Risk Factors Associated with Bruises in Beef Cattle Carcasses

Bruises in beef cattle carcasses are important indicators related to pre-slaughter handling and transport conditions, with implications for animal welfare and meat quality. This study analysed 19.4 million cattle carcasses transported from 42,805 farms to 38 slaughterhouses in Brazil to identify factors associated with bruising. Logistic regression models were used to assess the effects of sex, age, transport distance from farm to industry, and truck class. At least one bruise was found in 33.8% of the analysed carcasses. Older animals had a greater prevalence of bruising, and females were the most affected. The relationship between transport distance and bruising varied across carcass regions, showing distinct patterns rather than a uniform trend. Compared with larger-capacity vehicles, smaller trucks increased the risk of bruising. The round, rump, and flank regions presented the greatest number of bruises. The models assessing individual effects demonstrated good overall performance, with accuracy ranging from 75% to 82% in identifying bruises. The best performance was observed for round-rump, likely due to the higher frequency of bruises in these cuts. These findings highlight the need to improve transport logistics, adopt better handling practices, and implement specific interventions to reduce bruising.