Animal category: Cattle

Scientific paper comparing the animal welfare and parasite loads in dairy cows between groups reared organically and conventionally,  finding no significant differences for either criterion, despite the fact that organic farms carried out no treatments for parasites.

Presentation of the results of an AHDB survey, demonstrating that animal welfare is a growing concern for British consumers. However, the latter are not prepared to pay more for their meat because they overestimate the quality of welfare conditions on British farms,. They are nevertheless increasingly aware of the health problems associated with farming practices.

Technical Instruction specifying changes to the procedures associated with the official monitoring of animal protection in the abattoir at the time of slaughter in France

Conclusions of the report of the Committee of Inquiry into the protection of animals during transport. Its recommendations include reductions in journey times, better protection of young animals and pregnant females, conditions placed on the export of live animals to third countries, and better information for consumers. It stresses the need to improve and supplement existing EU legislation.

Scientific review of the various precision farming systems that can be used to manage the needs, health and monitoring of grazing livestock, allowing any threat to care plans or welfare to be quickly remedied.

For pig and poultry farms, the decree also specifies an ongoing assessment procedure to ensure that, once trained, advisors keep up-to-date with animal welfare knowledge. Advisors are required to refresh their knowledge of respectful animal husbandry practices every seven years.

Scientific review of the arguments for and against the ritual slaughter of farm animals, authored by an abattoir veterinary inspector.

DG SANTE audit report carried out in France in early 2021, revealing that the effectiveness of official controls in French abattoirs has been significantly improved, as the result of the strengthening of operators' self-monitoring and inspectors' training in particular, but identifying 3 previous recommendations not yet taken into account, and adding two new ones.

Report on the Animal Health and Welfare Network meeting which produced a list of the animal-based measures used in abattoirs that are most relevant for the on-farm monitoring of the welfare of calves.

Scientific review summarising and analysing the main uses of smart sensors, big data and deep learning for  the behavioural recognition and health monitoring of farm animals, with a focus on bovine lameness.