This afternoon, Eyes on Animals discovered an animal-truck parked in the parking lot of a gas station near VION Groenlo abattoir with culled sows and a few boars on board. The truck was in the full sun (30°C), causing the animals on board to experience severe heat stress. Additionally, fights broke out between the animals, further exacerbating the stress. Eyes on Animals spoke to the driver and asked him to move to the VION premises, where there is shade from trees and some cooling provided by industrial fans. We also alerted VION to the situation. In response, VION gave the driver priority (over other waiting trucks) and asked him to unload the animals immediately into the cooler lairage.
Eyes on Animals finds it unacceptable that, in 2024, there are still livestock drivers who leave their trucks stationary in direct sunlight on hot days. Livestock drivers should be aware that the temperature and humidity inside a stationary truck rise quickly due to the lack of airflow, while hierarchy fights can also escalate, both with serious consequences for the animals‘ welfare. We will be writing to this transport company regarding the matter. Additionally, we advised VION to schedule the transport of culled sows and boars at night or in the early morning during hot days, when it is cooler. We also suggested that a VION employee patrol the area on hot days to speak to drivers whose trucks are stationary in unsuitable locations.
Sows very sensitive to heatstress
Sows are particularly sensitive to heat stress. They are large and heavy, with relatively small lungs, and have been selectively bred to produce large litters, which further increases their vulnerability to heat. Additionally, they often endure long journeys. Unlike fattening pigs, which are transported directly from the farm to the slaughterhouse, culled sows are first sent to assembly centers. At these centers, culled sows from all sorts of different farms are gathered before being re-loaded onto trucks and transported to slaughterhouses both domestically and internationally. The mixing of unfamiliar animals often leads to fights, which are especially problematic inside trucks, as the confined space prevents them from escaping or displaying natural submissive behaviors, such as retreating. This inability to diffuse conflicts escalates the situation. On hot days, these fights are even more concerning as they cause body temperatures to rise further, intensifying the heat stress.
