Document type: article published on The Pig Site
Author: EU Reference Centre for Animal Welfare - Pigs (EURCAW-Pigs)
Preview: Three specific welfare risks of transporting cull sows to the abattoir are addressed in this review. 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. They are all transported by road. The specific welfare risks of transporting cull sows to the abattoir are addressed in a European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare - Pigs (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. Based on findings such as increased mortality upon arrival at the abattoir compared with finishers, sows are considered more vulnerable towards transport than most other pig categories. (...)
In the review on transport of sows, 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 the review covers relevant legislation as well as the proposal of potential indicators of sow welfare during transport.
