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Antoni Dalmau presents Oral paper 40
In session 8: Application of welfare assessment protocols
Saturday, 13 September 2008 from 11h45-12h00 in the Aula chaired by Joy Mench
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Oral paper 40
APPLICATION OF THE WELFARE QUALITY® PROTOCOL AT PIG
ABATTOIRS
A. Dalmau, P. Rodríguez, P. Llonch, A. Velarde
IRTA, Finca Camps i armet s/n, Monells(17121), Girona, Spain
A validation study of the Welfare Quality® protocol was carried out in 9 pig slaughterhouses in
Spain. At arrival, the incidence of pigs that were dead, sick (measures of absence of disease) and
panting (thermal comfort) was assessed in 1064±77.2 pigs per abattoir. During unloading and in the
same animals, the percentage of pigs that slip, fall (measures of ease of movement), showed
reluctance to move and turning back (measures of general fear) and were lame (measure of absence
of injuries) was also assessed. In the lairage pens, the stocking density and the percentage of pigs
that were painting, shivering, and huddling (measures of thermal comfort) were assessed in a total
of 346±81.0 pigs per abattoir. Stunning effectiveness (measure of absence of pain induced by
management procedures), slaughter checks and fresh skin lesions (measures of absence of disease
and injuries, respectively) were also assessed in 60 animals per abattoir.
At arrival, 0.17% of the pigs were dead (range from 0 to 3%), 0.3% sick (range from 0 to 0.7%),
and 1.1 % panting (range from 0% to 5.9%). During unloading, 3% (range from 0 to 6%) showed
reluctant to move, 7.6% (range from 0 to 20%) turning back, 28% (range from 8 to 59%) slipped,
and 3.6% (range from 0.4% to 13%) fell. 2.3% of the pigs were moderately lame (range from 0.6 to
3%) and 0.2% (range from 0% to 0.8%) severely lame. Between 22±0.9 and 120±21.8 pigs were
lairage in each pen, with a stocking density between 0.32 and 0.88 m 2 per animal. In 7 abattoirs the
incidence of incorrect stunning was between 0 and 2%, in 1 abattoir 8% and in another 31%. The
incidence of pleuritis was from 0% to 10%, pneumonia from 15% to 45%, white spots in the liver
from 0% to 40%, pericarditis from 0% to 7% and the worst scoring in terms of fresh skin lesions
was assessed in 8% to 40% of pigs.
Contact information: Antoni Dalmau or email antoni.dalmau@irta.es
Complete address: Finca Camps i Armet s/n 17121, Monells, Girona, Spain
Species: Pig