Effectively managing stress in growers
The transport phase can be extremely stressful for animals, requiring them to adapt to a new environment and social interactions. A well-planned arrival programme can ease their experience, reducing the risk of stress-related immunosuppression and shrinkage, and helping them thrive and grow.
How to recognise
Stress caused by transport or other significant changes to an animal’s environment often leads to reduced intake and/or accessibility to feed and water. Signs of dehydration in animals include lethargy, weight loss, sunken eyes and low skin turgor, followed by shrinkage that can last for weeks.
The impact on the farmer
Stressed animals can’t perform optimally or develop normally, which often means longer shrinkage recovery periods and more days on feed are needed.