FORENSIC EXAMINATION OF A BOAR DIED DURING TRANSPORT AIMED AT REIMBURSEMENT OF INSURED ANIMAL

Th e long lasting transport of high-value animals during the import represents the signifi cant stress factor for animals, which can lead to severe health problems and even animal death. Th us, insurance of animals against the event of death is highly recommended. In case of the damage of the insured animal (death) it is necessary to implement all statutory and contractual measures for determining the reasons of the damage in order to eff ectively compensate the loss in the country, in which the animal is insured. In this article, we described the case control study, a death of breeding animal (boar) during the transport (import) from Denmark to Serbia. Th e animal was insured in exporting country and the forensic expertise was necessary to the purpose of adequate insurance compensation. On the basis of applied methods, which included medical history, records of clinical fi ndings, gross pathological fi ndings and laboratory examination, the cause of death of imported boar was identifi ed (heart failure and suff ocation). Th e Danish insurance company accepted the results of the examination and compensation has been successfully implemented on behalf of the dead


INTRODUCTION
Transport of animals represents an important stress-inducing situation that may lead to subclinical changes, clinical manifestations of poor health and even death (Malena et al., 2007;Stojanac et al., 2014). During the transport of animals, special care should be taken to ensure the welfare of animals. Th e transportation needs to provide appropriate conditions and satisfy physiological and other needs specifi c to particular animal species, such as feeding, accommodation, physical, psychological and thermal comfort and safety. Also, conditions enabling animals to demonstrate the basic behavior patterns, social contact with animals of the same species, absence of negative experiences (pain, suff ering, fear, stress, illness and injuries) need to be provided (Offi cial Gazette of RS, 2009). During the transport on the long distances, the stress certainly occurs (von Borell and Schaff er, 2005) and the overall ambient conditions for animals are changed. Th e transportation of an animals is not a narrowly defi ned stressor; it represents a combination of several factors since the animal is exposed to diff erent and unknown materials, smells, light intensity, sounds and vibrations, manipulation by people, separation from the group and mixing with unfamiliar individuals, changing temperatures and air circulation, injuries, limited space, deprivation of food and water. It is suggested that, inevitably, the fact that all principles of wellbeing cannot be respected during transportation (EC, 2004).
Th e livestock insurance is a special branch of insurance characterized by a number of specifi cities, which primarily relate to the subject of insurance (animals) that function under specifi c biological laws. If owners or farmers want to insure their pigs (subject of insurance) against various risks, they have an obligation to pay the appropriate compensation for risk-taking. Th is entails additional costs and certainly increases the cost for animals insurance (Marković and Jovanović, 2010).
Insurance including coverage for risk requires fulfi llment of some basic insurability criteria, including the capability to estimate the severity of risk with associated uncertainty. Conventional empirical methods are of limited use to estimate the impact of new risk data, are usually scarce and/or may not be relevant to the new disease. Hence, the feasibility of alternative methods to quantify the impact of risk should be further explored (Coble et al., 2006;Zagmutt et al., 2013). Th e price of risk (insurance) is a premium, which exists in all types of insurance. Farmers set aside signifi cant funds for the livestock insurance (crop insurance) and they pay the full amount of premium (gross premium). Th e whole issue of livestock insurance is intended to enable faster development of livestock and to reduce damages in animal husbandry to the minimum. In the selected period, technical premium is not suffi cient to cover the damages and it is necessary to try to increase it in the future. Th is can be achieved through better education of farmers, who could use certain preventive measures to partially mitigate the development of specifi c damages, and on the other hand with appropriate livestock insurance packages to try to encourage more farmers to insure their animals (Marko, 1989;Marković, 2007).
In the majority of cases, the highly valuable breeding pigs are transported on long distances (over 1000 km). Th e long distance transportation represents substantial expenses, which increase the cost of sold goods, and therefore the-re is no fi nancial justifi cation to transport the commercial (slaughter) pigs. Depending on the fi nal agreement, the animal insurance in the international transport may be completed by the exporter or importing country. All rights and obligations should be regulated by the contract, which clearly indicates, which contracting party bears the risk during the transport of animal. In case of any damage, the implementation of all prescribed and agreed measures for determining the cause of damage should be taken in order to compensate the loss in another country, in which the animal was ensured.
As described in this study, all animals (11 hogs) imported to Serbia were clinically examined by an authorized veterinarian before loading, and no clinical signs of disease or visible defects were detected. However, the exporting country, i.e., the insurance company did not agree to accept the damage on the basis of statements of the driver and the customer, and they demanded an offi cial forensic report. In this article, the case, of death of breeding animal (boar) during the transport (import) from Denmark to Serbia was described. Th e animal was insured in exporting country, and with an aim of obtaining the insurance compensation, the complete forensic expertise was necessary.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Th e material for this research included 11 breeding hogs, Duroc breed, imported to Serbia and settled in quarantine facility according to the offi cial decision of the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia. When unloading the animals, it was discovered that one of the boars died. Th e applied research methods included epidemiological and medical history, clinical fi nding records, gross pathological fi ndings and laboratory examination of sera samples sampled from live boars as well as the tissue samples (liver, spleen, kidney, lungs, heart, mandibular, mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes, tonsils) derived from dead animal (bacteriological and virology testing). Th e serological examination for relevant bacterial (antibodies against leptospirosis, Brucella sp.) and viral diseases (antibodies against Classical Swine Fever (CSFV), Morbus Auijeszky (MA), Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome virus (PRRSV)) was performed in line with the Quarantine Decision of the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection.
Isolation of bacteria from tissue samples deriving from dead pigs was performed by standard aerobic and microaerophilic cultivation (Quinn et al., 2011).
Th e titer of MA specifi c antibodies was determined by serum neutralization test (SNT) following standard procedure as described before (

