title: Animal welfare and meat quality: the perspective of Uruguay, a "small" exporter country.
abstract: Public sensitivity towards animal welfare has risen in recent years. Uruguay is a primary meat exporter. Therefore, it is compulsory not only to provide good quality and safe meat, but also to project a welfare friendly image. Uruguayan meat production systems are mainly based on rangeland pastures but, due to international meat prices and the opening of new markets, intensive fattening systems increased. These systems include a wide range of feeding alternatives between pasture and concentrate utilization, involving differences in terms of animal welfare, carcass and meat quality, that require to be studied. Accordingly, some husbandry practices associated mainly with extensive systems must be evaluated, as well as their applicability to international recommendations related to pre-slaughter handling which may not be suitable for local conditions. In the present paper we share scientific results related to the impact of different production systems, husbandry practices and pre-slaughter procedures associated to animal welfare and meat quality in Uruguayan conditions.
authors: Programa Nacional de Carne y Lana, INIA Tacuarembó, Ruta 5, km 386, Tacuarembó, Uruguay. Electronic address: mdelcampo@tb.inia.org.uy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Del Campo
authors: Programa Nacional de Carne y Lana, INIA Tacuarembó, Ruta 5, km 386, Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Brito
authors: Programa Nacional de Carne y Lana, INIA Tacuarembó, Ruta 5, km 386, Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Montossi
authors: Programa Nacional de Carne y Lana, INIA Tacuarembó, Ruta 5, km 386, Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Soares de Lima
authors: Programa Nacional de Carne y Lana, INIA Tacuarembó, Ruta 5, km 386, Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: San Julián
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000821:Animal Feed; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001290:Attitude; D004032:Diet; D019649:Food Industry; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat; D014583:Uruguay
keywords: Castration; Free range; Lairage; Meat quality; Temperament; Welfare