Avaliação de jumentos retirados do abate na Bahia: cadeia produtiva ou extrativismo alicerçado em maus tratos?

Abstract

It is believed that the first donkeys were brought to Brazil in 1534 by the Portuguese. Since their introduction, donkeys have been used as draft, pack, transport and riding animals. With the advent of mechanization these animals had their importance diminished, and with that they started to be seen by the Chinese industry. In this context, taking into account that the slaughter of donkeys is not a regulated activity in Brazil, the health, well-being and survival of donkeys are being compromised as the demand for their skins increases and the risk of extinction becomes eminent. Given what was evidenced, this work aims to evaluate the donkeys removed from slaughter by the UFAL team in Canudos-BA, seeking to establish whether the activity is consistent with the production chain or extractivism with a predominance of mistreatment. Twelve psychological visits were made to Fazenda Santa Isabel/Piedade, in the city of Canudos-BA, where 72 donkeys are allocated under vulnerability. The identification, evaluation and supervision of the body score were carried out, as well as the collection of material for blood analysis. The collected data underwent treatment in order to provide proof of the thesis in question. This research project was submitted to the Ethics in Animal Use Committee (CEUA/UFAL) and registered under no 21/2019. Among the results obtained, it can be mentioned that, with regard to age, 80.55% of the animals were up to 20 years old. Not tangent to Body score, 94.44% had rates between 1-5 and 5.56% between 6-9. Related to body score through the neck 80.55% had rates between 0-2 and 19.45% between 3-4. In laboratory tests, the hematocrits of 52 animals (72.3%) found rates greater than 28%. Total plasma proteins 90.27% of the animals had values below 8g/dl. And the plasma concentration of fibrinogen 86.11% pleases an index between 0-1 mg/dl. Thus, it can be concluded that despite the hematological rates being within normal limits, the physical estimates demonstrate conditions of abandonment, malnutrition and mistreatment that the donkeys were affected, emphasizing the need to create public policies involving health and the welfare of these animals. In addition, associated with the unbridled and cruel trade in skins, it is a fact that in Brazil there is no productive chain for donkeys, but an extractive activity that is impracticable because it is sustained by acts of mistreatment that, if not paralyzed, will culminate in the extinction of the species in the world region.