Avaliação de bem-estar animal em perus: utilização da aplicação Android I-WatchTurkey® nas explorações e do protocolo Welfare Quality® no matadouro
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2016-07-11
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Em Portugal, houve um aumento da produção de perus e do consumo da sua carne, e as questões de bem-estar animal (BEA) essenciais para alcançar níveis de produção rentáveis, não têm sido alvo de muitos estudos. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho foi ampliar os conhecimentos relativos à avaliação de BEA na produção de perus acompanhando os bandos desde as explorações até ao matadouro. Neste sentido, de outubro a dezembro de 2014, foram acompanhados 5 bandos de perus fêmeas e 5 bandos de perus machos, provenientes de 4 explorações. Neste período, utilizámos a aplicação Android I-Watch Turkey® para avaliação do BEA em 3 idades distintas durante o ciclo de produção, na qual foram utilizados 15 indicadores para avaliar o BEA.
Numa segunda etapa deste estudo, de dezembro de 2014 a fevereiro de 2015, avaliámos o BEA nas explorações através de dados obtidos no matadouro, com base no protocolo de referência europeia Welfare Quality®. Como indicadores utilizámos a presença de dermatites de contacto (lesões no peito, queimaduras no tarso e pododermatites).
Quanto aos indicadores obtidos nas explorações verificámos que houve uma diminuição altamente significativa da qualidade das camas com o decorrer da idade. Este fato pode contribuir para um aumento de lesões cutâneas em fêmeas, uma vez que se verificou que a falta de penas aumentou significativamente a sua ocorrência com o decorrer da idade, sobretudo neste género. Também se verificou que os perus machos apresentaram uma dificuldade de locomoção significativamente superior à das fêmeas e, uma vez que não houve diferenças na qualidade da cama entre os géneros, podemos equacionar que o fator peso-vivo (maior nos machos) também pode ser relevante para a ocorrência das dermatites de contacto.
Estes dois resultados alertam para o cuidado acrescido sobre as camas no final do ciclo de produção, com o objetivo de mitigar a ocorrência das dermatites de contacto. A importância da qualidade das camas ainda foi destacada neste estudo pelo facto de se ter observado uma correlação muito significativa com a mortalidade dos bandos.
Outro resultado a destacar foi o um aumento muito significativo da ocorrência da interação com o ser humano com o aumento da idade, o qual se revelou altamente significativo nos perus machos comparativamente com as fêmeas. Este resultado alerta para a possível dificuldade acrescida em aplicar este protocolo em perus machos a partir das 14 semanas.
Quanto aos indicadores obtidos no matadouro salientamos as pododermatites, que ocorreram em cerca de 100% dos animais analisados. O grau mais elevado (4) foi significativamente superior nos machos, tendo-se verificado uma correlação muito significativa entre a ocorrência deste grau e a ocorrência lesões no peito, sublinhando a sua importância nas perdas económicas associadas às possíveis rejeições do músculo peitoral. Os resultados deste trabalho contribuem para o melhor conhecimento da avaliação do BEA em produção de perus, no entanto consideramos que mais investigação deverá ser desenvolvida para melhorar o nível prático e de precisão nos protocolos de monitorização, que esperamos que num futuro próximo sejam incluídos num sistema legal de avaliação de BEA nesta espécie animal.
