Basic Principles

The objective of humane animal handling is to move animals with minimum stress to both the animals and handler. Considerate handling reduces the risk to the animal of pain, injury and suffering. Unfamiliar surroundings, noisy and aggressive handling, and the proximity of unknown animals or people can cause even the calmest of animals to become difficult to handle and much more likely to cause injury to themselves, other animals or handlers.

Handling, especially by unfamiliar handlers, has the potential to be a highly stressful experience for animals. By working in a quiet, calm and considerate manner, handling can be carried out efficiently, with less effort and with less likelihood of the handler or the animals becoming stressed or injured.

Stress

Some stress is a normal part of an animal’s life, but it becomes a problem and causes suffering when it is severe or prolonged. The factors which can cause stress are called ‘stressors’ and these include, for example, noise, unfamiliar surroundings, unfamiliar animals and dogs.

Although many animals might be able to tolerate a single stressor for a short period of time, multiple stressors over a long period of time, or a severe single stressor, can produce adverse effects and compromise animal welfare.

The ability of an animal to cope with stressors depends on the:

• Genetic background of the breed
• Animal’s past experience
• Type of stress factor
• Intensity and duration of the stress

For example, in markets, animals which have been frequently handled or have been in a similar situation before will be more able to cope with this situation compared to those that have not previously left the farm. It is important to remember that some degree of stress may be almost inevitable in handling livestock, but the aim must be to keep this to a minimum.

Prolonged stress must be avoided in all circumstances. It can reduce the ability of the animal’s immune system to fight diseases, especially in young animals. In some breeds of pigs, stress can lead to sudden death.

In slaughter animals, the physiological changes associated with stress can affect the quality of the meat. When an animal is handled and slaughtered humanely, there are low levels of lactic acid and high levels of energy left in the muscles. As such, the meat undergoes a number of reactions post mortem which result in tender, good quality meat. If the animals are stressed prior to slaughter the post mortem changes are affected. Stress immediately prior to slaughter causes a rise in the lactic acid levels. This affects the muscles and they become pale, soft and exudative (watery), a condition known as PSE, which is most commonly found in badly handled pigs. In animals which are exposed to long-term stress (i.e. 24-48 hours prior to slaughter), muscle energy reserves are used up and this adversely affects meat quality by causing a condition known as dark, firm and dry meat, termed DFD. This occurs mainly in cattle exposed to difficult journeys. Both PSE and DFD conditions lower the value of the meat.