ANIMAL WELFARE - HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

Abstract

The review article highlights the stages of securing animal welfare at the legislative level. The main concepts of the “Five Freedoms” and their use for determining animal welfare, which affect the production of safe and high-quality products, are revealed. Legislative documents on the regulation of animal welfare issues in the areas of: breeding; transportation of animals using specially equipped techniques; pre-slaughter handling at meat processing plants in appropriate conditions with the participation of qualified personnel; slaughter using modern equipment and methods that ensure instant loss of consciousness and completely exclude its recovery until the end of the process.
It has been emphasized that the low level of welfare during transportation and pre-slaughter handling causes the development of stress phenomena in animals, which affects the reduction of glycogen levels in muscle tissues. This, in turn, changes the nature of meat maturation. A large amount of lactic acid accumulates in it, which leads to a rapid decrease in pH, a reduction in the shelf life of meat and its rapid spoilage. In addition, the meat of animals slaughtered under stress has worse organoleptic characteristics.
Negligence in handling animals during transport and pre-slaughter handling can lead to disorders such as: PSE and DFD. 
According to research results, the prevalence of PSE is from 10 to 32% and DFD is from 10 to 35% worldwide. Both of these phenomena are directly related to the stress that animals experience before slaughter.
Therefore, research into animal welfare during transport and slaughter is a key factor in improving the quality and sanitary safety of meat.