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Animals
Special Issues
Relationship between Farm Animal Transport, Disease and Welfare
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Relationship between Farm Animal Transport, Disease and Welfare

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Welfare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2023) | Viewed by 6560

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bert Driessen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research, Control & Consult-Belgium bv, B-3583 Paal, Belgium
Interests: animal welfare; animal behaviour; animal transport; animal enrichment; meat quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luigi Faucitano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke R & D Centre, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C8, Canada
Interests: animal welfare; animal stress; animal transport; meat quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Every year, millions of animals are transported from pasture to farm (and vice versa), from farm to farm, and from farm to slaughterhouse. Animal transportation raises cause for concern for several reasons. Transport can be seen as a chain of stressful events. For welfare reasons, the transport must be carried out with the utmost care to induce as little stress in the animals as possible. However, what is meant by ‘utmost care’? Additionally, animal health can be impaired by various pre-transport and transport conditions and may cause injury, reduce performance and promote the development of diseases in animals, which have an impact on the subsequent zootechnical performance of the animals. There is also a well-known relationship between transport characteristics and meat quality.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect the most recent advances about health and welfare aspects in relation to the transport of farm animals. We invite original research manuscripts, literature reviews and case reports covering welfare and health aspects of farm animal transportation and meat quality/further processing in relation to animal transportation.

Dr. Bert Driessen
Dr. Luigi Faucitano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • animal transport
  • conditions
  • diseases
  • health
  • performance
  • stress
  • welfare

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 361 KiB  
Article
Consequences of Transport Conditions on the Welfare of Slaughter Pigs with Different Health Status and RYR-1 Genotype
by Nikola Čobanović, Sara Čalović, Branko Suvajdžić, Nevena Grković, Sanja Dj Stanković, Milena Radaković, Kristina Spariosu and Nedjeljko Karabasil
Animals 2024, 14(2), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020191 - 06 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1052
Abstract
This study assessed the influence of transport conditions on welfare indicators of slaughter pigs with different health status and RYR-1 genotype. The group of pigs, predominantly consisting of Nn (56.67%) and subclinically diseased (60.00%) individuals, that were exposed to short transportation (<30 min) [...] Read more.
This study assessed the influence of transport conditions on welfare indicators of slaughter pigs with different health status and RYR-1 genotype. The group of pigs, predominantly consisting of Nn (56.67%) and subclinically diseased (60.00%) individuals, that were exposed to short transportation (<30 min) at high loading density (~235 kg/m2) had the highest slipping (p < 0.0001), falling (p = 0.0009), turning back (p < 0.0001), reluctance to move (p < 0.0001), panting (p < 0.0001) and shivering (p < 0.0001) frequencies at unloading. Subclinically diseased Nn pigs subjected to short transportation (<30 min) and high loading density (~235 kg/m2) had the highest lactate (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001), glucose (p = 0.0450 and p = 0.0002), CK (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0010), LDH (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0484), AST (p = 0.0208 and p = 0.0170), ALT (p = 0.0500 and p = 0.00081), ceruloplasmin (p = 0.0334 and p < 0.0001) and MDA (p = 0.0048 and p < 0.0001) concentrations, but the lowest sodium (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001), chloride (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0432), albumin (p < 0.0090 and p < 0.0001), PON-1 (p = 0.0122 and p = 0.0500) and GSH (p = 0.0042 and p = 0.0340) levels, respectively. In the group consisting of of stress-resistant (100%) and predominantly healthy (60.00%) pigs subjected to short transportation (<30 min) at high loading density (~235 kg/m2), none of the individuals showed irregular behavioural reactions during unloading. Healthy NN pigs that underwent short transportation (<30 min) at high loading density (~235 kg/m2) had the lowest lactate (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001), glucose (p = 0.0450 and p = 0.0002), CK (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0010), LDH (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0484) and ceruloplasmin (p = 0.0334 and p < 0.0001) levels, but the highest sodium (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001) and chloride (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0432) concentrations, respectively. In conclusion, the most compromised welfare was recorded in subclinically diseased Nn pigs exposed to short transportation (<30 min) and high loading density (~235 kg/m2), while under the same conditions, the welfare of healthy NN pigs was not compromised. Therefore, stress-carrier pigs with subclinical pathological lesions should not be considered fit for transportation, indicating that the health status and genotype are the key factors for optimising pig welfare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relationship between Farm Animal Transport, Disease and Welfare)

Review

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 4886 KiB  
Review
Road Transport: A Review of Its Effects on the Welfare of Piglets
by Martina Zappaterra, Luigi Faucitano and Leonardo Nanni Costa
Animals 2023, 13(10), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101604 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1810
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to present the best available scientific knowledge on key effects of pre-transport and transport factors influencing the response of piglets to transport stress and post-transport recovery. To date, research on piglet transportation particularly focused on the effects [...] Read more.
The purpose of this review is to present the best available scientific knowledge on key effects of pre-transport and transport factors influencing the response of piglets to transport stress and post-transport recovery. To date, research on piglet transportation particularly focused on the effects of season (i.e., heat and cold stress), vehicle design features (ventilation type and deck/compartment location), space allowance and transport duration, and piglet genetics. More specifically, in this review the effect of transport duration has been dealt with through its impact on death rate, behaviour and physiological response, and feeling of hunger and thirst. Based on the available literature, clear conclusions can be drawn on the vulnerability of piglets to heat stress during transport. Both short and long transportation have an effect on piglet welfare, with effects being biased by the genetic background, ambient conditions and vehicle design. Further studies investigating the impact of factors such as vehicle design, truck stocking density and environment, piglet genetic background, and weaning age are needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relationship between Farm Animal Transport, Disease and Welfare)
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18 pages, 357 KiB  
Review
Zoonotic Disease Risks of Live Export of Cattle and Sheep, with a Focus on Australian Shipments to Asia and the Middle East
by Clive J. C. Phillips
Animals 2022, 12(23), 3425; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233425 - 05 Dec 2022
Viewed by 2550
Abstract
The growing human and livestock populations in the world today and increased international transport of livestock is increasing the risk of both emerging and endemic zoonotic diseases. This review focuses on the potential for the live export trade to transmit zoonotic diseases. Both [...] Read more.
The growing human and livestock populations in the world today and increased international transport of livestock is increasing the risk of both emerging and endemic zoonotic diseases. This review focuses on the potential for the live export trade to transmit zoonotic diseases. Both cattle and sheep are exposed to major stresses during the transport process, which are described, together with the impact of these stresses on the immune function of transported animals. Heat stress, overcrowding, inanition, ship and vehicle motion and accumulation of noxious gases are analysed for their ability to potentiate infectious diseases. The major zoonoses are described: pustular dermatitis, pneumonia, salmonellosis, as well as some common conditions, such as conjunctivitis, with specific reference to stressors associated with each disorder. Historical precedents exist for restriction of the trade based on disease risks. Finally, the economic and regulatory frameworks are considered to evaluate ways in which the spread of zoonotic diseases can be controlled. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relationship between Farm Animal Transport, Disease and Welfare)
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