Factors Related to Animal Welfare in the Commercialization of Bovine Livestock According to the Chilean Legislation: A Review

distress ABSTRACT Animal welfare determines the state with which the individual copes with environmental alterations, it is evaluated mainly with biochemical, behavioral, productive, and physiological parameters, allowing to provide them with optimal conditions to improve their quality of life. Production systems expose cattle to stressful situations that alter animal welfare, largely due to increased human-animal interaction. In Chile, Law 20.380, together with decrees 28, 29 and 30 of the Ministry of Agriculture regulate the transport, slaughter, and maintenance of animals in different establishments. However, at present, there are still alterations in animal welfare throughout the production process, reflected in behavioral parameters such as vocalizations and falls, as well as failures in handling by operators and in the process of herding or stunning. The aim of this work was to analyze the factors related to animal welfare in the commercialization of cattle in accordance with Chilean legislation, generating a practical guide for the evaluation of animal welfare based on behavioral manifestations and suggestions for the appropriate handling of cattle..