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.


A review of bovine cases consigned under veterinary certification to emergency and casualty slaughter in ireland during 2006 to 2008 key wOrds
Ireland, emergency slaughter, casualty slaughter, cattle, veterinary certification.

AbstrACt
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.
High animal health and welfare standards are essential to ensuring good quality safe food for the consumer. In 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  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.

The data
Four large slaughterhouses in the Republic of Ireland were selected for inclusion in this study, on the basis of 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  A description of the study animals, by class (bull, steer, cow, heifer), production system and age, is presented in 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 There was an element of subjectivity in the interpretation of the suspected disability section on the VCs as provided by PVPs. In a number of cases, the information was limited e.g. fractured limb; lame; injured leg or recumbent. Other

PEER REviEwEd
PVPs were more specific in identifying the specific condition and body part affected, however the most useful were those that not only identified the specific condition but also gave the cause e.g. shear grab ( a tractor-mounted silage grab used in feedlots) injury to the right foreleg and left shoulder. These clinical diagnoses were used as the basis for subsequent coding and grouping under primary injury or other disability, based on body system ( In this study, most injuries among the study animals were related to the locomotory system. Similar findings are reported by Pistekova et al. (2004), Vecerek et al. (2003) and Broom & Corke (2002). The majority of these injuries were a result of bone fractures with two thirds occurring in beef animals. This is probably a reflection of reduced handling in beef (as compared to dairy) animals (Grandin 1997    Injuries involving other body systems were noted. Although of concern, these were much less common.
The transport of animals with fractured limbs and/or other painful conditions is a significant animal welfare concern.
During a recent Food and Veterinary Office (  Acute pain is emphasized as a defining factor when deciding whether an animal can be transported or not. In the current study, given our definition of emergency slaughter, 63.6% of the study animals were suffering acute pain ( Table 2). While bone fractures are clearly a cause of acute pain, other injuries are also relevant to the present discussion. For example, lameness, which accounted for 12.9% of the injuries/disabilities associated with the locomotory system, causes pain (Webster 2005).   welfare in that animals will be slaughtered before a problem escalates. This is particularly applicable in the case of older non-ambulatory animals; they should be culled before they become too weak and thin (Grandin 2001).
The first step in changing present management practices of ES/CS animals must be to make all of the stakeholders aware of their legal and moral obligation towards the welfare of the animals concerned. Webster (2005) reported that there is widespread belief that cattle are relatively insensitive to pain. This belief is based on the observation that cattle often do not seem to display the signs of distress that we would expect when in pain. In Communication between all the stakeholders is essential.
The welfare of the animals concerned must be given

ACkNOwledgeMeNts
We thank the DAFF veterinary inspectors who provided copies of the veterinary certificates for this study. We also gratefully acknowledge Michael Sheridan's (DAFF) support and encouragement throughout this project and the statistical input from Tracy Clegg (CVERA).