Welfare of equidae during transport

Abstract

In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of animal welfare legislation. This opinion deals with the protection of horses and donkeys during transport. While the opinion focuses primarily on road transport of horses, there are specific sections dealing with the transport of horses on roll-on-roll-off ferries, horses transported by air and the transport of donkeys. In addition, the opinion covers welfare concerns in relation to a specific scenario identified by the European Commission related to the transport of horses on long journeys to slaughterhouses. Current practices related to transport of horses during the different stages (preparation, loading and unloading, transit and the journey breaks) are described. Overall, 13 welfare consequences were identified as being highly relevant for the welfare of horses during transport based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: gastro-enteric disorders, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, isolation stress, motion stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, respiratory disorders, resting problems, restriction of movement, sensory overstimulation and separation stress. These welfare consequences and their animal-based measures are described. A variety of hazards were identified related to factors such as inexperienced/untrained handlers, lack of horse training, structural deficiencies of vehicles/facilities, poor driving skills/conditions, horse separation/regrouping, unfavourable microclimatic and environmental conditions and poor husbandry practices. The opinion contains general and specific conclusions in relation to the different stages of transport. Recommendations to prevent hazards and correct or mitigate welfare consequences have been developed. Recommendations were also developed to define quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions within the means of transport and for space allowance. The development of welfare consequences over time was assessed in relation to maximum journey time.

Keywords: Farm to Fork Strategy; Horse; animal welfare; animal‐based measures; quantitative thresholds; transport; welfare consequences.

Figure 1

Area where horses must be assessed to calculate the sweat score (from 0 to 5) proposed by Holcomb et al. (2013)

Figure 2

Preparatory actions reported in a questionnaire on horse transport‐related issues and practices conducted in Australia (Padalino et al., 2016a)

Figure 3

Horse vision and flight zone (Consortium of the Animal Transport Guides Project (2017a))

Figure 4

Mean fetal growth curve in thoroughbred from day 150 of gestation to term. (Source: Platt, 1978)

Figure 5

Horse led by the handler into a horse truck (Photographer: Barbara Padalino, UNIBO)

Figure 6

Unhandled horse during self‐unloading (Source: Barbara Padalino, UNIBO)

Figure 7

Commercial truck used for horses. The vehicle is passively ventilated. Source: Barbara Padalino, UNIBO

Figure 8

Schematic drawing showing the three planes of vibratory movements animals are exposed to during transport by road. The arrows show movements along the direction of the vehicle, whereas the horses can be facing in several directions during the transit stage. Adapted from Humane Slaughter Association (2022)

Figure 9

Schematic representation of thermal zones as a function of the environmental temperature (Adapted from EFSA, 2004)

1. LCT/A: Lower critical temperature (LCT), UCT/D: Upper critical temperature; B: Lower limit of thermal comfort zone; C: Upper limit of thermal comfort zone.

Figure 10

The average rate of change of sweating (g/m² per hour) for changes in ambient temperature (°C) in a group of hydrated horses acclimatised to the natural hot and dry conditions of Arizona in the United States (Graph using data from Honstein and Monty, 1977)

Figure 11

The rate of evaporative heat loss as a function of ambient temperature from five horses, acclimatised to an indoor temperature of 15–20°C and an outside temperature of ‐5°C to 5°C in a paddock). Source: Morgan et al. (1997)

Figure 12

The rate of total heat loss as a function of ambient temperature from five horses, acclimatised to an indoor temperature of 15–20°C and an outside temperature of –5°C to 5°C in a paddock. Source: Morgan et al. (1997)

1. The horses were exposed to the following temperature levels, with relative humidity in brackets: –3°C (50%); 6°C (55%); 15°C (55%); 20°C (45%); 30°C (40%) and 37°C (40%) as measured during a 1.5‐h stay in a climatic chamber. The temperature inside the climate chamber is shown on the X‐axis, and the rate of total heat loss (Wm^–2)

Figure 13

Schematic drawing of the space around a horse transported in a single stall. The red marking indicates the dimensions of the horse (length and width), and the blue marking indicates a situation, where the horse is provided with 20 cm on all four sides. Source: Liv Cool

Figure 14

Low hay net (the bottom edge of the hay net is level with the midpoint of the cannon bone) on the left, and hay net positioned high (the bottom edge of the hay net is level with the horse’s elbow) on the right picture. Hay can also be provided on the floor of the vehicle. Source: Raspa et al. (2021)

Figure 15

The effect of a 24‐h journey under hot conditions on the plasma concentration of cortisol (Stull and Rodiek, 2000)

Figure 16

Saliva cortisol concentrations (ng/mL) collected in horses before, during and after road transport for 1, 3.5 and 8 h (n = 8 per group) in horses without recent experience of transport. Source: Schmidt et al. (2010a)

1. The horses were kept in forward‐facing individual stalls of unspecified size, and no food or water was provided. Dotted lines parallel to x‐axis indicate journey duration.

Figure 17

Faecal cortisol metabolite concentrations before, during and after 1, 3.5 and 8 h of road transport (n = 8 per group), in inexperienced horses. Source: Schmidt et al. (2010a)

1. The horses were kept in forward‐facing individual stalls of unspecified size, and no food or water was provided. The arrow indicates day of transport.

Figure 18

Saliva cortisol concentrations (ng/mL) before, during and after transport of seven experienced competition horses. Source: Schmidt et al., 

1. The x‐axis indicate minutes during two occasions of a 2‐day (1,370 km) journey separated by 8 days. The horses were transported for 24 h on days 1 and 11, and for 20 h on days 2 and 10. During the journeys, horses were not fed but received water during stops at 4‐ to 5‐h intervals. The horses were kept in stalls of 75 × 205 cm, oriented at 75^o to the direction of the movement of the vehicle.

Figure 19

Heart rate of horses during transport for three different journey lengths: 1 (black circle), 3.5 (open circle) or 8 h (open square) (n = 8) in inexperienced horses kept in forward‐facing individual stalls of unspecified size, and no food or water was provided. (Schmidt et al., 2010a)

Figure 20

The effect on muscle fatigue indicators (mean value for plasma lactate (mg/dL) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK), IU/L) of a 24‐h journey in summer conditions in California. Source: Stull and Rodiek,

Figure 21

Jet stalls during loading of horses into a plane (source: Barbara Padalino, UNIBO)