A review of bovine cases consigned under veterinary certification to emergency and casualty slaughter in Ireland during 2006 to 2008

The emergency and casualty slaughter of cattle for human consumption (in cases where animals are likely to have suffered from acute or chronic pain, respectively) in Ireland requires that the animal is accompanied to the slaughterhouse by an official veterinary certificate (VC) completed on-farm by the owner’s private veterinary practitioner (PVP). No published data is currently available in Ireland based on information provided in these VCs. In this paper, we present a review of bovine cases consigned under veterinary certification to emergency and casualty slaughter in Ireland during 2006 to 2008. All VCs during the years 2006 (where available), 2007 and 2008 were collected from four large Irish slaughterhouses. The data were computerized, and analysed using descriptive and spatial methods. In total, 1,255 VCs were enrolled into the study (1,255 study animals, 1,072 study herds), 798 (63.6%) and 457 (36.4%) animals were consigned to emergency and casualty slaughter, respectively. VCs were completed throughout the year, with consigned animals travelling a mean distance of 27.2 km from farm to slaughter. The time elapsed between veterinary certification and slaughter was greater than three days for 18.2% of all study animals. In 965 (76.9%) animals, the certified suspected disability related to the locomotory system, most commonly as a result of fractures. Among animals for which data were available, 11.9% were totally condemned at post-mortem. The transport of animals with fractured limbs and/or other painful conditions is a significant animal welfare concern. Irish Veterinary Journal Volume 63 Number 9 2010 iNtrOduCtiON The beef industry is an important sector of the Irish economy. During 2006 to 2008, approximately 1.6 million (from a national herd of 6 million) cattle were slaughtered annually for human consumption. Approximately 85% of Irish beef is exported, to a value of €1.7 billion annually, accounting for about 20% of total agri-food exports (DAFF 2007, 2008, 2009a). High animal health and welfare standards are essential to ensuring good quality safe food for the consumer. In compliance with current European food safety and animal welfare legislation (Regulation (EC) 854/2004; Regulation (EC) 852/2004; Council Directive 93/119/EC; Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 and S.I. No. 14 of 2008 EC (The Protection of Farmed Animals Regulations) 2008), all animals presented for slaughter for human consumption must satisfy two fundamental requirements: they must be free from conditions which might • adversely affect human or animal health, and their welfare must not be compromised at any stage • from the farm to the moment of slaughter. In Ireland, as elsewhere (Roman 2009), the veterinary profession plays an important role in achieving compliance with these requirements (Regulation (EC) No. 854/2004 (Chapter II, Article 5)) and Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004. In the majority of cases, cattle intended for slaughter are both healthy and fit for transport to the slaughterhouse. In the small number of cases when health or fitness for transport is in doubt, animals may, at the discretion of a Sept IVJ.indd 568 25/08/2010 15:00:22 Irish Veterinary Journal Volume 63 Number 9 PEER R Ev Ew Ed Irish Veterinary Journal Volume 63 Number 9 569 private veterinary practitioner (PVP), be presented for slaughter for human consumption either for emergency or casualty slaughter. Emergency slaughter (ES) relates to otherwise healthy animals that have suffered a physical accident or injury which results in acute pain (for example, a fractured limb), whereas casualty slaughter (CS) relates to animals suffering from more chronic conditions (such as mastitis or chronic arthritis) (DAFF 2009b). In compliance with existing legislation (Regulation (EC) 854/2004 and Regulation (EC) 853/2004), emergency and casualty slaughter require that, in cases where the carcass is intended for human consumption, the animal is accompanied to the slaughterhouse by an official veterinary certificate (VC) completed on-farm by the owner’s private veterinary practitioner (PVP). Within the EU and elsewhere, there is limited published data on emergency and casualty slaughter of cattle based on information provided by the VC. There is no published data available from Ireland. In recent Czech studies, Vecerek et al. (2003) and Pistekova et al. (2004) examined the locomotor system of compromised cattle presented for slaughter due to immobility, concluding that measures to limit injury to animals before and during transport and at slaughter would serve to reduce the frequency of ES and carcase condemnation. Kozak et al. (2004) confirmed the locomotory apparatus as the principal reason for ES of pigs, and suggested that immobility was due to injuries resultant from unsuitable handling at farms and during transport rather than inadequate care causing general conditions and other diseases. In this paper, we present a review of bovine cases consigned under veterinary certification to emergency and casualty slaughter in Ireland during 2006 to 2008. MAteriAls ANd MethOds 2.1 The data Four large slaughterhouses in the Republic of Ireland were selected for inclusion in