PRESLAUGHTER STRESSORS EFFECTS ON PORK - A REVIEW

Slaughter pigs are currently subjected to a number of handling practic es from the moment that they are in their home-cage until they are stu nned at slaughter These practices include removal from the home-cage, transport, mixing with unfamiliar conspecifics often leading to aggres sive interactions, exposure to novel environments and interactions wit h humans. The pigs' behavioral and physiological responses to these ha ndling procedures indicate that many of these practices are adversive to pigs and that animal well-being is impaired. To maintain pigs in go od condition up to the stunning point, some recommendations arising fr om recent investigations can be given. The practice of regrouping unfa miliar pigs should be avoided loading should be improved by the utiliz ation of hydraulic lifts and handling pigs could be eased by taking in to account the behavioral and physiological needs of pigs.