Blood collection from dairy calves at exsanguination post-slaughter yields similar biochemical and packed cell volume measurements compared with in vivo collection during lairage
Natalie Roadknight, Natalie Courtman, Peter Mansell, Ellen Jongman, Sandy Clarke-Errey, Andrew Fisher
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE | ELSEVIER SCI LTD | Published : 2020
Blood collection at exsanguination is a method of collecting samples at abattoirs which itself has no effect on animal welfare, compared with collection prior to stunning. However, there is the potential for artefact to affect measurements. It was hypothesised that, for most blood analytes measured, the differences between lairage and exsanguination measurements would be minimal, except for creatine kinase, which was expected be higher in exsanguination samples. Fifty-nine male dairy calves approximately 5-10 days old were sampled prior to slaughter, and again during exsanguination after stunning. Each sample was analysed for packed cell volume, serum urea, beta-hydroxybutyrate, gamma-glutam..
Andrew Fisher Author Veterinary Clinical Sciences
This work was supported by Meat and Livestock Australia, Lactalis Australia, an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship and a Meat and Livestock Australia Postgraduate Scholarship/Study Award.
Blood Sampling Method