Monitorização de indicadores de bem-estar animal num matadouro de suínos
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Data
2020
Autores
Pinto, João Pedro Loio Fernandes de Candeias
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Resumo
As preocupações da sociedade e dos consumidores com o bem-estar animal aumentaram
nos últimos anos e, atualmente, os consumidores europeus consideram essencial melhorar a
proteção do bem-estar dos animais no momento do abate.
Pretendeu-se com o presente trabalho aplicar o protocolo desenvolvido pela Doutora
Temple Grandin, e amplamente usado pelo ‘North American Meat Institute’, com o objetivo de
averiguar a sua aplicabilidade à realidade de um matadouro nacional como método de
monitorização do bem-estar animal. Assim, num matadouro de suínos foram monitorizados,
durante 11 dias, 7 indicadores de padrões comportamentais que indicassem comprometimento
do bem-estar no momento do abate.
Este estudo permitiu a identificação de alguns problemas de bem-estar animal
existentes, designadamente, a prática de abusos (9,2%) , a ocorrência de quedas (4,5%), o uso
excessivo de aguilhões elétricos por recusa de movimento (36,5%) ou sem motivo aparente
(14,5%), a ocorrência de vocalizações no equipamento de imobilização (5,7%), falha na
insensibilização de animais à primeira tentativa (5,3%) e a recuperação da sensibilidade dos
animais durante a sangria (6,8%), tendo-se concluído que havia lugar a melhorias.
As conclusões deste estudo são relevantes não só para o matadouro monitorizado, mas
também para outros matadouros. A implementação de um sistema de auditoria interna em bemestar
animal apresenta vantagens não só a nível do bem-estar dos animais, mas também da
qualidade da carcaça e da carne, do funcionamento do matadouro e da segurança dos
colaboradores, podendo ser um fator diferenciador do produto no mercado.
Society and consumers concerns about animal welfare have increased in recent years and European consumers now consider essential to improve the protection of animal welfare at the time of slaughter. The aim of this study was to apply The Meat Institute’s Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide developed by Temple Grandin, and widely used by the North American Meat Institute, with the objective of assessing its applicability to the reality of a national slaughterhouse as a method of monitoring animal welfare. Thus, for 11 days, in a Portuguese pig slaughterhouse, 7 indicators of animal behavioral patterns, that indicate animal welfare impairment at the time of dead, were monitored. This study allowed to identify some of the animal welfare problems existing in this particular pig slaughterhouse, specifically, the practice of animal abuse (9,2%), the occurrence of falls (4,5%) the excessive use of electric prods by refusal of movement (36,5%) or with no apparent reason (14,5%), the occurrence of vocalizations in the restraining equipment (5,7%), failure to ensure animal insensibility at the first attempt (5,3%) and recovery of sensibility during bleeding (6,8%), concluding that there were room for local improvement. The findings of this study are relevant not only for the assessed slaughterhouse, but also to other slaughterhouses. The implementation of an internal audit system in animal welfare has advantages not only in terms of animal welfare, but also in terms of carcass and meat quality, operation of the slaughterhouse and employees safety which can be a differentiation factor of the product in the market.
Society and consumers concerns about animal welfare have increased in recent years and European consumers now consider essential to improve the protection of animal welfare at the time of slaughter. The aim of this study was to apply The Meat Institute’s Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide developed by Temple Grandin, and widely used by the North American Meat Institute, with the objective of assessing its applicability to the reality of a national slaughterhouse as a method of monitoring animal welfare. Thus, for 11 days, in a Portuguese pig slaughterhouse, 7 indicators of animal behavioral patterns, that indicate animal welfare impairment at the time of dead, were monitored. This study allowed to identify some of the animal welfare problems existing in this particular pig slaughterhouse, specifically, the practice of animal abuse (9,2%), the occurrence of falls (4,5%) the excessive use of electric prods by refusal of movement (36,5%) or with no apparent reason (14,5%), the occurrence of vocalizations in the restraining equipment (5,7%), failure to ensure animal insensibility at the first attempt (5,3%) and recovery of sensibility during bleeding (6,8%), concluding that there were room for local improvement. The findings of this study are relevant not only for the assessed slaughterhouse, but also to other slaughterhouses. The implementation of an internal audit system in animal welfare has advantages not only in terms of animal welfare, but also in terms of carcass and meat quality, operation of the slaughterhouse and employees safety which can be a differentiation factor of the product in the market.
Descrição
Orientação: Sónia Catarina da Silva Ramos
Palavras-chave
MESTRADO INTEGRADO EM MEDICINA VETERINÁRIA, VETERINÁRIA, BEM-ESTAR ANIMAL, SUÍNOS, MATADOUROS, ABATE DE ANIMAIS , MONITORIZAÇÃO, VETERINARY MEDICINE, ANIMAL WELFARE, SWINE , SLAUGHTERHOUSES, SLAUGHTERING, MONITORING