costa LN, Thomsen PT, Ashe S, Mur L, Van der Stede Y, Herskin M. Welfare of equidae during transport. EFSA J 2022 Sep;20(9):e07444.
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  3. Riley CB, Noble BR, Bridges J, Hazel SJ, Thompson K. Horse Injury during Non-Commercial Transport: Findings from Researcher-Assisted Intercept Surveys at Southeastern Australian Equestrian Events. Animals (Basel) 2016 Oct 25;6(11).
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