Health and Welfare of Horses in Short-Term Commercial Transport

Abstract

Animal transport represents even nowadays one of the stressors that induce poor animal welfare. The research aimed to identify potential risk factors affecting the health and welfare of horses transported to the slaughterhouse and methods in which they could be corrected. The study tracked a total of 3196 adult horses from collecting farms (lot F, n: 2490), and from households (lot H, n: 706) transported to the slaughterhouse on a journey that did not exceed 8 hours, in accordance with the Regulation EC 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The incidence of injuries in loading/unloading of horses, varied in group F (12.2%) compared to H (3.4%). Associated with this incidence, the behavioural response was passive for 10% horses in group F, in comparison to 70% horses in group H, as against the restlesness noticed for 42% horses in group F, and 21% in H. In determining the risk factors associated with the poor welfare of horses during short-term transport, the lack of experience of both horses and personnel involved in transport-related operations, mainly moving, loading and unloading, were taken into account, as playing a main part in animal health and welfare.