Document type: News from EURCAW-Pigs
Authors : EURCAW-Pigs
Preview: In Europe, a culling rate of around half of the sows per herd per year is not unusual, which means that millions of sows are transported to slaughter each year. The specific welfare risks of transporting cull sows to the abattoir are addressed in a EURCAW-Pigs review.
Across the different pig categories, transport is a multifactorial stressor, with effects on all pig types. Some scientific attention has been directed towards the cull sow category, forming the basis of the EURCAW-review. Among the primary concerns for the welfare of cull sows during transport are (a) the sensitivity of these animals towards heat stress; (b) fitness for transport; and (c) the tendency of sows to fight when mixed with unfamiliar conspecifics.
Abstract: In this EURCAW-Pigs review, the scientific knowledge about sow transport is reviewed against the background of the relevant European legislation, including a discussion of preparation for transport, how sows are picked-up by vehicles and the journey to an abattoir. The final part of this review covers relevant legislation as well as the proposal of potential indicators of sow welfare during transport.
Link to review : Review on transport of sows (version 1.0)
