A complete of 3366 pigs had been transported to slaughter in summer time (six replicates/trailer sort; July-August in southwestern Ontario) the usage of 3 trailers: a changed triple-deck pot-belly, a sophisticated flat-deck, and a typical pot-belly. Inside trailers, ambient prerequisites, temperature, relative humidity, and temperature-humidity-index, had been monitored in 3 compartments (backside entrance, center deck, and most sensible rear). A complete of 162 pigs had been decided on for the research of hematocrit, lactate, and creatine kinase ranges in exsanguination blood and for the analysis of red meat high quality as assessed within the longissimus, semimembranosus, and adductor muscle groups.
The complex flat-deck and changed triple-deck pot-belly trailers offered decrease temperature and temperature-humidity-index in comparison to the usual pot-belly throughout transit. In the usual pot-belly trailer, pigs transported within the center deck compartment confirmed upper blood creatine kinase concentrations than the ones transported within the backside entrance compartment and decrease pHu values within the semimembranosus and adductor muscle groups than the ones transported within the most sensible rear compartment.
Even if the complex flat-deck trailer design equipped a greater microclimate for pigs, the enhancements within the design of the unconventional trailers handiest somewhat decreased rigidity in pigs throughout summer time transits.
Moak KAT, Bergeron R, Conte S, Bohrer BM, Arrazola A, Devillers N, Faucitano L. Use of 2 novel trailer sorts for transportation of pigs to slaughter. I. Results on trailer microclimate, pig behaviour, physiological reaction, and meat high quality underneath Canadian summer time prerequisites. Canadian Magazine of Animal Science. 2022; 102(4): 529-542. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2022-0023