◾ It must cover four critical areas which are farms, transportation vehicles, markets and lairages.

1. On farm level, animals must be handled carefully to avoid damaged carcasses later, for example the presence of vaccination abscesses, bruising or even sending animal to slaughterhouse without a sufficient withdrawal period of a given drug.

2. Transportation process and vehicles are one of the most stressful factors on animals that affect the animal normal physiology and meat quality afterwards. To ensure that animals are transported with the least stress, transportation vehicles should be suitable for the animal under transportation, well ventilated, easily cleaned &disinfected, non-slippery, animals in the vehicle should be in transverse position and the speed of the lorry not more than 50 km/hr.

◾Problems occurring during transportation including:

a.  Loss of weight: There are two types of weight loss, gross loss which occurs due to normal body excretions and proper loss which occurs due to dissolution of muscle glycogen. Loss of weight is affected by factors as season, body condition, sex, and journey duration.

b. Transit fever: This condition occurs due to bad weather and transportation. It is manifested by fever, coughing and diarrhea during ante-mortem inspection, while at post-mortem inspection ill bled carcass and lobar pneumonia appear.

c. Transit tetany: It affects cows in the later stage of pregnancy particularly in warm weather and recumbent position with no post-mortem evidence of the condition.

d. Transit erythema: Affect pigs after long journey which is manifested by red patches on the skin and s/c fat.

e. Death of the animal: It occurs usually in sheep & pigs due to inadequate ventilation, high temperature in an overcrowded vehicle.

f.  Injuries (Fracture /bruising): Which occurs mainly due to rough handling.

g. Stress: Generally, stress causes increase in adrenaline levels in blood which raises the heart rate and blood pressure resulting in constricted blood vessels which may rupture lately causes ecchymosed or petechial hemorrhages.

3. In markets animals are usually under continuous stress from surroundings, noises, and different stimuli.

4.  Lairage is the place where animal can be rested prior to slaughter including:

a. Resting: The slaughterhouse hygiene regulations a maximum resting period of 72 hours to enable animal recovery from fatigue and allow muscle glycogen restore.

b. Feeding: It is important to supply animals with adequate feeding to restore muscle glycogen and ensure low ultimate pH, animals must be fed every 12 hours.

c. Watering: Animal must be provided with continuous supply of potable water which facilitates the dressing process and wash out GIT bacteria.

d. Fasting: Animal must be fasted 12 hours before slaughter with continuous ultimate supply of potable water.

e. Washing: Removal of dirt from the hide and feet of the animal will reduce the source and incidence of carcass contamination.