Knowledge and attitudes of official inspectors at slaughterhouses in southern Brazil regarding animal welfare

ABSTRACT We assessed the views, knowledge, and attitudes of livestock inspectors working in federally inspected slaughterhouses in southern Brazil, the major pig and poultry processors in the country, regarding farm animal behavior and welfare, and factors that may influence animal welfare improvements at abattoirs. An online questionnaire with closed and open questions was sent to all the federally inspected slaughterhouses in the three states of the region. All respondents (n = 83) strongly agreed that animals are capable of feeling pain, but fewer agreed that animals have mental states and ...