URUGUAY<br>EVITAR LESIONES TRAUMÁTICAS<br><i>AVOIDING TRAUMATIC INJURIES</i>
La presencia de lesiones traumáticas (contusiones o machucones) en las canales de animales que se faenan, resultan comunes. Pero atentan contra el Bienestar de los mismos, bajan la calidad de la carne y ocasionan importantes pérdidas económicas (1,4). Los animales que se destinan a la faena son transportados al menos una vez en su vida,(6), durante toda la cadena de comercialización, ya sea por vía terrestre, como es el caso de Uruguay, o por diferentes medios de transporte (terrestre, ferroviario o marítimo). Una vez en las plantas faenadoras, se procede a la descarga, pesaje y estadía en los corrales de descanso en las horas previas a la faena. Si estos manejos se realizan en forma inadecuada, las consecuencias inmediatas son la presencia de contusiones en diferentes zonas de la canal y de diversa severidad, decomisos de áreas afectadas por dichas lesiones, las pérdidas por los llamados “cortes oscuros”, dificultad en el descenso del pH que es necesario para convertir el músculo en carne y deterioro de la calidad de la misma.(1,2,3,5) ESTUDIOS Y EVIDENCIASLa Facultad de Veterinaria de Uruguay, con el apoyo del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA) y el BID (proyecto LIA 002), estudió durante los años de 2002 y 2003 los puntos críticos que afectan el bienestar de los animales en las etapas previas a la faena. Se observaron en todos los frigoríficos exportadores habilitados por el organismo oficial del país, la llegada y descarga de casi 500 tropas de ganado y más de 15,000 reses. Los resultados obtenidos se resumen a continuación: - El 46% de los camiones que transportan ganado en Uruguay pertenecen a los últimos 7 años, cuentan con puertas tipo guillotina en casi su totalidad (99%) y el 53% de los vehículos poseen rodillos de goma por lo menos en uno de los lados de las puertas. En cuanto a la experiencia laboral con que cuentan los conductores de los vehículos, el promedio fue de 14 años en el rubro, indicando buenos conocimientos en el transporte de ganado. Las rutas transitadas en un 80% fueron buenas y el promedio de kilómetros recorridos fue de 214. Las instalaciones de carga fueron consideradas como buenas por los transportistas en un 80% de los casos y el tiempo promedio insumido en las maniobras de carga y descarga fue de 12 minutos. Los dispositivos de ayuda utilizados para realizar dichas maniobras fueron picana eléctrica en un 57%, seguido por gritos en un 40% y palos en un 35%, aunque en general se usó más de un dispositivo a la vez (graf1).-En la observación de las canales durante la faena se encontró que un 55% (16.000 medias canales) presentaban por lo menos una lesión traumática (graf 2). La zona de la grupa que contiene los cortes de mayor valor comercial presentó un 65% de lesiones, seguida por la zona dorso-lateral que también contiene cortes de alto valor, con un 24% de contusiones, y la zona delantera con un 12% (graf 3). De las canales lesionadas, el 50% de ellas presentaba una lesión y el 50% restante se dividían 2,3 4 o más de una contusión por media canal observada. (graf 4). En todos las zonas, el 20% de las lesiones fueron de mayor severidad (interesando capas profundas de músculos), ocasionando decomiso parcial o total del corte y/o cambio de destino del corte o de la media canal y el 80% restante fueron lesiones de poca entidad (graf 5).- Se tomaron muestras de los tejidos decomisados en las diferentes zonas de la canal, oscilando entre 250 y 2000 gramos. Si consideramos un promedio de U$S 2500 la tonelada, el país estaría perdiendo unos U$S 2 000 000 de dólares por año solamente por concepto de eliminación de las zonas dañadas de la canal, si a esto se le suma las horas hombre que se destinan para realizar estas tareas de limpieza, depreciación de la canal por cambio de destinos, la perdida potencial de mercados exigentes, disgusto de los consumidores, estas cifras se multiplican varias veces. CONCLUSIONESEs imprescindible atacar esta problemática desde varios flancos. A nivel de los establecimientos productores es importante capacitar al personal encargado del manejo de los animales así como al propietario. Asimismo, y en cuanto a los manejos racionales y humanitarios, no se recomienda utilizar picanas eléctricas a menos que sea absolutamente necesario y por espacios de tiempo muy chicos. Además no se deben usar palos, ni sobrecargar las instalaciones de animales, mejorar las instalaciones de forma que no presenten ángulos rectos, salientes o zonas abiertas que promuevan que los animales salten y no usar perros mal entrenados. Durante el transporte, es importante capacitar a los conductores que son quienes descargan los animales en las plantas faenadoras para que no usen picanas eléctricas, que realicen un correcto mantenimiento de las jaulas de los vehículos y de las puertas guillotina para que no se traben y caigan sobre el animal que va pasando, colocar rodillos de goma en todas las aberturas del camión y piso antideslizante, así como eliminar toda posible saliente que pueda dañar al animal. A nivel de los frigoríficos, realizar cursos de capacitación para el personal que maneja el ganado, corregir las instalaciones de forma que no tengan ángulos rectos, salientes, desniveles, si es posible construir corredores en curva, no colocar focos de luz a los ojos del animal cuando se dirige hacia el cajón de noqueo, realizar un correcto mantenimiento del equipo de noqueo y capacitación del personal de forma que la desensibilización se otorgue en un solo golpe y el sangrado del animal se realice inmediatamente .Con esto se lograría mejorar sustancialmente el bienestar de los animales en las etapas previas a la faena, obtener carne de buena calidad y minimizar las perdidas económicas por estos conceptos.