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Pursuant to relevant medical and other documents supporting the importation license, 11 breeding boars, Duroc breed, were transported from Denmark to Serbia. All accompanying import documentation for animals was checked by the Veterinary Inspection. When unloading boars, the veterinarian discovered that one boar died. Clinical investigation revealed no signs of disorders or disease in remaining 11 boars and animals were placed in a quarantine facility. Other boars did not manifest any clinically apparent disorders. Th e transport of animals lasted in total 23 hours and transport routes went through several countries: Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
Th e Veterinary inspector applied the offi cial control of the certifi cate issued by the Danish Veterinary and Food and established the following: the health status of the boars was checked before loading, and there was no suspicion on the presence a contagious disease that can be transmitted to pigs. Th e certifi cate stated that the State of Denmark has conducted testing on all diseases requested by the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, thus confi rming freedom from certain viral (MA, TGE, PRRSV, African swine fever, CSFV, foot and mouth disease, swine vesicular disease) and bacterial swine diseases (atrophic rhinitis, brucellosis, leptospirosis, swine dysentery, tuberculosis, actinobacillosis, enzootic pneumonia). Finally, it was stated that breeding boars were not transported (on the way from the place of loading to the place of unloading) through an area where contagious diseases were detected. Th e transport vehicles have previously been appropriately cleaned and disinfected, and meet all requirements considering animals' welfare during transport.

Offi cial control of transport vehicles
Th e breeding boars were shipped by the vehicle (truck) owned by the seller from Denmark. Th e total fl oor area was about 6.9m 2 and was divided into two unequal parts (4.5 and 2.4m 2 ) with 1m high fence. In the larger part, seven boars were placed, and four boars were put in the back part of the vehicle. Additional control of animal space revealed a small quantity of sawdust sprinkled on the rough fl oor was found. Th e transport vehicle was equipped with the water supply (separated in two parts) as well as the ventilation system.

Clinical investigation
While unloading the live boars from the vehicle, one carcass of dead boar was found. Clinical examination revealed no clinical signs of the disease in remaining animals. Examination of the respiratory and digestive tract as well as the locomotor and reproductive system revealed no signs of diseases in 11 breeding boars. Th e animals were settled in quarantine stables.

Gross pathological fi nding
Th e pathomorfological examination of dead breeding boar was performed according to standard gross pathology veterinary farm protocol. By external examination, the Duroc breed and good body condition was established. Th e animal body weight was estimated to some 100 kg. Th e skin of dead animal was cyanotic, particularly in the area of the scrotum, preputium, chest and neck. Aft er external examination, pathological control of internal cavities was done. In the abdominal cavity, distinct meteorism of the stomach and small intestine was discovered as well as small amount of free bloody content in the abdominal cavity. Gross pathological control of the chest cavity revealed distinct emphysema of the complete lung lobes and the presence of bloody content. Aft er detailed examination and opening of the airways, reddish color of tracheal and mucosa of major bronchi brochs (Picture 1-A) along with the presence of blood content was observed. On lung cross-section, dark red color of the lung tissue and large amount of blood were observed (Picture 1-B).Pathological examination of the heart muscle revealed markedly expanded and signifi cantly enlarged right ventricle (about 1.5 times larger than the left one) (Picture 1-C). In the right atrium and the heart chamber, a large amount of coagulated blood, dark red in color was discovered (Picture 1-D).

