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Simple Summary: Increasing the slaughter weight of pigs can create challenges in handling and transport, affecting the welfare and the final meat quality. Heavier pigs have different space requirements to fit their physical and thermal needs. This research was conducted through two separate experiments with the aim of investigating the effects of two slaughter weights (120 and 140 kg) and two space allowances during summer and winter transports, i.e., 0.54 and 0.62 m2/pig and 0.44 m2/pig or 0.50 m2/pig, respectively, on the behavioural and physiological response, and carcass and meat quality of pigs. Overall, the effects of providing different space allowances during summer transports on within-truck ambient conditions, post-transport pigs' welfare, and carcass and meat quality are similar, regardless of the slaughter weight. In summer loads, increased slaughter weight is associated with more aggressive pigs under mixed group conditions in lairage and a higher risk of DFD-like pork meat resulting from fatigue at slaughter. Winter transport results may have been biased by the short journey and the truck condition not travelling at its full load capacity. Further research aiming for longer journeys (>3 h) is needed to validate the space allowances applied in this study for heavier pigs during summer and winter conditions. This study was carried out through two separate experiments aiming at evaluating the effects of two space allowances (0.54 and 0.62 m2/pig in summer and 0.44 m2/pig and 0.50 m2/pig in winter) on the behavioural and physiological response, and meat quality of pigs of two slaughter weights (120 kg and 140 kg). In summer, higher blood haematocrit levels were found at slaughter in heavier pigs transported at a smaller space allowance (p = 0.04). During lairage, pigs transported at a smaller space allowance started fighting later (p = 0.04). Fighting behaviour was greater in heavier pigs (p ≤ 0.05), whilst their drinking activity was lower (p < 0.05). This resulted in greater exsanguination blood CK levels (p < 0.01) and drier hams (p = 0.05) in heavier pigs. In winter, only lower space allowance influenced some meat quality traits (p < 0.05), but these effects were minor. The effects of space allowance during summer transports on within-truck ambient conditions, post-transport pigs' welfare, and meat quality are similar. Mixing heavier pigs may result in greater aggressiveness and more fatigue-related meat quality variation during summer. Overall, winter transport results may have been biased by the short journey and within-truck load distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice addresses errors in the original publication of a study titled "Transport of Pigs of Two Market Weights at Two Space Allowances: Effects on Behaviour, Blood Parameters, and Meat Quality under Summer and Winter Conditions." The errors were found in Figures 1 and 2, which depict the truck design used for pig transport during summer and winter. The corrections involve the incorrect surface area of compartment 2 in the summer truck design and the incorrect heights of the two truck decks in both designs. The authors state that these corrections do not affect the scientific conclusions of the study. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: Transport is a stressful procedure that can affect adversely the welfare of pigs and pork quality. It is well known that response to the journey is influenced by the genetic type. However, very little is known on the response of local breeds to the transport procedures despite the increasing interest in the welfare of animals during transport. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of short distance transport on behaviour, blood parameters and meat quality traits of Apulo-Calabrese (local Italian pig breed) and crossbreed [Duroc × (Landrace × Large White)] pigs. Statistical analyses were done using univariate and multivariate approaches. Both approaches showed that glucose, albumin/globulin, urea, and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations were influenced by the genetic type. Despite at loading Apulo-Calabrese pigs were less reluctant to move and showed a lower vocalization, physiological response to the short distance transport was more intense in this breed when compared with crossbreeds. With regards to meat quality, higher a* and lower L* coordinates were found in Apulo-Calabrese which indicates darker and more reddish meat than crossbreeds. The results from this study may provide insight into the response of local breeds to the transport procedures. Despite the increasing interest in the welfare of animals during transport, very little is known on the response of local pig breeds to the transport procedures. This study aims to compare the effect of short journey on behaviour, blood parameters, and meat quality traits in 51 Apulo-Calabrese and 52 crossbreed [Duroc × (Landrace × Large White)] pigs. All the animals were blood sampled five days before delivery (basal condition) and at exsanguination for the analysis of creatine kinase, cortisol, glucose, lactate, albumin, albumin/globulin, total protein, urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphate, sodium, and potassium. Post mortem pH, color, drip loss, cooking loss, and Warner-Bratzler shear force were measured at different times in longissimus thoracis samples. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that glucose, albumin/globulin, urea, and AST at exsanguination were influenced by the genetic type. Apulo-Calabrese showed the highest increase in blood values of lactate, creatinine, sodium and potassium after the short distance transport. Behavioural occurrences were similar in both genetic types during unloading and lairage. Small differences were observed for meat quality although significantly higher a* and lower L* were found in Apulo-Calabrese pigs, showing meat with a deeper red colour than crossbreeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]