Study Confirms Handling Link In ‘Downer’ Pigs
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. Pork producers who
raise heavily muscled market hogs should take
notice of a new study unveiled at the American So
ciety of Animal Science annual meeting held in In
dianapolis. It shows clear benefits of using gentle
methods to move pigs from farm to market
methods that may eliminate downer animals alto
gether.
Dr. Harold Gonyou, a swine researcher and
animal behaviorist at the Prairie Swine Center in
Saskatchewan, Canada, was a primary investigator
in the study. He says, “This benchmark study was
devoted to developing a model to understand why
pigs go down and finding ways to prevent the prob
lem. Because of this work, we can now do other reli
able studies to look at the metabolic and
physiological effects aggressive handling has on
pigs.”
For this unique study, researchers collected data
on two groups of pigs. Under the supervision of a
humane treatment committee, one group was
moved aggressively and the other gently. Aggres
sively was defined by the multiple use of an electric
prod and yelling; and gently defined by the use of a
hollow, plastic tube, and quiet talking. In each
group, researchers moved pigs up and down an aisle
How to Handle, Transport Today’s Pigs
In conjunction with the National Institute
for Animal Agriculture, animal handling
experts have created a tip sheet to
help producers and anyone who must
handle and move pigs. Pocket-sized
versions of this checklist are available
in English and Spanish from the insti
tute or Elanco Animal Health.
Preparing pigs for moving
and transport:
• Handlers should walk slowly
■[ within each pen for 1 minute
IN each day or for 5 minutes
•u|u, once per week during the
finishing period to
A. Accustom the pigs to human contact.
B Teach them to move quietly around
the handler.
• Withhold feed tor 4 to 6 hours before
loading OR feed should be withheld
12 to 18 hours before slaughter
Handling and moving pigs:
• Rely on the natural tenden-
Pj =- cy of pigs to follow “leaders"
[fpl EE into strange areas rather than
forcing the entire group to
move along together
• Ensure that lighting over and ahead of
moving pigs is bright and evenly distributed,
so that there are no distracting shadows
• Move as quietly as possible
• Use panels, paddles or large flags to move
pigs. Avoid caning, clubbing, kicking and
slapping, which causes injury Minimal
electroshock is used only as a last resort
Loading pigs:
• To equalize temperature and
pH ( lighting, open curtains 15 mm
nßr IS utes before loading.
HUH • Load pigs at night or very
early in the morning if heat
and humidity are high
• Move very small groups of 5 to 6 pigs in
a 3-foot wide alley and only 3 pigs at a
time m a 2-foot alley.
• Move each small group of pigs immediate
ly from the finishing pen onto the truck.
• Avoid sharp turns in alleys, loading chutes
should have less than 20-degree angles
• To minimize fighting among pigs, do not
store (hold) large groups of finishing pigs
in an alley or holding pen
• The number of pigs per running foot of
truck floor (on a 92-mch-wide truck)
should be 2.2 (200-lb pig), 1.8 (250-lb
pig) and 1 6 (300-lb. pig).
repeatedly while measuring physical responses to
each handling method.
“We created this model to simulate what could be
experienced by pigs in a commercial setting,” says
Gonyou. “We knew using electric prods, bunching
pigs up, and using a steep loading ramp would
create stress in the aggressively handled group.
What we didn’t know is what percentage of pigs
would become downers.”
As the test began, pigs in the aggressive group
began to show signs of stress very quickly; blotchy
skin, panting, vocalization, and shaking. “Within
five minutes the pigs became very hot and showed
clear signs of distress,” says Gonyou. “These pigs
experienced the familiar ‘fight or flight’ syndrome
talked about in humans.”
Gender and halothane/stress-gene status did not
have an impact on the study’s outcome, but han
dling certainly did. In the strictly handled group,
20.4 percent of the pigs were classified as downers
versus 0 percent for the gently handled group.
Aggressive handling practices can result in signif
icant stress to the pig. Not only does this represent
significant animal welfare concerns it also results in
direct losses through declining meat quality and
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Transporting pigs:
> Transport pigs at night or '
very early in the morning if
heat and humidity are high,
and observe the heat index
transportation chart.
• Use partitions to divide the load
• Don’t leave pigs unnecessarily in a fully
loaded truck, drive off immediately after
loading, to minimize the temperature rise
in loaded, stationary trucks
• Truck drivers should start, brake and stop
smoothly to avoid injuring pigs
• Schedule truck arrivals at the packing plant
so that pigs can be unloaded promptly.