Th e results of laboratory examination
Bacteriological testing of tissue samples obtained from dead breeding boar revealed the presence of the following bacteria: Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens. Serological investigation did not confi rm antibodies against the examined swine diseases (MA, PRRSV, CSF, Brucela spp., Leptospirosis).
Before transporting high-value animals over long distances it is necessary to precisely defi ne all conditions of the insurance, to specify the responsibi-lities of each party and what is included in the insurance. Th is is very important when it comes to international trade because management systems of veterinary service diff er from country to country. Th e responsibility of the veterinary service is particularly important when assessing the damage and performing forensic testing to identify the causes of damage. In this case, the boars have been insured in Denmark and it was necessary, factually and with good arguments, to identify the cause of the death of a boar in order to charge for the loss.
In this paper, the examination of the reason for death of the boar indicated that beside the changes observed on the animal itself, the means of transport as well as the conditions under which the animals were transported played an important role. During the transportation of animals, it is necessary to ensure their well-being (Offi cial Gazette of RS, 2009). One of the most important issues concerning the welfare of animals on long lasting transport is the adequate surface area per animal. Animals in the transport vehicle should be able to lie down and to stand when they need (RSPCA, 2010;EC, 2004). To fulfi ll this requirement, the minimum required space for pigs should not exceed 235 kg/ m 2 , or by transported pig (100 kg) should be provided 0.42 m 2 of fl oor area. Available fl oor area (A) can be calculated from the formula A = 0,0192W0.67, where "W" is animal body weight (Voslářováisar., 2010).
Several studies reported that high stocking density reduces animal welfare and is associated with greater mortality during transport and lairage (Ritter et al., 2007;Fitzgerald et al., 2009). Th e spatial area in the truck, in which they boars from Denmark were transported, was divided into two parts, so the space available per one animal was 0.64 m 2 in the larger part and 0.60 m 2 in the smaller part of the vehicle. Th e boars were of an average weight of about 90 kg, which suggests that the boars had enough fl oor space per animal, but one should take into account that the trip took quite a long time (23h) and that all boars did not originate from the same herd. A review of the Common Veterinary Entry Document (CVED) established that the truck entered Serbia 4 hours prior to unloading and that all animals were inspected by the border veterinary inspector, who reviewed the identity and performed physical examination of the boars, marked them as "satisfactory" and accepted the import and transport to the quarantine. Th is indicates that the death occurred in the last part of the transportation, that is, between 19th and 23rd hour spent in the truck, and before unloading.
Th e severity of transport stress depends on aspects of loading and unloading as well as length of the journey, stocking density, group social hierarchies, genotype, and climatic condition (Nanni Costa, 2009). Diff erent studies have been aimed at investigating the eff ects of season, air temperature, and length of the journey on in-transit market pig losses (Averos et al., 2008;Sutherland et al., 2009). Import of boars was carried out in July, which according to many other authors (Werner et al., 2007;Vitali et al., 2014) is the month with the highest mortality rate during pig transport. Also, the distances that are crossed during import of boars are very long, which aff ects the increase in mortality during transport (Haley et al., 2008;Sutherland et al., 2009) and obviously resulted in the death of boars also in this study.

CONCLUSION
On the basis of the certifi cate issued by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Common Veterinary Entry Document (CVED), medical history, clinical presentation of other boars, autopsy fi ndings and laboratory results it is concluded that the cause of death of the boar was heart insuffi ciency. Death came due to long lasting transport (23h) and large number of boars in a small space, which caused further stress in the boar. Th e animal obviously fell down, and traces of injuries on the skin on one side of the body indicated that the animal was trampled by other animals. In the present case, it was a very common cause of death in pigs. When animals are transported in the correct way and in compliance with the procedures that are necessary to meet the requirements for compensation, cases of animal death during transport are successfully solved within the framework of international trade obligations. Danish insurance company has accepted this fi nding and compensation payment for dead boar was successfully implemented.