Ocorrência de lesões corporais em matrizes suínas em agroindústria de São Luís – MA

Abstract

Concern about the welfare of production animals has become more and more present, and therefore, demands by the society of actions that improve the quality of life of these animals. Much has already been achieved in terms of animal welfare (BEA) within pig farming. Understanding that the gestation and lactation of swine matrices are the most critical phases of production is of paramount importance the quality of life of these animals. In this way, this work had the objective of reporting the incidence of lesions on swine matrices and discussing animal welfare. A research was carried out in an agroindustry in the city of São Luís do Maranhão where 89 pregnant and lactating swine matrices were observed and the frequencies of the body lesions that were associated with behavioral reactions were counted. The results indicated that the frequency of lesions in the matrices were distributed in different regions of the body. Thus, in the head region, 16% of the lesions were observed, in the region of the thorax 13%, in the region of the limbs 35%, not abdomen and flank 10% and in the mammary gland 33%. The higher the frequency of lesions in the limbs (35%) and the mammary gland (33%), the frequency of the facilities and frequency of suckling of the piglets.Lack of social interactions, as well as food management, may have contributed to stereotyping by the animals, indicating a compromise in animal welfare.