Dossier

Fitness for transport

Across the different pig categories, transport is a multifactorial stressor. For some pigs with certain pre-transport characteristics (of which some, but not all, are related to animal health), the challenges of transport are larger than average, possibly leading to serious welfare concerns or even death. Such pigs are unfit for transport.

Source photo: © FLI

This dossier aims to help Competent Authorities and other stakeholders with issues related to assessment of fitness for transport and criteria and circumstances leading to a decision of ‘unfit for transport’. The dossier is updated periodically by the EURCAW-Pigs team. The text is meant to support Competent Authorities, and is not legally binding.

Each EURCAW-Pigs dossier addresses the following items: "Legislation", "Welfare indicators", "Knowledge", "Inspiring examples" and "Training courses". This dossier is based on EURCAW-Pigs’ “Review of fitness for transport of pigs”. Two key focus areas during inspections of fitness for transport can be distinguished, based on their central roles in the description of fitness for transport in Council Regulation (EC 1/2005). Animals that should not be considered fit for transport are those: (1) presenting signs of pathological processes and (2) having physiological weaknesses.

Transporting cull sows to the abattoir includes specific welfare risks that are associated e.g. with the higher weight (> 250 kg) and reduced fitness associated with the reasons for culling. For this purpose, a specific knowledge section is added to the dossier. This is based on the corresponding "Review of transport of sows" developed by EURCAW-Pigs.

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The legal requirements regarding fitness for transport are stated in the Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 and additional text can be found in Council regulation 1255/97 and in Regulation 853/2004. Fitness for transport is a central concept in the Council Regulation (EC 1/2005). However, the regulation does not define the term, but describes a condition that should not happen.

General requirements related to fitness for transport

Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005:

“No animal shall be transported unless it is fit for the intended journey, and all animals shall be transported in conditions guaranteed not to cause them injury or unnecessary suffering.” {Annex I, Chapter I, Point 1.}
“Animals that are injured or that present physiological weaknesses or pathological processes shall not be considered fit for transport (...).” {Annex I, Chapter I, Point 2.}

Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97:

“Before the animals leave the control post, the official veterinarian or any veterinarian designated for this purpose by the competent authority shall confirm on the journey log as referred to in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 that the animals are fit to continue their journey.” {Article 6, Point 1.}

Council Regulation (EC) No 853/2004:

The term ‘fitness’ cannot be found in this regulation, the content of which, however, mentions animal welfare at the time of arrival to slaughterhouses {Annex II, Section II, 2.f)

Relevant sections of the legislation are presented in EURCAW-Pigs’“Review of fitness for transport of pigs”.

The high number and relatively long duration of journeys amplify the importance of the pre-transport fitness of pigs. The diversity of pig categories makes the assessment of fitness for transport extra complex: pigs may be transported as weaners to a finishing farm, at slaughter weight to a slaughterhouse, as breeding animals to a multiplier farm, and/or as cull sows and boars to a slaughterhouse after finishing their productive life.

Guidance

In EURCAW-Pigs’ “Review of fitness for transport of pigs, the scientific knowledge about fitness

for transport is reviewed against the background of the relevant European legislation. Two central requirements are the basis for the description of fitness for transport in the Council Regulation (EC 1/2005). Animals considered to be unfit are those:

Presenting signs of pathological processes or injuries. If an animal is unfit for transport:

It will be less able to cope with the challenges occurring during transport.
It may be sick, and thus have limited coping capacity during transport, e.g. cardiac issues, respiratory diseases and infections.
The pre-transport clinical condition is likely to deteriorate.
It is more likely to die in transit, become non-ambulatory, or be condemned as unfit for human consumption upon arrival at the slaughterhouse.

Having physiological weaknesses. Examples of characteristics of pigs related to higher vulnerability to stress:

Health issues such as emaciation or anaemia.

Genetically determined stress susceptibility.
Pregnant females for whom 90% or more of the expected gestation period has already passed.
Females who have given birth in the previous week.

In the next section on welfare indicators, examples of relevant clinical conditions and signs of physiological weaknesses are listed.

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Recently, EFSA (2022) concluded that questions about fitness for transport are among the major concerns for sow welfare during transport. Due to the general health impairment of a large proportion of cull sows, compared to average finishers, sows may experience a higher risk of worsening of pre-existing health conditions, as well as a higher risk of new health conditions occurring during transport. The specific welfare risks of transporting cull sows to the abattoir – including fitness for transport - are addressed in a EURCAW-Pigs review (see ‘Show more’).

Fitness for transport

Sows are considered more vulnerable towards transport than most other pig categories. Among the primary concerns for the welfare of cull sows during transport are (a) fitness for transport; (b) the sensitivity of these animals towards heat stress; and (c) the tendency of sows to fight when mixed with unfamiliar conspecifics. The European regulations (Council Regulation 1/2005 and to a lesser extent 853/2004) lay down rules for the protection of animals during transport including information about fitness for transport. Council Directive 2008/120/EC lays down minimum standards for the protection of sows on-farm, which is also relevant, as this is where the preparation for transport takes place.

