Corte de caudas em suínos: da exploração ao matadouro
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2019-11-11
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O corte de caudas é uma prática comum em quase todas as explorações intensivas de suínos em Portugal e na maioria dos países europeus. No entanto, com o aumento da preocupação pelo bem-estar animal já não é possível realizá-la de forma rotineira como medida preventiva para evitar a mordedura de cauda. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar comparativamente animais com cauda intacta (n=510) e cauda cortada (n=510), selecionados aleatoriamente numa exploração de produção de leitões para engorda, onde foram mantidos até ao final da recria e transferidos posteriormente para uma exploração de engorda. Os animais foram acompanhados desde o início da recria até à fase final de engorda e abate em matadouro. Pretendeu-se averiguar os reais impactos desta prática (supressão do corte de caudas) sobre os parâmetros produtivos, sobre a ocorrência e grau de mordeduras, sobre os gastos inerentes a todos os tratamentos e sobre a avaliação sanitária e valorização da carcaça no matadouro. No presente estudo, apenas se observaram situações de mordedura de cauda no grupo com cauda intacta, com 68,6% dos animais a sofrerem pelo menos uma lesão ao longo da sua vida. Isto originou uma elevada retirada de animais deste grupo comparativamente com o grupo com cauda cortada. A maior parte dos casos ocorreram na recria em animais com peso superior a 10kg e no início da engorda, com destaque para o nível 3, que envolve lesões graves com redução ligeira da cauda (inferior a 1/3). Em matadouro, o grau 3 foi o mais observado, que corresponde a lesões curadas com perda parcial ou total da cauda, e as lesões verificadas nas vísceras foram associadas ao grupo com cauda intacta. A maior necessidade de tratamentos e de intervenção diária, de introdução de materiais de enriquecimento extra e as perdas por rejeições totais da carcaça no grupo com cauda intacta levou a um custo extra de 3,55€ por animal deste grupo. Este estudo alerta para o facto de o abandono do corte de caudas ser uma medida que deve ser tomada com precaução e efetivo estudo prévio, uma vez que, mesmo tentando manter os fatores de risco controlados, a não utilização desta prática pode constituir uma fonte de perdas económicas, tanto na prevenção como no tratamento da mordedura de cauda.
Tail docking is a common practice in almost all of the intensive farms of pigs in Portugal and most European countries. However, with the increasing concern for animal welfare it is no longer possible to perform it routinely as a preventive measure to prevent tail biting. Therefore, the main goal of this trial was to evaluate the comparison between animals with intact tails (n=510) and animals with docked tails (n=510), which were selected randomly at the farrowing and post-weaning unit, where they were kept until the end of the nursery phase and afterwards transferred to a fattening unit. These animals were accompanied since the begging of the nursery until the end of the fattening phase and slaughter. This study aimed to investigate the real impacts of this practice (tail-docking suppression) on the production parameters, on the occurrence and degree of bites, on the costs inherent to all treatments and on the sanitary status and valuation of the carcass in the slaughterhouse. In the present study, tail biting situations were only observed in the intact tail group, with 68.6% of animals suffering at least one injury throughout their life. This led to a withdrawal of animals from this group compared to the group with docked tail. Most cases occurred in the nursery in animals weighing more than 10kg and in the beginning of the fattening period, mainly level 3 lesions, which involves severe lesions with a slight reducing of a portion of the tail (less than 1/3). In the slaughterhouse, level 3 lesions were the most observed, which are healed injuries with partial or total loss of the tail, and the lesions observed in the viscera were associated to the group with intact tails. The increased need of treatments and daily intervention, introduction of extra enrichment materials and losses due to total rejections of the carcass in the group of intact tails led to an extra cost of 3,55€ per animal in this group. This study warns that the abandonment of tail-docking is a measure that should be taken with caution and effective prior study, since even trying to keep the risk factors under control, the non-use of this practice may be a source of economic losses, both in the prevention and treatment of tail biting.
Tail docking is a common practice in almost all of the intensive farms of pigs in Portugal and most European countries. However, with the increasing concern for animal welfare it is no longer possible to perform it routinely as a preventive measure to prevent tail biting. Therefore, the main goal of this trial was to evaluate the comparison between animals with intact tails (n=510) and animals with docked tails (n=510), which were selected randomly at the farrowing and post-weaning unit, where they were kept until the end of the nursery phase and afterwards transferred to a fattening unit. These animals were accompanied since the begging of the nursery until the end of the fattening phase and slaughter. This study aimed to investigate the real impacts of this practice (tail-docking suppression) on the production parameters, on the occurrence and degree of bites, on the costs inherent to all treatments and on the sanitary status and valuation of the carcass in the slaughterhouse. In the present study, tail biting situations were only observed in the intact tail group, with 68.6% of animals suffering at least one injury throughout their life. This led to a withdrawal of animals from this group compared to the group with docked tail. Most cases occurred in the nursery in animals weighing more than 10kg and in the beginning of the fattening period, mainly level 3 lesions, which involves severe lesions with a slight reducing of a portion of the tail (less than 1/3). In the slaughterhouse, level 3 lesions were the most observed, which are healed injuries with partial or total loss of the tail, and the lesions observed in the viscera were associated to the group with intact tails. The increased need of treatments and daily intervention, introduction of extra enrichment materials and losses due to total rejections of the carcass in the group of intact tails led to an extra cost of 3,55€ per animal in this group. This study warns that the abandonment of tail-docking is a measure that should be taken with caution and effective prior study, since even trying to keep the risk factors under control, the non-use of this practice may be a source of economic losses, both in the prevention and treatment of tail biting.
Descrição
Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária
Palavras-chave
corte de caudas , suínos