Handling and transport of cattle and pigs in South America

This chapter offers a short description of the importance of livestock production chains for South American countries, and covers initiatives used in Brazil, Chile and Uruguay to improve livestock welfare and reduce bruising and other damage to beef and pork carcasses. The first section covers research initiatives to promote the welfare of cattle on farms. Special attention is given to results on the effects of silvopastoral systems (SPS) in Uruguay on European beef cattle welfare. Extensive new handling methods with Nellore cattle are discussed, offering some tips to prevent the more excitable and fearful Nellore cattle from becoming agitated during handling. Good handling practices reduce stress on stockpersons and the risk of accidents to both people and livestock. When better methods are used for handling cattle, corrals can be built from less expensive and more economical materials; solid fences that block the animal's vision can be constructed from vertical bamboo strips attached to a wire or wood-plank fence. The second section covers new research on transport and pre-slaughter handling of pigs and cattle in Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. It is shown that by training truck drivers and handlers, and improving the design of livestock transport vehicles, the percentage of damaged carcasses is reduced. Long-distance transport and extended lairage times at livestock markets and slaughterhouses are still common features that affect livestock welfare, and carcass and meat-quality traits such as skin lesions, bruises and meat pH decline. However, there is evidence of the development of much local research and improvements in infrastructure, equipment and handling procedures in the field.