The presence of traumatic injuries (bruises) in dressed carcasses of slaughtered animals are quite normal. But these affect their Welfare, diminish the meat quality and bring about important economic losses (1,4). Animals to be slaughtered are transported at least once in their lives (6), during the whole commercialization chain, either by road, as it is the case of Uruguay or by different transport means (land, railway or sea). Once in the slaughterhouses, the unloading, weigh and housing in the barns take place in the pre-slaughter hours. If this handling is inappropriately carried out, the immediate consequences are the presence of bruises in different areas of the carcass and of different seriousness, decommissions of areas affected by such injuries, the losses occasioned by the so-called “dark cuts”, difficulty in the decrease of the pH required for converting the muscle into meat and the deterioration of the meat quality.(1,2,3,5) STUDIES AND EVIDENCIESThe Faculty of Veterinary of Uruguay, with the support of the National Institute of Farming Researches (INIA) and the BID (LIA 002 project), studied during the years 2002 and 2003 the critical points affecting the animal welfare in the pre-slaughter stages. The arrival and unloading of almost 500 cattle herd and over 15,000 head of cattle were observed in all exporting slaughterhouses which are authorized by the country official agency. The obtained results are summarized as follows: - 46% of the trucks transporting cattle in Uruguay date from 7 years, most of them (99%) have guillotine doors and 53% of the vehicles have rubber rollers at least on one of the door sides. Concerning the working experience of the vehicle drivers, the average was 14 years in the sector, what shows a good knowledge of cattle transport. 80% of the traveled routes were in good conditions and the average of traveled kilometers was 214. The loading facilities were considered to be good for the drivers in 80% of the cases and the average time employed for loading and unloading was 12 minutes. The assistance devices used for such a handling were the prodder in 57% of the cases, followed by screams in 40% and sticks in 35%, though, in general, more than one device was used at the same time (chart 1).-By observing the dressed carcasses during the slaughter, it was found that 55% (16 000 middle carcasses) had at least one traumatic injury (chart 2). The area of the hindquarters containing the most commercially valuable cuts had 65% of the injuries, followed by the back-lateral area which also contains highly-valued cuts, with 24% of bruises and the front area with 12% (chart 3). Out of the injured dressed carcasses, 50% showed an injury and the remaining 50% was divided into 2,3 4 or more than one bruise by middle dressed carcass observed. (chart 4). In all the areas, 20% of the injuries were of high seriousness (affecting deep muscle layers), provoking a partial or total decommission of the cut and/or change in the use of the cut or the middle carcass and the remaining 80% were injuries of low importance (chart 5).- Samples of the decommissioned tissues were taken in the different areas of the dressed carcass, oscillating between 250 and 2000 grams. Considering an average of U$S 2500 per ton, the country would be losing some U$S 2 000 000 dollars per year only as a result of eliminating the carcass affected areas. When adding to this the man-hours aimed at carrying out these cleaning tasks, the carcass devaluation due to the change of use, the potential loss of demanding markets and the consumer displeasure, these figures greatly multiply. CONCLUSIONSIt is imperative to address these problems from different aspects. Concerning the producing farms, it is important to train the personnel responsible for the animal handling as well as to the owner. Likewise, as far as a rational and humane handling is concerned, it is recommended not to use prodders unless it is absolutely necessary and for really short periods of time. Furthermore, sticks must not be used, nor must the facilities be overloaded with animals, facilities should be improved so that straight angles, projecting or open areas do not move animals to jump and badly-trained dogs should not be used either. During transport, it is important to train the drivers, who are the ones that unload the animals in the slaughterhouses, so that they do not use prodders, they should correctly maintain the vehicle cages and the guillotine doors so that these do not get stuck and fall on a passing animal, rubber rollers should be placed in all the truck openings and also non-slipping floor, as well as all possible protuberance which may injure the animal should be eliminated. In reference to the slaughterhouses, carry out training courses for the personnel handling the cattle, improve the facilities so that they do not have straight angles, openings, unevennesses, when possible build curved paths, not place spotlights before the animal eyes when this is addressing to the slaughter box, correctly maintain the knocking fitting and train the personnel so that the desensitization be produced with a single knock and the animal bleeding be immediately carried out .Animal welfare in the pre-slaughter stages would be thus substantially improved, meat of good quality would be produced and the economic losses entailed by these concepts should be so minimized.
