Welfare Indicators and Captive-Bolt Trauma in Slaughtered Horses
Author Information
Author(s): Katharine A Fletcher, Barbara Padalino, Martina Felici, Daniele Bigi, Georgina Limon-Vega, Andrew Grist, Troy J Gibson
Primary Institution: Royal Veterinary College
Hypothesis
There would be an association between ante mortem welfare indicators and stunning effectiveness.
Conclusion
The study found that mitigating ante mortem stress could improve stunning effectiveness in horses at slaughter.
Supporting Evidence
- All animals in the study showed stress-related behaviours at all stages of the slaughter process.
- 53% of horses slipped in the stunning box, with poor floor surface condition associated with this.
- 22% of animals showed signs of ineffective stunning.
- Damage to critical brainstem structures was found in 85% of heads assessed post mortem.
Takeaway
This study looked at how horses are treated before they are killed for meat and found that if they are less stressed, they are more likely to be stunned properly.
Methodology
The study assessed the welfare of 62 horses at a commercial abattoir using animal-based measures to identify stress-related behaviors and stunning effectiveness.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the presence of researchers affecting the behavior of abattoir staff and animals.
Limitations
The study was limited by the sample size and the observational nature, which may have influenced the behavior of the abattoir personnel.
Participant Demographics
{"age":{"less_than_2.5_years":42,"between_2.5_and_6_years":10,"between_6_and_12_years":12,"between_12_and_21_years":30,"greater_than_21_years":7},"sex":{"male":51,"female":49},"breed_type":{"draught":34,"native_pony":35,"sports_horse":31},"country_of_origin":{"france":57,"poland":17,"italy":12,"hungary":5,"czech_republic":5,"slovenia":3,"romania":1}}
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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