Reduction of carcass yield in transported pigs

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Abstract
Pigs (53‐70 kg) in a non‐fasted state were either not transported or subjected to a journey lasting for 1 h or 6 h prior to slaughter. Pigs given the short transport lost 0.6% and pigs given the long transport 2.3% of their initial live weight. After lairage for 1 h with access to water, all pigs were killed 8 h after their last feed. Compared with pigs not transported before slaughter, killing out percentage was slightly, but not significantly, lowered in the short transport group and significantly (PPP<0.05). Plasma creatine phosphokinase activity was not influenced by transport. It is suggested that enforced deprivation of water is an important contributing factor to the weight loss of pigs during transport but that physical activity is not.