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Veterinary sciences2025; 12(6); doi: 10.3390/vetsci12060547

Transportation to the Slaughterhouse: Can Training Reduce the Stress Response in Horses?

Abstract: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of self-loading training on the overall stress response during pre-slaughter transportation in slaughter horses. Thirty-two slaughter horses were divided into two groups: the control group (CG) and the Trained Group (TG). For six weeks, the TG horses were trained to self-load using a method based on target training and shaping. Animals from both groups were transported to the same slaughterhouse in small groups on different days using the same truck along the same route. The baseline and post-transportation values of the eye temperature and fecal cortisol metabolites were determined for all the animals. All the horses were video-recorded while being transported and unloaded. The horses' behavior was analyzed using a focal animal sampling method. During transportation, the presence of head shaking, licking, and chewing was significantly higher in the CG than the TG. During unloading, walking forward tended to be more frequent in the TG. The fecal cortisol metabolites and eye temperature were higher after transportation than at the baseline, but no differences between the groups were found. Overall, the results confirm that transportation for less than one hour caused detectable stress in slaughter horses. Based on these results, self-loading training appears to be somewhat useful to mitigate the overall transport stress.
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Publication Date: 2025-06-03 PubMed ID: 40559784PubMed Central: PMC12197623DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12060547Google 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.

The research article focuses on the effects of self-loading training on horses, specifically their stress response during transportation to a slaughterhouse. Essentially, the study suggests that self-loading training may help reduce transport stress in slaughter horses.

Experiment Setup

  • The researchers selected 32 slaughter horses for this study, which were divided into two groups: a control group (CG) and a trained group (TG).
  • For six weeks, the TG horses underwent self-loading training. This method trains horses to load themselves onto the transport vehicle, in this case a truck, using methods such as target training and shaping.
  • Both groups of horses were transported to the same slaughterhouse at different times, using the same truck along the same path.

Measurements and Observations

  • Prior to and after transportation, the researchers measured the eye temperature and levels of fecal cortisol metabolites in all horses. These measurements were aimed at indicating the level of stress the animals experienced.
  • During transportation, the horses were recorded on video. Their behavior was later analyzed using a ‘focal animal sampling method’.
  • Specific behaviors observed were head shaking, licking and chewing. These behaviors were significantly more frequent in the CG compared to the TG during transport.
  • The act of walking forward was also noted during unloading, which appeared to be more frequent in the TG horses.

Results

  • Post transportation, the study noted increases in the fecal cortisol metabolites and eye temperature in comparison to baseline values. This indicated that the transportation caused stress, however, no differences were observed between the control and trained groups in these metrics.
  • The recorded behavior analysis showed decreased incidence of stress-related behaviors like head shaking, licking and chewing in the self-loading trained group as compared to the control group during transport.

Conclusion

  • The study concluded that although transportation caused stress in horses regardless of whether they underwent self-loading training or not, the training seemed to play a role in reducing specific stress-related behaviors. This suggests that self-loading training might be somewhat beneficial in mitigating overall transport stress in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Dai F, Toson M, Bertotto D, Dalla Costa A, Heinzl EUL, Lega F, Minero M, Padalino B, Stefani AL, Trestini S, Maietti F, Zonta G, Di Martino G. (2025). Transportation to the Slaughterhouse: Can Training Reduce the Stress Response in Horses? Vet Sci, 12(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12060547

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 6

Researcher Affiliations

Dai, Francesca
  • Independent Researcher, 20100 Milano, Italy.
Toson, Marica
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Bertotto, Daniela
  • Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Dalla Costa, Alessandro
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Heinzl, Eugenio Ugo Luigi
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
Lega, Francesca
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Minero, Michela
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
Padalino, Barbara
  • Dipartimento di Science e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
  • Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, East Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
Stefani, Anna Lisa
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Trestini, Samuele
  • Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Maietti, Federica
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Zonta, Gloria
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
Di Martino, Guido
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.

Grant Funding

  • B22F17000370001 / Ministero della Salute

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that this research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
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