Assessment of distress experienced by witnessing slaughter in pigs

Abstract

The question of whether witnessing slaughter can cause distress has already been addressed in sheep and no scientific evidence was produced to suggest distress (Anil et al, 1989). Other work in mice and deer have also failed to demonstrate distress during the con specifics being killed (Bracke, 1993). It was not clear as to how this affected pigs as they may have been more or less sensitive to watching the slaughter act. Because trying to get stunned animals out of sight can often result in unduly prolonged stunning to sticking intervals which lead to recovery from stunning in commercial slaughterhouses this topic had direct relevance to the welfare of slaughter pigs. A survey ol pig abattoirs in England and Wales has already confirmed the problem (Anil and McKinstry, 1993). Average stunning to sticking interval was shown to be 31 seconds during the survey (ideal interval should be 15 seconds). The aim of this study was to show whether or not pigs would be distressed by watching the slaughter of their con specifics.