Protection of Animals against Cruelty: Transport of Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Pigs

Abstract

Dousek J., V. Veaerek, O. Valcl, P. Chloupek, V. Pi‰tukova: Protection of Animals against Cruelty: Transport of Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Pigs. Acta Vet. Brno 2002, 71: 555-562. The inspections carried out by the officers of the State Veterinary Administration (SVA) within the framework of surveillance of animal transport revealed that cases of violation of the principles of animal protection may and do occur. Therefore evaluation was made of transport in selected groups of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs in the Czech Republic during the period of 1996 to 2001. Each inspection was assessed using the following scale: (1) animal protection requirements fulfilled, (2) animal protection requirements partially fulfilled and veterinary measures for the improvement of animal protection imposed, (3) failure to fulfil animal protection requirements. The proportion of the situations of when animal protection requirements were partially met and veterinary measures were imposed to improve the level of protection in cattle varied between 0.00% and 1.35% of the total number of the inspections carried out. In sheep and goats this situation occurred only sporadically. In pigs the proportion was 0.22% to 2.22% of the total number of the inspections carried out. The proportion of the situations when failure to fulfil animal protection requirements in cattle occurred varied between 0.00% and 0.83% of the total number of the inspections carried out. In sheep this situation occurred in a single case only and in goats no such situation was recorded. In pigs the same proportion varied between 0.00% and 3.31%. We compared the results of the period 1996 to 1998 with the period of 1999 to 2001. The proportion of the situations with partial fulfilment of animal protection requirements and subsequent necessity to impose veterinary measures increased in cattle from 0.53% to 0.82% and in pigs from 0.65% to 1.09%. The proportion of the situations of failure to fulfil animal protection requirements increased in cattle from 0.00% to 0.37%, and in pigs from 0.33% to 1.33% showing a significant trend towards deterioration of these conditions (P = 0.0406). The results obtained by this detailed analysis show that animal protection has not improved in the interval under study. Our evaluation further shows that it is inevitable to continue the supervisory activities by SVA inspectors and to improve all aspects of animal protection as well as amend the standing legislation. Cattle, pigs, transport, animal protection, surveillance Loading, transport and unloading of animals cause unusual stress for them. The animals are forced to move, often by means of various painful stimulations, the structure of animal groups is changed and the animals are exposed to considerable physical and emotional stress due to unusual circumstances of the environment (visual perceptions, noise, smells, changes in temperature, humidity and other components of microclimate, changes of the properties of floor, movements of the vehicle, changes in the centre of gravity, vibrations, changes in feed and water supply and other unusual circumstances). This leads to changes in behaviour and in physiological indices including biochemical and physiological changes which can be observed and which also influence animal products. Therefore the conditions of animal transport are controlled by legal regulations which are based on scientific knowledge and experience. Thus the most prominent forms of cruelty, suffering and injury of the animals are limited as well as the cases of death during transport (Grandin 2000). However, the fulfilment of the legal regulations has to be inspected and enforced if necessary. According to T exdorf (1993) the systematic surveillance of animal protection should be guaranteed