Animal Welfare Issues and Their Mitigation in Meat Production

Abstract

Food animals such as buffalo, sheep, goat, pigs, and chickens are slaughtered for the production of meat for human consumption. To minimize the suffering of animals during the process of meat production (transportation, handling, stunning, bleeding, flaying, etc.), all regulations of animal welfare and environmental protection should be followed for the production of high-quality meat.  Stress during the transportation of animals may lead to unnecessary suffering to food animals, which may lead to lowered meat yield and quality. The food animals should not be subjected to cruelty during transportation from the farm to the slaughterhouses. The regulations and standard procedures should be followed during the transport. Animals should get proper space and water in the lairage. Mixing of strange animals should be prevented. Stunning of animals or to make animals unconscious before slaughter is a very important procedure in terms of animal welfare and humane slaughter.  Slaughterhouse management and workers should ensure the stunning of animals before slaughter. Animal welfare issues and precautions for the production of hygienic meat should also be taken care of during the slaughtering operation of sticking, flaying, evisceration, washing, cutting, and deboning.