![]() ![]() ![]() As Dr Temple Grandin once eloquently said, “I think using animals for food is an ethical thing to do, but we’ve got to do it right. Slaughter plants have the challenging and critical responsibility of ending the lives of animals to produce meat for human consumption while maintaining high standards of animal care. Slaughter companies, also known as packers or packing companies, must adhere to standards of animal welfare that satisfy governmental, societal, and company-specific expectations, all which continuously adapt to an ever-evolving view on animal welfare. In addition, farm animal welfare has come to be recognized not only as an investment risk but also as an investment opportunity, thus increasing the number of programs and dialog pertaining to the topic ( Amos and Sullivan, 2018). This stark disconnect between preferences at the meat counter and consumer trust of the meat industry identifies the importance of understanding and adequately addressing the welfare needs of animals in the supply chain. Yet in other consumer studies, it was determined that 3 out of 10 shoppers look for “better-for-…… claims relative to the animal and planet” when purchasing meat ( FMI, 2019). meat is derived from humanely treated animals ( CFI, 2018). ![]() The most recent Center for Food Integrity ( CFI) consumer research summary report indicated that only 25% of respondents believe that U.S. Consumer trust and purchasing surveys have provided insight into how consumers are (or are not) making decisions on meat purchases at the grocery store ( CFI, 2018 FMI, 2019). Although the federal regulations pertaining to humane slaughter have not changed for decades, the public focus on where their food comes from, with a specific interest in animal care, has grown exponentially. slaughter industry has been and still remains one of the top priorities for livestock producers, businesses, and consumers alike. By continuously identifying, measuring, monitoring, and managing animal welfare challenges within the beef cattle slaughter industry, prioritization and execution of programs and training that improve the welfare of cattle can be achieved as animals move through this final stage of the meat production system.Īnimal welfare within the U.S. The survey responses identified training/education and communication as areas of need in animal welfare, whereas the majority of survey responses focused on the aspects of the human–animal interaction as the top challenges for the industry. The authors conducted a survey at the 2019 North American Meat Institute Animal Care and Handling Conference, which comprised of stakeholders within the meat packing industry, packing plant employees, and food company employees, educators, and auditors. Some of these topics include examining trailer design, the use of trailer slats during weather extremes, the welfare aspects of cattle destined for salvage slaughter, multiple preslaughter factors and interactions, abnormal mobility and nonambulatory cattle, lairage environmental conditions, new stunning methods, and the impact of a well-trained, motivated, and stable workforce on cattle and people welfare. In addition, areas that have had little research focus are identified to highlight the need for future work and development of industry tools. This literature review will provide a summary of fed cattle welfare topics, research, and industry tools that span across the beef animal’s journey from the farm/feedlot through the slaughter process. The animal caretakers involved in these processes attempt to minimize stress and discomfort for the animals, but research is needed to focus on the gaps in knowledge and to support the implementation of strategies known to enhance the human–animal interactions that occur from farm to slaughter. Cattle may be exposed to multiple stressors, such as noise, unfamiliar animals and humans, temperature extremes, temporary food/water deprivation, variable transport distances and experiences, and new pen conditions. The journey that cattle must make to the slaughter facility is comprised of many environmental and human factors that can positively or negatively affect animal welfare. There are federal regulations that enforce the humane transport, handling, and slaughter of cattle. slaughter industry continues to prevail as one of the top priorities for livestock producers, businesses, and consumers alike. ![]()
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