Scoring system for evaluating the stress to cattle of commercial loading and unloading.

摘要: The loading and unloading of cattle for road transport is stressful but the stress difficult to evaluate in terms welfare cattle. Over one year, 40 normal commercial journeys northern Spain were analysed time limits behavioural events order design an objective method assessing stresses imposed on animals, a scoring was developed animals during unloading. Several definitions intervals assessed calculate score per animal, easily observable scored combined with obtain total loading/unloading score. More than half loadings unloadings involved turns, slips vocalisations. Mounts bouts fighting infrequent balks falls significantly more frequent plasma concentrations cortisol, glucose lactate, activity creatine kinase pH meat 24 hours after slaughtered also measured. results indicated that higher scores implied levels stress.