Broiler Chicken Meat Inspection Data in Brazil: A First Glimpse into an Animal Welfare Approach

ABSTRACT We aimed to study the potential use of carcass condemnation data of broiler chicken slaughterhouses in Brazil as indicators in an animal welfare monitoring program, and to identify points to be addressed to increase data reliability. Data from 2010 to 2015 in the states of Paraná (PR), Santa Catarina (SC) and Rio Grande do Sul (RS) were used. Fractures and bruising were recorded together, representing the most prevalent welfare problem, followed by skin lesion or inflammation. In PR, progressive increases on injury, arthritis, ineffective bleeding, and air sacculitis condemnation may reveal important welfare aspects. High correlation between AWI within PR was more commonly observed than in RS and SC, perhaps as a result of earlier implementation of local meat inspection standardization. Principal component analysis showed changes on condemnation data pattern in PR after standardization, pointing injury and Escherichia coli problems as the main causes for condemnation related to animal welfare. There is considerable potential to improve animal health and welfare surveillance using meat inspection structure that is already in place for food safety purposes, provided that the competent authority harmonizes the procedure of meat inspection among the States, sets specific animal welfare outcomes to be monitored, and integrates condemnation, transport and flock data. It seems crucial to update data collection to establish a routine that allows risk analysis regarding both food safety and animal welfare. In this regard, cooperative work between Federal Inspection and companies seems an interesting approach to promote transparency of the production processes, which would benefit society and animals.

摘要 本研究旨在探讨巴西肉鸡屠宰场屠体废弃数据（carcass condemnation data）在动物福利监测计划（animal welfare monitoring program）中的潜在应用价值，并明确可用于提升数据可靠性（data reliability）的优化方向。本研究采用了2010至2015年巴拉那州（Paraná, PR）、圣卡塔琳娜州（Santa Catarina, SC）及南里奥格兰德州（Rio Grande do Sul, RS）的相关监测数据。研究中将骨折与瘀伤（fractures and bruising）合并记录，其为最常见的福利相关问题，其次为皮肤损伤或炎症（skin lesion or inflammation）。在巴拉那州，与损伤、关节炎（arthritis）、放血不全（ineffective bleeding）及气囊炎（air sacculitis）相关的屠体废弃率呈逐年上升趋势，或可揭示关键的动物福利层面问题。巴拉那州内部的动物福利指数（Animal Welfare Index, AWI）相关性较南里奥格兰德州与圣卡塔琳娜州更为显著，这或许得益于当地更早推行了肉品检验（meat inspection）标准化工作。主成分分析（Principal component analysis）结果显示，标准化实施后巴拉那州的屠体废弃数据模式发生了变化，其中损伤与大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli）相关问题是引发动物福利相关屠体废弃的主要原因。依托现有用于食品安全（food safety）监管的肉品检验体系，可大幅提升动物健康与福利监测水平，但需满足以下前提：主管当局（competent authority）统一各州间的肉品检验流程，明确需监测的特定动物福利监测指标，并整合屠体废弃、运输及鸡群数据（flock data）相关数据。更新数据采集流程以建立可同时开展食品安全与动物福利风险分析（risk analysis）的常规工作机制，实为必要之举。就此而言，联邦检验机构（Federal Inspection）与屠宰企业之间的协作模式，或可成为提升生产流程透明度的有效路径，最终惠及社会与动物福利。