Contusões em carcaças de Bovídeos: comparativo entre o transporte terreestre, fluvial e misto.

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of land, river, and mixed transportation modes on the occurrence of bruises in 1,200 cattle and buffalo carcasses slaughtered in a slaughterhouse in the state of Amapá. The frequencies of lesions and their anatomical distributions were analyzed based on ante- and post-mortem observations. The results showed that cattle had a higher incidence of bruising during land transport. In contrast, buffaloes showed the greatest risk in mixed transportation modes, indicating that vehicle transitions and inadequate handling increase the risk of trauma. The hind region of the carcasses was the most affected in both species. The study highlights that factors such as transportation instability, overcrowding, lack of structural standardization, and improper handling contribute significantly to lesion formation, directly impacting meat quality and animal welfare. It is concluded that adopting species-specific handling and transportation protocols is essential to reduce economic losses and improve production efficiency.