Letícia dos Santos Lopes

Effects of the Truck Suspension System on Animal Welfare, Carcass and Meat Quality Traits in Pigs

Simple Summary Transportation is a complex stressor in which animals are exposed to a series negatively stimuli, such as vibration, new environmental conditions, variation in temperature and humidity, social mixing, noises among other poor factors, which can result in welfare problems and economic losses such as increased skin lesions, poorer pork quality traits. Transport stress may be reduced through a vehicle suspension system that provides a much smoother ride during transport, and consequently is less aversive to pigs. However, air suspension systems are more expensive and have bigger maintenance costs. This increase in transportation cost must be supported by the benefits from improvements in quality of freight transport; otherwise, the truckers will be paying unnecessarily for a similar or equivalent ride quality. Thus, finishing pigs were assessed after transport to slaughter by the same two double-decked trucks using two types of commercial vehicle suspension, leaf-spring and air suspension, to compare effects on blood cortisol and lactate at exsanguination, behaviour during lairage, and carcass (skin lesions) and pork quality traits. The use of leaf-spring suspension system negatively affects the welfare of pigs due to the increased carcass damage and resulted in poorer pork quality traits. Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the effects of two types of commercial suspension (leaf-spring (LS) vs. air suspension (AS)) installed on two similar double-decked trucks on blood cortisol and lactate concentration, lairage behavior, carcass skin lesions and pork quality traits of 120 crossbred pigs. The suspension type neither influenced pig behaviour in lairage nor blood cortisol and lactate concentrations (p > 0.10). However, when compared with the AS suspension system, the use of LS increased the number of skin lesions in the back and thigh (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively) and produced thigh with lower pHu (p < 0.001) and yellower colour (higher b* value; p = 0.03), and paler back muscles (subjective colour; p < 0.05), with a tendency to lower pH (p = 0.06). Therefore, the use air suspension system can improve carcass and meat quality traits of pigs transported to slaughter.

Evaluation of the Welfare of Broiler Chickens Reared in Different Heating Systems

In the present study, the evaluation of the welfare of broiler chickens reared in four different heating systems was assessed. The experiment was conducted in four aviaries with dimensions of 12 x 10m and 1000 birds each, at Embrapa Swine and Poultry Farm facilities, during four consecutive rearing cycles of 42 days. The heating systems evaluated were: a bio-fuel heater, a gas heater (GLP), a vegetable coal brick heater and a firewood heater. To assesses birds’ welfare the following variables were obtained: heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (H/L), fluctuating asymmetry, foot pad assessment and gait score assessed by four gait scoring levels, 1- Regular (walk up 10 steps without limp or unbalance), 2- Impairment 1: walk up 10 steps and limping or unbalanced, 3 – Impairment 2: walk up four steps, limping or unbalanced gait 4 - remains still. All evaluations were performed when birds were 42 days-old. The birds had no foot pad lesions. Results from the fluctuating asymmetry test showed that birds were in a state of welfare. There’s no effect of the heating treatments on gait score results. Between 95 to 97% of birds presented high level of welfare considering the locomotion stage exhibited during the experimental period. For the hematological evaluation, results showed that the number of heterophils increased and of lymphocytes decreased, thus changing the H/L ratio. This situation was consistent with the conditions of blood collection after routine management of birds, considered stressful. In conclusion, regardless the heating system applied, birds remained in good welfare conditions.

INFLUENCE OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING IN THE OCCURRENCE OF DIARRHEA IN SWINE IN THE NURSERY PHASE IN SUMMER AND WINTER

This study the effect of artificial lighting on the sanitary condition of pigs during the nursery phase through the occurrence and duration of diarrhea in summer and winter were evaluated. For the analysis of the piglets with diarrhea, it was calculated the average number of days as well as the number of animals with diarrhea. These two variables were calculated for the first week and the total period of the experiment. Once a day the physical characteristics of the feces were observed by visual analysis, with the following criteria: hard consistency stool (0), normal (1), pasty (2) and aqueous (3). To facilitate the statistical analysis, scores 0 and 1 were considered as non-diarrheic feces and scores 2 and 3 were considered as diarrheic feces. For the number of days and the percentage of animals with diarrhea, only differences were found between the seasons. There was no influence of lighting programs on the incidence of diarrhea in piglets in the nursery phase.

INFLUENCE OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING IN THE ZOOTECHNICAL PERFORMANCE OF PIGS IN THE NURSERY PHASE IN PERIODS OF WINTER AND SUMMER

This study evaluated the effect of artificial lighting on the zootechnical performance of pigs during the nursery phase in the summer and winter. The daily variables feed intake and weight gain were collected at different times. In the first week, measurement was daily. After the first week, performance was measured every seven days. In relation to daily feed intake (CRD) it is possible to notice that there were no significant differences (p<0.05). In GPD differences were found (p<0.05) where all programs, at least once, proved to be superior. The lighting programs tested showed no influence on the zootechnical performance of the piglets in nursery phase. Since there are contradictory results in other studies, it is necessary to conduct more research on the subject.

Frequency of comfort temperature and humidity in the early phase of swine in different lighting programs during the winter and summer.

The current work sought to evaluate the frequency of comfort temperature and humidity for pigs in farms during the nursery phase with artificial lighting programs during winter and summer. The dry bulb temperature data (DBT) and relative air humidity (RH) were obtained with a multifunction device, model TESTO® 410-2. These variables were collected one day / week at intervals of 3 hours, both inside and outside the nursery, totaling 5 days collection in the course of each repetition. In general, the average temperature was higher in programs 23L, 1E and 16L:8E. The average weekly relative humidity values showed a behavior opposite to the TBS. The cause of the rise in temperature was not well understood and may have been as a result of the heat generated by lights, greater agitation of the animals which in turn generated more heat, variation of bell-jars or other factor that could not be observed in this study.