Transportation and Marketing Practices on Welfare Of Cattle at the Kumasi Livestock Market, and Effects of Stunning Prior to Slaughter, on Meat Purchasing Decisions.

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.