In the "Review on transport of sows", the scientific knowledge about sow transport is reviewed against the background of the relevant European legislation, including a discussion of preparation for transport, how sows are picked-up by vehicles and the journey to an abattoir. The final part of this review covers relevant legislation as well as the proposal of potential indicators of sow welfare during transport.

Source photo: ©Mette Herskin - Aarhus University

Pre-transport fasting of pigs is a quite common management procedure, especially when pigs are destined for slaughter. Reasons for fasting include improved hygiene during transport and at slaughterhouses. At the same time, pre-transport fasting may have negative welfare consequences including hunger, depending on the inter-feeding interval.

In the short review “Animal welfare and pre-transport fasting of pigs” EURCAW-Pigs provides a detailed background on the issue of ‘pre-transport fasting’. This includes current knowledge on effects of pre-transport fasting, that may be relevant to animal welfare, such as aggression, ease of handling, mortality, susceptibility to heat stress, motion sickness and hunger.

Pig welfare: problems versus benefits

There may be welfare benefits from pre-transport fasting in terms of reduced risk of in-transit mortality, hyperthermia and motion sickness. However, the scientific evidence underlying these welfare benefits is not strong.

The evidence for welfare problems caused by pre-transport fasting is considered stronger. Fasting not only leads to increased aggression and a consequent occurrence of skin lesions, but may also reduce the ease of handling of pigs. Moreover, it is likely that fasted pigs experience hunger and that severity of hunger increases with time, potentially leading to weakness and exhaustion.

Recommendations

Pending the establishment of evidence-based thresholds, EFSA (2022) recommended that finishing pigs should be subjected to a pre-transport fasting period of less than 10 hours. The time taken to load should be included within this 10 hour period. For other categories of pigs, the pre-transit fasting period should probably be shorter.

Source photo: ©Aarhus University

Inspection of the pre-transport condition of individual animals is needed for the assessment of fitness for transport. Under practical conditions, the clinical examination of each individual animal needs to be relatively fast as most journeys involve many animals. Two key areas to focus on during inspections on fitness for transport can be distinguished. For these key areas, indicators relevant for the different pig categories are suggested. Each indicator is described in an indicator factsheet, by suggesting an inspection and scoring method, and summarizing the underlying welfare concern and legal requirements.

Assessment of fitness for transport

Signs of pathological processes or injuries: relevant clinical conditions as reasons for not being fit for transport:

Tail lesions: Lesions on the tip or larger parts of the tail, inflicted by pen-mates through tail biting. Tail lesions are painful.
Ear lesions: Ear lesions are a collective term for lesions in/at the ears of pigs, but also includes otohematomas, also called blood-ears. Ear lesions are mainly seen in weaners.
Shoulder sores: This is the popular term used to describe decubital shoulder ulcers. Shoulder ulcers are characteristic lesions on the shoulders of sows kept in intensive production systems, in particular in farrowing crates.
Lameness: When lame, a pig is unable to use one or more limbs in a normal manner. Lame pigs often experience pain and discomfort, and may experience additional pain when transported.
Prolapse: A prolapse describes a condition, where an organ is protruding from the body. Prolapsed organs can be easily damaged causing pain and profuse bleeding.
Hernias: Hernia is the popular term for a series of different diagnoses, all identified by outpouchings on the ventral aspect of the abdominal wall of pigs. Hernias can be painful and limit the mobility of pigs.

Pigs with physiological weaknesses are unfit for transport:

Physiological weaknesses: These can be recognised visually, e.g. pigs having pale skin and breathing quickly (anaemia) or having a very low body condition (emaciation). Physiological weaknesses are also related to age of piglets and stage of production of sows, which can be assessed by farm records.

In collaboration with national training bodies and national reference centers on animal welfare, EURCAW-Pigs develops training guides for the different welfare topics as standards for national training in EU Member States.

Learning goals

On the subject of fitness for transport:

Knowledge about the intention of the EU-legislation on fitness for transport.
An update on the current knowledge and debate about fitness for transport, including the current lack of definition of the concept ‘fitness for transport’.
Knowledge about the Animal Transport Guides or other relevant guideline documents (e.g.national guidelines).
Knowledge about terms like ‘animal welfare,’ ‘suffering,’ and ‘unnecessary suffering’.
Training in reflections on the dilemmas between the legislation/guidelines and knowledge about health and animal welfare.
Tools for calibration and practical training in calibration.
Training on how to use the EURCAW-pigs indicators.
Knowledge on good practices in relation to inspecting fitness for transport.
Knowledge about challenges in relation to communication with farmers, business operators atslaughterhouses (BO), slaughterhouse workers, and drivers during inspection.
Knowledge about challenges in relation to communication with farmers during inspection.

Inspection-driven welfare improvement

Additionally, EURCAW-Pigs provides examples of training plans and materials used in different Member States in English, to the extent possible, and training suggestions for improvement of communication skills and ways to support inspection-driven welfare improvement. This is presented on the training overview page.