Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Poor handling of livestock during transport and at slaughter have associated
adverse effects on animal welfare and, meat quality; it also causes economic
losses in terms of reduced profit margin to farmers and processors. This study
was aimed at assessing the current animal handling practices by livestock
vendors and butchers on welfare, and meat purchasing intentions of consumers
in selected locations in Ghana. Abattoirs from Cape Coast, Kumasi and
Tamale which were selected, received training in humane slaughter, and
supplied with captive bolt stunners were interviewed. The study population
consisted of 50 livestock transporters, 40 livestock owners, and 6 butchers.
The study also involved 170 meat consumers and 19 Islamic scholars from
selected communities in the Ashanti Region - Kumasi. Descriptive statistics
tool and Probit Regression Model in SPSS (version 25, 2017) were used to
analyse the data, findings were presented in tables, in the form of frequencies
and percentages. It was observed that majority (94.4%) of the meat consumers
had no idea about what pre-slaughter stunning of livestock entails. Vehicles
used to transport livestock were generally in bad condition and needed
immediate improvement. Mortalities recorded in this study were 2.5% (23
dead animals out of 922 transported) and 1.3% (8 dead out of 633 transported)
cattle sourced from neighbouring countries and from within Ghana
respectively, over a period of 4weeks. The captive bolt stunners previously
donated to the selected butchers were either non-functional or in poor working
condition. Further studies should be conducted to assess the effect of the
handling practices on carcass quality and other economic losses experienced in
cattle transported over long-distance for slaughter in Ghana.
