Effect of pre-slaughter conditions on stress and well-being of farm animals

Abstract

Despite progress made in recent years, the pre-slaughter period remains stressful for animals. Current slaughter procedures involveregrouping and mixing animals, removing them from their familiar environment and introducing them into unfamiliar settings, transporting,handling, and depriving them of food, and are sometimes associated with poor quality of surroundings. These often cause stress,which can be both physical (fatigue, hunger, pain, discomfort) and psychological (fear, social stress). Stunning techniques are sometimespoorly controlled or unsuitable. Slaughter procedures cause behavioural, physiological and metabolic responses that are used to determinethe animal’s stress levels. To improve animal welfare, further knowledge of the exact causes of stress is required. The possible negativeeffects of stress responses on meat quality are also briefly addressed.