Transporting Pigs AMI

Transporting Pigs : 

Transporting Pigs John J. McGlone, PhD Professor, Texas Tech U FACTA, LLC

Outline: 

Outline Usual times pigs are transported Transportation effects on pig behavior, body weight and physiology Trucks & weather Handling effects at loading and unloading Food safety and animal welfare issues

Usual times pigs are transported: 

Usual times pigs are transported Weaning (farrowing to nursery or W-F unit) Feeder pigs (nursery to G-F) Market hogs Young breeding stock Cull breeding stock Cull growing pigs

Transporting Pigs – What are they thinking?: 

Transporting Pigs – What are they thinking? As they come of the truck, they are in a mob Movement and direction are based on the flow Pigs flow like water Keeping the flow directional keeps the pigs moving correctly Turns or stops may reverse the flow

How does transport impact the pig?: 

How does transport impact the pig? They are without feed and water They lose more weight than they would if they were without feed and water the same time as the trip They have an elevated stress hormone concentrations and altered metabolism They have suppressed immunity and increased bacterial shedding

Transportation and weight loss: 

Transportation and weight loss Weight loss can range from 1 to 6% in a short trip; for example in a 4-hour trip: McGlone et al., 1993, loss = 5.1% Hicks et al., 1998, loss = 3.3% Carcass shrink begins about 18 h into the trip (or after 18 h of fasting).

Transportation and pig physiology: 

Transportation and pig physiology Stress hormones rise within 15 minutes of handling Blood cortisol is elevated ~50%, with resulting: Glycogenoloysis (break-down of glycogen into glucose) Gluconeogenesis (break-down of protein to form glucose) Glucose at first elevated, then depressed Lactic acid generation Increased risk of dead and downers

Slide8: 

Findings: Serum lactate concentration was much lower in pigs handled gently compared to pigs that received the non-gentle handling (p<0.01*). *the probability of this occurring by chance is less than 1%. Serum Lactate Levels In Gently vs. Non-Gently Treated Pigs Data Courtesy of Elanco Animal Health

Slide9: 

Findings: None of the pigs that were treated gently became downer pigs. Over 20% (1 out of every 5) of the pigs that received the non-gentle handling became downer pigs in the research trial (p<0.01*). *the probability of this occurring by chance is less than 1%. Downer Incidence In Gently vs. Non-Gently Treated Pigs Data Courtesy of Elanco Animal Health

Transportation and pig physiology: 

Transportation and pig physiology Suppressed immunity Depressed NK activity (Hicks et al., 1998) Increased bacterial shedding 7-fold increase in Salmonella detection after transport than when on the farm (Hurd et al., 2002)

Trucks and Weather: 

Trucks and Weather See NPB fact sheet by Temple Grandin on transporting pigs Main Truck Issues Side slats Bedding Type of truck & compartments within Trucker attitude Handling

Weather effects on DOA per WeekN = ~2,000,000 pigs; Jun-Dec 2003: 

Weather effects on DOA per Week N = ~2,000,000 pigs; Jun-Dec 2003

Bedding types: 

Bedding types Cool Weather Wood shavings Wheat straw or corn stubble Warm weather Wood shavings Sand Wet shavings Wet sand

Preferred Truck Types: 

Preferred Truck Types Pot-belly trucks (least preferred) Straight-deck trucks Side open, straight-deck trucks

Truck Set-Up: 

Truck Set-Up * Minimum openings are needed for ventilation even in the coldest weather ** Consider using sand or wetting bedding if it is not too humid and trucks are moving

Minimum Truck Bedding: 

Minimum Truck Bedding One bale is 10 cubic ft

Trucker Attitude: 

Trucker Attitude Positive, humane attitude TQA certified Attention to details

Unloading Pigs – Bad Example: 

Unloading Pigs – Bad Example Too noisy Door open on left side Kicking pigs

Unloading Pigs – Good Example: 

Unloading Pigs – Good Example These pigs have to turn left Only the mass of pigs and pressure from the back causes them to move forward and then left Good use of rattle cans

Summary: 

Summary Transportation is a stressful event in the life of pigs of all ages Transportation, under the best conditions, causes real changes in pig physiology and behavior

Summary: 

Summary Real opportunities for improvement in pig welfare, including deaths and downers are in two areas: Pig Handling Truck Operation (bedding, slats & TQA)