this study, on the basis of geographical location and throughput. The slaughterhouses are located in each of the four Irish provinces (Leinster, Munster, Connaught, Ulster), with different catchments and ownership. Each slaughterhouse kills a mix of beef and dairy cattle. Following an approach to the Official Veterinarian (OV) at each slaughterhouse, all VCs during the years 2006 (where available), 2007 and 2008 were collected. Where available, OVs were also asked to provide condemnation data, collected following slaughter, corresponding to each VC. Following collection, each VC was screened, and subsequently retained for inclusion in the study if the VC had been issued using the national standard format (Figure 1), and if each of the following data were available and legible: official eartag number (unique to each bovine in Ireland), date issued, veterinary and owner signatures, and the suspected disability as specified by the certifying PVP. Using the official ear-tag Figure 1. The Official Veterinary Certificate. [The European Communities (Protection of Animals at the time of Slaughter) Regulations 1995, Regulation 9. Revoked by European Communities (Welfare of Farmed Animals) Regulations 2008]. Sept IVJ.indd 569 25/08/2010 15:00:23 Irish Veterinary Journal Volume 63 Number 9 570 PEER R Ev Ew Ed Irish Veterinary Journal Volume 63 Number 9 Table 2. The number of days between certification and slaughter of study animals, by slaughter classification (emergency or casualty) Slaughter classification Number of days between certification and slaughter <1 1 2 3 4 5 to <10 10 to <20 20 to <50 50 to<100 > 100 Total (%) Emergency 279 298 88 40 27 36 16 11 2 1 798 (63.6) Casualty 143 157 61 21 13 26 8 19 5 4 457 (36.4) Total (%) 422 (33.6) 455 (36.3) 149 (11.9) 61 (4.9) 40 (3.2) 62 (4.9) 24 (1.9) 30 (2.4) 7 (0.6) 5 (0.4) 1255 number and two databases managed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF; Animal Health Computer System, AHCS; Animal Identification and Movement System (AIM), the date of birth and slaughter for each ‘study animal’ and the identity and primary production system (dairy, beef) of the ‘study herd’ from which the animal had moved immediately prior to slaughter was established. 2.2 Data management The data were managed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA). Data entry was conducted manually. Subsequently, approximately 40% of data entries were cross-checked against the VCs for errors. A coding system was devised to numerically assign each certified suspected disability to a primary injury or other disability, based on body system. Each VC was also categorized as either emergency or casualty slaughter, based on whether the animal was likely to have suffered from acute or chronic pain, respectively. Geographic data were managed using Arcview 3.2 (Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc., Redlands, CA., USA.). 2.3 Data analysis Data analyses, including simple statistical methods, were conducted using Microsoft Excel. In the Republic of Ireland, the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) contains the geo-referenced location of herds which claim European Area Aid. In this study, the centroid of the closest parcel (to the slaughterhouse) of each herd, as it appears on the LPIS database for 2008, was used to represent the location of each study herd. For herds that did not appear on the LPIS database for 2008 (<4% of study herds), herd location was based on the centroid of the district electoral division (DED) corresponding to the address of the study herd. The distance between each study herd and the corresponding slaughterhouse was calculated using the Distances and Bearings between Matched Features V2.1 extension (Jennes Enterprises, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.). results Although 1,363 veterinary certificates (VCs) were available, 108 (7.9%) did not meet the inclusion criteria. Therefore, 1,255 VCs were enrolled into the study; a total of 1,255 study animals from 1,072 study herds (a mean of 1.17 study animals per study herd [minimum 1, maximum 12, median 1]). Of these, 798 (63.6%) and 457 (36.4%) animals were consigned on the basis of emergency and casualty slaughter, respectively. A description of the study animals, by class (bull, steer, cow, heifer), production system and age, is presented in Table 1. There were 824 (65.8%) beef and 431 (34.3%) dairy animals. The dairy animals were predominantly Friesian; the beef animals included Charolais (36.8%), Limousin (25%), Aberdeen Angus (13.3%), both Hereford and Simmental 9% and other breeds (15.9%). VCs were completed throughout the year (Figures 2 and 3), being highest in February (125, 10.0%) and lowest in September (80, 6.4%). Further, ECs and CSs were conducted throughout the working week (Figures 4), being highest on Wednesday (285, 22.7%) and lowest on Friday (187, 14.9%). In total, 422 (33.6%) animals were slaughtered on the day of certification, and 1,026 (81.8%) within 2 days of certification. The mean time between certification and slaughter was 3 (minimum 0, maximum 452, median 1) days. The time between certification and slaughter, by slaughter classification, is presented in Table Table 1. The number of study animals, by class (bull, steer, cow, heifer), production system and age Class Production system, age (months) Total (%) Beef Dairy