The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of pig lairage time (PDF=3, 5, 7 and 9 hours) and evaluate the effect of pig position into the truck (PBO) during transportation to slaughterhouse, in winter or summer conditions, on some physiologic parameters evaluated on 64 heavyweight females with mean liveweight of 130kg during pre-slaughter events. The following effects were considered in the statistical analysis of variance model: block (BL=summer farm or winter farm), PDF, PBO and interaction (Block x PDF), under other factors. The PDF influenced significativelly blood lactate and saliva cortisol levels. Pig submitted to 5 and 7 hours of lairage had higher levels of lactate when compared to pigs submitted to 3 and 9 hours of lairage. During transport the heart rate were higher than in other pre-slaughter events. It is concluded that increasing PDF above 3 hours had no effects on heart frequency, glucose and CPK levels and salivary cortisol levels but affects the blood lactate levels.
cortisol; creatine phosphokinase; heart frequency; glycose; lactate; welfare
