Guidelines for humane handling, transport and slaughter of

Guidelines for humane handling, transport and slaughter of livestock 11
CHAPTER 3
MARKETING SYSTEMS AND LOSSES
Holding people accountable for losses
During the production chain from farm to market of meat and
by-products, there may be considerable loss in the quality and
quantity of meat and by-products. These losses may be in the form
of:
• Carcass and meat condemnations due to bruising,
injuries and deaths;
• Downgrading and unsuitability of hides and skins due to
damage;
• Loss of meat quality due to DFD or PSE;
• Spoilage of meat due to stress and poor animal welfare
of livestock.
In many developing countries, these losses are high because
the marketing system does not always provide an economic incentive
to reduce losses. One of the most efficient methods for improving
welfare and reducing losses is to design marketing and payment
system that hold people and organisations involved in the marketing
chain of livestock accountable for these losses.
One of the worst marketing systems, from both welfare and
an economic loss perspective, is to sell slaughter animals on a live
mass or per head basis. This system does not provide an economic
incentive to prevent bruising, injuries, stress or hide damage or other
meat quality problems. When animals are sold to a slaughter plant
on a live mass basis, the producer or transporter is not held
accountable for losses due to bruises, injuries and other damages.