The presence of traumatic injuries (bruises) in dressed carcasses of slaughtered animals are quite normal. But these affect their Welfare, diminish the meat quality and bring about important economic losses (1,4). Animals to be slaughtered are transported at least once in their lives (6), during the whole commercialization chain, either by road, as it is the case of Uruguay or by different transport means (land, railway or sea). Once in the slaughterhouses, the unloading, weigh and housing in the barns take place in the pre-slaughter hours. If this handling is inappropriately carried out, the immediate consequences are the presence of bruises in different areas of the carcass and of different seriousness, decommissions of areas affected by such injuries, the losses occasioned by the so-called “dark cuts”, difficulty in the decrease of the pH required for converting the muscle into meat and the deterioration of the meat quality.(1,2,3,5) STUDIES AND EVIDENCIESThe Faculty of Veterinary of Uruguay, with the support of the National Institute of Farming Researches (INIA) and the BID (LIA 002 project), studied during the years 2002 and 2003 the critical points affecting the animal welfare in the pre-slaughter stages. The arrival and unloading of almost 500 cattle herd and over 15,000 head of cattle were observed in all exporting slaughterhouses which are authorized by the country official agency. The obtained results are summarized as follows: - 46% of the trucks transporting cattle in Uruguay date from 7 years, most of them (99%) have guillotine doors and 53% of the vehicles have rubber rollers at least on one of the door sides. Concerning the working experience of the vehicle drivers, the average was 14 years in the sector, what shows a good knowledge of cattle transport. 80% of the traveled routes were in good conditions and the average of traveled kilometers was 214. The loading facilities were considered to be good for the drivers in 80% of the cases and the average time employed for loading and unloading was 12 minutes. The assistance devices used for such a handling were the prodder in 57% of the cases, followed by screams in 40% and sticks in 35%, though, in general, more than one device was used at the same time (chart 1).-By observing the dressed carcasses during the slaughter, it was found that 55% (16 000 middle carcasses) had at least one traumatic injury (chart 2). The area of the hindquarters containing the most commercially valuable cuts had 65% of the injuries, followed by the back-lateral area which also contains highly-valued cuts, with 24% of bruises and the front area with 12% (chart 3). Out of the injured dressed carcasses, 50% showed an injury and the remaining 50% was divided into 2,3 4 or more than one bruise by middle dressed carcass observed. (chart 4). In all the areas, 20% of the injuries were of high seriousness (affecting deep muscle layers), provoking a partial or total decommission of the cut and/or change in the use of the cut or the middle carcass and the remaining 80% were injuries of low importance (chart 5).- Samples of the decommissioned tissues were taken in the different areas of the dressed carcass, oscillating between 250 and 2000 grams. Considering an average of U$S 2500 per ton, the country would be losing some U$S 2 000 000 dollars per year only as a result of eliminating the carcass affected areas. When adding to this the man-hours aimed at carrying out these cleaning tasks, the carcass devaluation due to the change of use, the potential loss of demanding markets and the consumer displeasure, these figures greatly multiply. CONCLUSIONSIt is imperative to address these problems from different aspects. Concerning the producing farms, it is important to train the personnel responsible for the animal handling as well as to the owner. Likewise, as far as a rational and humane handling is concerned, it is recommended not to use prodders unless it is absolutely necessary and for really short periods of time. Furthermore, sticks must not be used, nor must the facilities be overloaded with animals, facilities should be improved so that straight angles, projecting or open areas do not move animals to jump and badly-trained dogs should not be used either. During transport, it is important to train the drivers, who are the ones that unload the animals in the slaughterhouses, so that they do not use prodders, they should correctly maintain the vehicle cages and the guillotine doors so that these do not get stuck and fall on a passing animal, rubber rollers should be placed in all the truck openings and also non-slipping floor, as well as all possible protuberance which may injure the animal should be eliminated. In reference to the slaughterhouses, carry out training courses for the personnel handling the cattle, improve the facilities so that they do not have straight angles, openings, unevennesses, when possible build curved paths, not place spotlights before the animal eyes when this is addressing to the slaughter box, correctly maintain the knocking fitting and train the personnel so that the desensitization be produced with a single knock and the animal bleeding be immediately carried out .Animal welfare in the pre-slaughter stages would be thus substantially improved, meat of good quality would be produced and the economic losses entailed by these concepts should be so minimized.