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Review
. 2018 Sep 27;8(10):165.
doi: 10.3390/ani8100165.

Main Factors Affecting Animal Welfare and Meat Quality in Lambs for Slaughter in Chile

Carmen Gallo  1 , Juan Tarumán  2 , Cristian Larrondo  3
Affiliations
Review

Main Factors Affecting Animal Welfare and Meat Quality in Lambs for Slaughter in Chile

Carmen Gallo et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Consumers have become increasingly demanding about the quality of products of animal origin, particularly regarding animal welfare during production, transport, and slaughter. The aim of the present study was to review the factors affecting the welfare of lambs for slaughter in Chile and show the implications on meat quality. Rounding up and driving the lambs from the fields in large extensive production systems and long distance transport through difficult geographical routes affect the blood variable indicators of stress and reduces muscle glycogen reserves, increasing the risk of high pH of meat. In small farmer sheep production conditions there is a lack of appropriate installations for loading/unloading and deficiencies in vehicle structure specific for lambs; this together with the work of untrained handlers results in a high percentage of mortality and bruised carcasses, compared to European studies. These problems are common for other South American countries and should be addressed firstly by educating and training all the people involved in the lamb meat chain regarding animal welfare. In Chile there is legislation, ongoing since 2013, regarding the protection of animals during production, transport, and slaughter, including compulsory training of animal handlers and livestock transporters, which should improve animal welfare and meat quality.

Keywords: animal welfare; lambs; meat quality; preslaughter operations; transport.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Rounding up and driving sheep in the Chilean Patagonia; (b) lambs resting in a pen before loading in small farmer conditions of central-southern Chile.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Moving sheep with dogs and other driving aids.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Loading sheep using a wooden ramp; (b) truck with metallic adjustable pens and double flooring, also showing the metallic loading ramp.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Inadequate practices for loading (a,b) and unloading lambs (c).
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a–c) Unloading lambs at the slaughterhouse using mobile metallic ramps.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a,b) Typical vehicles used in the Chilean Patagonia for the transport of lambs.
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a,b) Vehicles loaded with lambs at space allowances of approximately 0.66 m2/100 kg; (c) small trailer carrying lambs produced by small farmers at approximately 0.8 m2/100 kg.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Map of Chile showing the central-southern region (a) and the Chilean Patagonia (b).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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