TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of variations in the environment, length of journey and type of trailer on the mortality and morbidity of pigs being transported to slaughter
AU - Sutherland, M. A.
AU - McDonald, A.
AU - McGlone, J. J.
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - The month, average air temperature, relative humidity, number of pigs of each sex per trailer load, journey time, type of trailer and bedding, and waiting time at the processing plant were recorded from 16,323 trailers transporting 2,730,754 pigs to a packing plant in the USA during a year, together with the numbers of pigs that were dead on arrival, injured or unable to walk. The percentage of pigs dead on arrival increased at temperatures above 20°C., and the percentage of pigs unable to walk increased at temperatures of 5°C or below. The journey time and waiting time at the processing plant influenced the percentages of dead and injured pigs and pigs unable to walk.
AB - The month, average air temperature, relative humidity, number of pigs of each sex per trailer load, journey time, type of trailer and bedding, and waiting time at the processing plant were recorded from 16,323 trailers transporting 2,730,754 pigs to a packing plant in the USA during a year, together with the numbers of pigs that were dead on arrival, injured or unable to walk. The percentage of pigs dead on arrival increased at temperatures above 20°C., and the percentage of pigs unable to walk increased at temperatures of 5°C or below. The journey time and waiting time at the processing plant influenced the percentages of dead and injured pigs and pigs unable to walk.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67651083611&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/vetrec.165.1.13
DO - 10.1136/vetrec.165.1.13
M3 - Article
C2 - 19578189
AN - SCOPUS:67651083611
SN - 0042-4900
VL - 165
SP - 13
EP - 18
JO - Veterinary Record
JF - Veterinary Record
IS - 1
ER -