ANIMAL TRANSPORT AND MEAT QUALITY IN PIGS

The desire for better meat quality can only be realized if there is a greater willingness at all levels to rethink and alter established pat terns of behaviour. In this discussion we must first of all remember t hat the protection of animals from external influences and from human beings must take priority. Meat quality faults are usually determined by faulty decisions on breeding and by faults in the handling of anima ls. The worst damage is often connected with transport during which th ere is a predisposition to over-rapid post mortem glycolysis, particul arly in animals with a large amount of lean meat and a high body weigh t. The transport conditions must therefore be as good as possible as r egards preparation by withholding feed, loading and unloading, loading density, design of vehicle, manner of travelling and length of journe y. If we to be better able to trace back faults in the breeding, manag ement and handling of pigs in the future and to take them into account in payments for neat, the usual system of carcase evaluation must be modified in the direction of supplier-related meat quality assessment. Only a plus and minus system that also rewards quality in relation to animal protection and penalizes faults can lead to an improvement in the overall situation.