The Potential of Post-Mortem Carcass Assessments in Reflecting the Welfare of Beef and Dairy Cattle

摘要

Information recorded at abattoirs may be useful for informing farmers of the health and welfare of their herds. This information can also be used to identify where and when welfare problems occur in the production chain. This study aimed to determine whether welfare issues in live beef and dairy cattle were reflected in post-mortem measures. A number of ante-mortem issues, including lameness and poor body condition, were reflected in post-mortem assessments. However, these varied according to the breed of cattle. While more research is needed, the results suggest that post-mortem assessments in cattle may be useful in reflecting the welfare of the live animal. Meat inspection currently focuses on human health and food safety. Adapting meat inspection processes to allow for greater consideration of animal welfare would be beneficial given the increased public interest in the welfare of food animals.