Manitoba pork producers use many different ways to get their hogs to market – highway trailers, pickup or grain trucks, and fifth wheel trailers – even converted school buses. Regardless of the vehicle, all producers have one thing in common – a concern for the welfare of pigs in transit. Fortunately, along with this heightened awareness about animal care, pork producers also have the knowledge and technology to ensure pigs are handled and transported responsibly. Heat, cold, fear, bumpy roads, stops and starts, prodding and rough handling – these are just some of the things that can cause stress and exhaustion in livestock during handling and transportation. And that stress can severely reduce meat quality and price. Stress and exhaustion increase muscle temperature and deplete the supply of glycogen, the energy stored in muscle tissue that produces moist, pink, high quality pork. When animals are stressed before slaughter, glycogen levels drop. The result is Pale, Soft, and Exudative (PSE) pork, a product that doesn’t appeal to consumers. Extreme exhaustion during transit can result in Dark, Firm, Dry (DFD) meat, which has even lower consumer appeal and shorter shelf life. All pigs experience stress to some extent during loading and unloading. But stress can be minimized through calm, patient handling and an understanding of pig behaviour. By understanding the animals’ basic natural instincts during handling, farmers will be able to incorporate stress-reducing features into their buildings, transport vehicles and handling techniques. Pig hides are tender so protrusions or sharp edges along the path from the pen to the killing floor can inflict injury and create undue stress. Fright is another potential source of stress. Many things can spook pigs during the loading and unloading process including air blowing in their faces, dangling chains, loose ramps and boards, slippery floors, extremes of bright lights and darkness and loud noises. Good stockmanship can reduce pigs’ fear levels and improve production. Pigs naturally resent handlers getting into their personal space. Handlers should learn to think like a pig and use a pig’s natural “flight zone – the animal’s instinctive escape route – to help herd them. If a handler enters this circular zone, the pig will step away to maintain the circle’s size. Humane handling of livestock is a top industry priority. Many firms within the pork industry have established their own pig handling standards, many of which are even higher than those spelled out in federal and provincial legislation. Leading trucking firms, insurance companies, assembly yards, hog farms and abattoirs insist their employees and customers follow codes of ethics and practices. Some provide their staff with training courses in proper and responsible livestock treatment. The Animal Care Act is the basic law for all animal handling and care activities in Manitoba. Codes of practice are meaningless if they are considered just words on paper. The real code of conduct is our recognition of our responsibility as livestock producers for our animals’ health, comfort and well-being. If at any time you believe that animals are not being properly handled, please report this incident in confidence by calling the Animal Care Line at 204-945-8000.