Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology

DRIVING ON FOOT

• Transportation by driving affects animals to a great degree corresponding to their being accustomed to outdoor exercise and the temperature of the season.
• Sheep and cattle raised under range conditions are least affected but difficulty is experienced with stabled cattle, calves and pigs.
• As driving of fattened animals affected them unfavourably in proportion to their fleshiness; they are driven only over short distances. Travel for long distances should be allowed, if they are accustomed to it.
• The voice, sticks and dogs are employed in driving the animals. While dogs can scarcely be separated in driving as they cause considerable excitement among animals of other species. Cruel treatment to animals during transport causing injuries should be avoided.
• Animals always get excited and tired during transport and if slaughtered immediately they bleed out incompletely and in most instances cause decrease in keeping quality of meat.
• Pigs when driven should never be struck with a stick. Skin discolourations and bruising become obvious especially after scalding of carcass with a resultant depreciation in value. Driving is best done with a flat canvass strap.
• Only cattle, sheep and goats can be successfully moved on hoof, and here certain risks are involved. The journey should be planned, paying attention to the distance to be travelled, opportunities for grazing, watering and overnight rest.
• Animals should be walked during the cooler times of the day and, if moving some distance to a railhead, they should arrive with sufficient time to be rested and watered before loading. The maximum distances that these animals should be trekked depend on various factors such as weather, body condition, age etc.
• It is illegal to make animals walk in heavy rain, thunderstorms or extremely dry or sultry conditions.
• Animals who have not been given shoes cannot be made to walk on hard cement, bitumen-coated or metalled roads, steep gradients or hilly and rocky terrain, regardless of weather conditions.
• Every animal shall be given a break of 20 minutes after being given water and a break of one hour after being given food.

Time of the day

• High environment temperatures will increase the risk of heat stress and mortality during transportation.
• It is important to transport animals in vehicles during the cooler mornings and evenings or even at night. This is particularly important for pigs.
• A combination of high humidity and high environment temperatures is especially deadly to pigs.
• Heat can rapidly build up to lethal levels in a stationary vehicle. Wetting pigs with water will help keep them cool.
  

Click here for Maximum distances for Treking and Distance, Time, Rest Interval and Temperature Restrictions during Transport.