Summary
The transportation conditions of slaughter horses
for human consumption have become a public and regulatory issue
in the United States in the last two decades. Federal regulations
were developed partially using the results of funded research projects
that examined the types of vehicles, characteristics of slaughter
horse candidates, types of injuries during transport, duration of
transit, stocking densities and other behavioural and physiological
indices during long-distance road transport. Additionally, the physiological
responses of horses travelling long distances in vans while cross-tied
by their halters in individual stalls were also studied. Both engineering-
and performance-based standards were developed from the scientific
studies and implemented in the federal regulations to ensure the
humane movement of equines to slaughter facilities via commercial
road transportation.
Keywords
Handling, Horse, Regulation, Slaughter, Stress, Transportation,
United States, Welfare.
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