title: Some preslaughter factors affecting the occurrence of bruising in sheep.
abstract: The preslaughter handling and behaviour, and subsequent bruising was observed in 49 groups of sheep in a commercial slaughterhouse. A greater percentage of bruised carcases was found in lambs (71%) than in ewes (49%) (P less than 0.01). A greater percentage of severely bruised carcases was found in lambs from markets (20%) than in those direct from farms (12%) (P less than 0.05). Significant correlations were found between the occurrence of recent bruising and wool-pulls during unloading, riding by another sheep, and hits and squashes against structures at the slaughterhouse. However, even assuming that each potentially traumatic event observed in the slaughterhouse caused a bruise, only about one-quarter of the bruising could have been attributed to handling problems at the slaughterhouse. Eight-eight per cent of all bruises were estimated to have been caused within about 24 h of death, indicating that most bruising probably was caused by handling problems during loading on the farm, during transit and particularly at markets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cockram
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000367:Age Factors; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005260:Female; D009132:Muscles / Q000293:injuries*; D012756:Sheep / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*