Today (31°C in the shade, 35°C in the sun), we visited Van Rooi pig slaughterhouse in Helmond. Although the afternoon shift was canceled due to the heat, which is a positive step, it remained very busy until at least 4:00 PM. There were as many as nine trucks, loaded with pigs, waiting under the canopy. Waiting times extended to an hour or more. Even though no pigs were supposed to be delivered after 1:00 PM, two more trucks arrived later in the afternoon.
Despite the well-designed canopy with ample misting, which makes it about 4 degrees cooler than outside, we still observed significant heat stress among the pigs in the stationary trucks.
The main recommendations we provided are as follows:
- Drastically reduce waiting times: On extremely hot days like today, it is unacceptable to leave pigs waiting in stationary trucks, especially for more than an hour. At Vion in Boxtel, almost no pigs were delivered after 1:30 PM, proving that it is technically possible to plan better!
- Install multiple large and tall mobile fans: These should be easily movable so they can be positioned where they are most needed. Although there was a slight breeze under the canopy, it was insufficient to properly cool the pigs in these temperatures.
- Provide a power supply under the canopy: This would allow trucks to run their fans without having to keep their engines running. We received this tip from several drivers. The engine generates a lot of heat, particularly in the compartments behind the cab, where the pigs visibly experience more heat stress.
- Place two mobile ladders under the canopy: This would allow drivers, Van Rooi employees, and inspectors to properly check the upper loading levels. Currently, it’s difficult to assess the pigs that are at the greatest risk of heat stress (as heat rises).
- Remind drivers to open the roof and tailgate and to park entirely in the shade: Sometimes, trucks were parked with the cab and part of the first compartment exposed to the sun.
- Reduce loading to a maximum of 10 pigs per compartment: Many trucks currently have 12 pigs per compartment (packed like sardines). This is far too many in this heat. Pigs can’t dissipate heat effectively and often end up partially lying on top of each other. Other slaughterhouses also tend to load 12 pigs per compartment on hot days.
We would like to thank the drivers today for their valuable tips, cooperation (some trucks were slightly repositioned and the roof or tailgate was opened based on our advice), and friendliness. We also want to thank Van Rooi, who always welcomes us despite our critical eye and is open to our advice. We hope that action will be taken soon in response to our recommendations, as there is certainly room for improvement.
