Animal category: Equines

Organisation des contrôles officiels relatifs à la protection animale en abattoir au moment de la mise à mort et des opération annexes

Bureau des établissements d'abattage et de découpe

Published in 2022

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

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Anxiety, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Stress

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Report on the investigation into alleged breaches and maladministration in the application of Union Law on the protection of animals during transport, both within and outside the Union

Daniel Buda, Isabel Carvalhais, Commission of Inquiry into the Protection of Animals during Transport

Published in 2021

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.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords: Stress, Transport

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Bêtes de science : le cheval, un champion de l’intelligence sociale

Nathalie Mayer

Published in 2022

Article summarising current scientific knowledge on the social behaviours of horses, both intra-species and in relation to humans, and on their emotional capacities, in particular on 'emotional contagion' where emotions are transmitted from one horse to another. 

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords : Human-animal relationships

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Final report of an audit of France from 25 January 2021 to 5 February 2021 in order to evaluate controls of animal welfare at slaughter and during related operations

DG SANTE

Published in 2021

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.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Carcass quality, Pain, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Stress

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Animal welfare: a shift from live to meat-and-carcass transport

Gediminas Vilkas

Published in 2021

Press release presenting the results of the European Parliament's Committee of Inquiry into the protection of animals during transport. The committee recognised that EU rules on the protection of animals during transport are not always respected and that the welfare needs of animals during transport are not always met. It recommends limiting and better monitoring the export of live animals, developing meat-and-carcass transport and banning the transport of very young animals.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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Genome editing and farmed animals

Pete Mills

Published in 2021

Report describing genome editing techniques, and critically analysing their potential use for livestock. It makes recommendations, in particular the need for a full scientific review of the literature before changing the UK regulations in this area and for a dialogue between scientists and the public on these issues.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Resilience, Robustness, Livestock farming system

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How Happy Are Equine Athletes? Stakeholder Perceptions of Equine Welfare Issues Associated with Equestrian Sport

Tamzin Furtado, Liane Preshaw, Jo Hockenhull, Jennifer Wathan, Janet Douglas, Sue Horseman, Rebecca Smith, Danica Pollard, Gina Pinchbeck, Jan Rogers Carol Hall

Published in 2021

Scientific article providing the views of equestrian sportsmen and women and of animal welfare researchers on the current welfare violations in equestrian sport. Respondents emphasised the conflict between the demands of competition and the psychological needs of horses, and were of the view that efforts to improve welfare should focus on training. They considered existing welfare assessment tools to be ill-suited to the real-life conditions of training and competition.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Learning, training, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Recumbency as an Equine Welfare Indicator in Geriatric Horses and Horses with Chronic Orthopaedic Disease

Zsofia Kelemen, Herwig Grimm, Mariessa Long, Ulrike Auer, Florien Jenner

Published in 2021

Scientific paper measuring time budgets for decubitus, locomotion and standing times in old and young, healthy or lame horses using automated wearable body sensors. It shows a link between low decubitus times and REM sleep deficit, but no link between decubitus times and age or lameness.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Pain, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Livestock farming system

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Aspects of Breeding Stallion Management with Specific Focus on Animal Welfare

Rodrigo Arruda de Oliveira, Christine Aurich

Published in 2021

Scientific review of how living environments affect stallions at stud, including social isolation in loose boxes or of agonistic behaviour in an outdoor herd setting, describing management methods to limit these risks to animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-004061/2021 : Animal welfare during transport to third countries

Question: Francisco Guerreiro (Greens/EFA). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2021

Response to a question on the possible welfare implications of animals being transported live to Israel, and more widely, to countries in conflict or at war.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Transport

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