Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in Ghana
Donkey slaughter in West Africa has received limited scientific attention, despite increasing over recent years. This study aimed to explore factors affecting donkey welfare, both ante-mortem and at slaughter, in the Upper East region of Ghana. A total of 134 donkeys at five different slaughter poin...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Katharine Fletcher Georgina Limon Eric Agongo Anthony Akunzule Gloria Essel Barbara Padalino Andrew Grist Troy John Gibson |
| author_facet | Katharine Fletcher Georgina Limon Eric Agongo Anthony Akunzule Gloria Essel Barbara Padalino Andrew Grist Troy John Gibson |
| author_sort | Katharine Fletcher |
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| description | Donkey slaughter in West Africa has received limited scientific attention, despite increasing over recent years. This study aimed to explore factors affecting donkey welfare, both ante-mortem and at slaughter, in the Upper East region of Ghana. A total of 134 donkeys at five different slaughter points were assessed using animal-based indicators. Slaughter involved either blunt force trauma (BFT) using a wooden pole (1 location) or a metal hammer (2 locations); or non-stun ventral neck incision (VNI) (2 locations). Time to loss of consciousness (or return) was assessed, with behavioural and brainstem signs of sensibility/consciousness. Negative human–animal interactions occurred ante-mortem, with animals struck multiple times and handled using aversive methods. Donkeys hit on the head with the wooden pole were five times more likely to be ineffectively concussed (<i>p</i> < 0.001, OR: 5.4, CI: 1.9–15.4) compared to the hammer and took significantly longer to lose consciousness (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The mean time to loss of corneal reflex for those hit by wooden pole was 166.9 s (SD 21.1; range: 79–425 s), compared to just one animal displaying corneal reflex for 59 s after being hit by metal hammer. For those animals slaughtered through VNI, corneal reflex was observed for a mean time of 96.5 s (SD 4.3, range 26–164 s). The findings of this study highlight major concerns regarding the methods used for donkey slaughter in the Upper East region in Ghana, particularly regarding aversive ante-mortem handling and prolonged time to loss of consciousness during VNI and ineffective BFT in inducing unconsciousness by concussion. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-270eb7ca2d894ba9941573b335b0e14b2024-12-27T14:05:52ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-12-011424367310.3390/ani14243673Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in GhanaKatharine Fletcher0Georgina Limon1Eric Agongo2Anthony Akunzule3Gloria Essel4Barbara Padalino5Andrew Grist6Troy John Gibson7Animal Welfare Science and Ethics Group, Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UKVeterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UKGhana Poultry Network (GAPNET)/Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Accra P.O. Box CT 5505, GhanaGhana Poultry Network (GAPNET)/Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Accra P.O. Box CT 5505, GhanaGhana Poultry Network (GAPNET)/Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Accra P.O. Box CT 5505, GhanaDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, ItalyAnimal Welfare and Behaviour Group, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, UKAnimal Welfare Science and Ethics Group, Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UKDonkey slaughter in West Africa has received limited scientific attention, despite increasing over recent years. This study aimed to explore factors affecting donkey welfare, both ante-mortem and at slaughter, in the Upper East region of Ghana. A total of 134 donkeys at five different slaughter points were assessed using animal-based indicators. Slaughter involved either blunt force trauma (BFT) using a wooden pole (1 location) or a metal hammer (2 locations); or non-stun ventral neck incision (VNI) (2 locations). Time to loss of consciousness (or return) was assessed, with behavioural and brainstem signs of sensibility/consciousness. Negative human–animal interactions occurred ante-mortem, with animals struck multiple times and handled using aversive methods. Donkeys hit on the head with the wooden pole were five times more likely to be ineffectively concussed (<i>p</i> < 0.001, OR: 5.4, CI: 1.9–15.4) compared to the hammer and took significantly longer to lose consciousness (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The mean time to loss of corneal reflex for those hit by wooden pole was 166.9 s (SD 21.1; range: 79–425 s), compared to just one animal displaying corneal reflex for 59 s after being hit by metal hammer. For those animals slaughtered through VNI, corneal reflex was observed for a mean time of 96.5 s (SD 4.3, range 26–164 s). The findings of this study highlight major concerns regarding the methods used for donkey slaughter in the Upper East region in Ghana, particularly regarding aversive ante-mortem handling and prolonged time to loss of consciousness during VNI and ineffective BFT in inducing unconsciousness by concussion.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/24/3673equine welfare<i>Equus asinus</i>slaughterGhanapost-mortemveterinary pathology |
| spellingShingle | Katharine Fletcher Georgina Limon Eric Agongo Anthony Akunzule Gloria Essel Barbara Padalino Andrew Grist Troy John Gibson Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in Ghana Animals equine welfare <i>Equus asinus</i> slaughter Ghana post-mortem veterinary pathology |
| title | Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in Ghana |
| title_full | Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in Ghana |
| title_short | Assessment of Donkey <i>(Equus asinus)</i> Welfare at Slaughter in Ghana |
| title_sort | assessment of donkey i equus asinus i welfare at slaughter in ghana |
| topic | equine welfare <i>Equus asinus</i> slaughter Ghana post-mortem veterinary pathology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/24/3673 |
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