In Portugal, the production and meat consumption of turkeys is on the increase and the welfare (BEA) issues, which are the core plan to profitable production levels, have not been a frequent target in research studies. Thus, the main aim of this study was to expand knowledge related with the assessment of the BEA in the production of turkeys following the flocks from farms to the slaughterhouse. Hence, since October to December 2014, 5 flocks of female turkeys and 5 flocks of male turkeys were covered, from 4 different farms. During this period, we’ve used the I-Watch Turkey® Android application for studying the BEA in 3 different ages, during the production stage, in which 15 measuring indicators were used the assess the BEA. In a second round of this study, since December 2014 to February 2015, we’ve assessed the animal welfare in the farms though data collected in the slaughterhouse, with basis on the Welfare Quality® European Reference Protocol. As indicators, we’ve used the presence of contact dermatitis (chest lesions, burns in the tarsus bones and foot pad dermatitis). As for indicators collected in the farms, we’ve verified a significantly high decrease in the quality of the beds, with age. This fact may contribute to an increase in skin lesions in females given that the absence of feathers has significantly increased its occurrence with age, predominantly in this gender. We’ve also observed that males show a significantly reduced mobility, which is higher than in females and, since there was no difference in the quality of beds in both genders, we could question whether the live weight (greater in males) can also be relevant for the occurrence of contact dermatitis. These two results advise us on the extending care with beds at the end of the production cycle, with the objective of minimizing the occurrence of contact dermatitis. The importance of the quality of bedding was yet emphasized in this study due to the very significant evidence of a correlation with mortality of the flocks. Another result to point out was the highly significant increase in the occurrence of the interaction with the human beings, as age goes by. This was highly significant in the males as compared to the female turkeys. This result warns us against the possible extended difficulty in applying this protocol in male turkeys, from the age of 14 weeks. In regard to the indicators we collected in the slaughterhouse, the foot pad dermatitis occurred in about 100% of the studied animals. The highest level (4), was significantly higher in males, where we verified a very significant correlation between the occurrence of this level and the occurrence of chest lesion, which highlights the importance of the economic losses associated with the possible rejection of the chest muscle. This study’s results contribute to a better knowledge of the animal welfare assessment, related with turkey production. However, we consider that more research should be developed to improve the standard of the ground basis and precision levels of the monitoring protocols, which, we hope, in a near future, will be introduced in a legal system of animal welfare assessment in this animal species.
In Portugal, the production and meat consumption of turkeys is on the increase and the welfare (BEA) issues, which are the core plan to profitable production levels, have not been a frequent target in research studies. Thus, the main aim of this study was to expand knowledge related with the assessment of the BEA in the production of turkeys following the flocks from farms to the slaughterhouse. Hence, since October to December 2014, 5 flocks of female turkeys and 5 flocks of male turkeys were covered, from 4 different farms. During this period, we’ve used the I-Watch Turkey® Android application for studying the BEA in 3 different ages, during the production stage, in which 15 measuring indicators were used the assess the BEA. In a second round of this study, since December 2014 to February 2015, we’ve assessed the animal welfare in the farms though data collected in the slaughterhouse, with basis on the Welfare Quality® European Reference Protocol. As indicators, we’ve used the presence of contact dermatitis (chest lesions, burns in the tarsus bones and foot pad dermatitis). As for indicators collected in the farms, we’ve verified a significantly high decrease in the quality of the beds, with age. This fact may contribute to an increase in skin lesions in females given that the absence of feathers has significantly increased its occurrence with age, predominantly in this gender. We’ve also observed that males show a significantly reduced mobility, which is higher than in females and, since there was no difference in the quality of beds in both genders, we could question whether the live weight (greater in males) can also be relevant for the occurrence of contact dermatitis. These two results advise us on the extending care with beds at the end of the production cycle, with the objective of minimizing the occurrence of contact dermatitis. The importance of the quality of bedding was yet emphasized in this study due to the very significant evidence of a correlation with mortality of the flocks. Another result to point out was the highly significant increase in the occurrence of the interaction with the human beings, as age goes by. This was highly significant in the males as compared to the female turkeys. This result warns us against the possible extended difficulty in applying this protocol in male turkeys, from the age of 14 weeks. In regard to the indicators we collected in the slaughterhouse, the foot pad dermatitis occurred in about 100% of the studied animals. The highest level (4), was significantly higher in males, where we verified a very significant correlation between the occurrence of this level and the occurrence of chest lesion, which highlights the importance of the economic losses associated with the possible rejection of the chest muscle. This study’s results contribute to a better knowledge of the animal welfare assessment, related with turkey production. However, we consider that more research should be developed to improve the standard of the ground basis and precision levels of the monitoring protocols, which, we hope, in a near future, will be introduced in a legal system of animal welfare assessment in this animal species.
Descrição
Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária
Palavras-chave
Bem-estar animal , Peru , Avaliação de processos e resultados , I-watch turkey , Welfare quality