Animal Welfare Practices at Duck Slaughter Facilities in Traditional Markets at Bogor City

Abstract

Animal welfare is an important aspect of poultry slaughtering since it directly affects the quality of meat produced. This study aimed to evaluate animal welfare practices during duck slaughter in traditional markets of Bogor City. A census- based survey approach was conducted on seven slaughter sites between May and December 2023. Data were collected through direct observation using a checklist from the Guidelines for Animal Welfare Development in Animal Product Business Units 2023. The evaluated aspects included arrival, resting, pre-slaughter, slaughter, human resources, and emergency procedures. The results showed that 71% of the slaughter sites were categorized as moderate and 29% as poor, with no sites achieving a good category. The slaughter aspect was the most compliant, with a 95% conformity rate, while arrival, pre-slaughter, human resources, and emergency procedures scored low. The low implementation was mainly due to limited facilities, a lack of training for traders, and the absence of authorized officers at the sites. These findings indicate that animal welfare practices in duck slaughter at traditional markets have not been optimal. Improvements are required through regular training for traders, routine monitoring by relevant authorities, improvement of transport and resting facilities, and strengthening of local regulations to ensure better animal welfare implementation.