Animal category: Equines

Following the loss of local abbatoirs; call by a Deputy for the expansion of the practise of on-farm slaughter, which is less stressful for animals and better adapted to local conditions. In response; the government refers to the European health framework, and expresses its support for mobile abattoir projects that comply with the rules: It has also launched a plan to strengthen local abattoir networks.

Article reviewing the multiple potential benefits of AI for the analysis of animals' facial expressions and detection of signs of pain or complex emotions, in which it sometimes performs better than human experts. Researchers are developing algorithms capable of interpreting the emotional states of dogs, cats, horses and primates using deep learning and annotated image databases. However, scientists remain wary of the lack of transparency in the decisions made by AI, and are seeking to combine facial analysis with other indicators to refine the assessment of animal welfare.

Scientific article investigating whether use of a pain scale based on facial expression is an objective and reliable method of assessing dental pain in horses. It concludes that tools designed to identify acute pain lack reliability if used to assess chronic pain, such as dental pain. A more dental-specific ethogram is needed to accurately identify dental pain in horses.

New EFSA Opinion on the welfare of horses during killing for purposes other than human consumption, whether indivudally or on a large scale. The Opinion details three phases: pre-stunning, stunning and bleeding. It identifies potential hazards and describes stunning and killing methods (captive bolt, firearm, lethal injection). Potential risks, preventive measures and animal welfare measurement criteria are described, along with practices deemed unacceptable on welfare.

New EFSA opinion on the welfare of horses at slaughter for human consumption. The opinion details three phases: pre-stunning, stunning and bleeding. It identifies potential hazards and describes stunning and killing methods (captive bolt, firearm, lethal injection), and proposes measures to assess animal welfare consequences. Practices deemed unacceptable on welfare grounds are also listed.

Analysis of surveys carried out among professionals in the equestrian sector, revealing widespread recognition of equine sentience (99.9% of respondents). Two Subjects emerge: sentience is a pathway to understanding the mental state, welfare and well-being of horses, and humans have a moral obligation to consider it.

Study exploring welfare, both human and animal, as one of the pillars of sustainability in the farmed animal industry. This pillar is often neglected in favor of the environmental and economic pillars.

Article exploring the evolution of the concept of animal welfare and the scientific basis for consideration of animals' cognitive and emotional capacities.

Study evaluating the effect of two styles of classical music (slow and moderate tempo) on the welfare of horses during social isolation. Both music styles increased serotonin levels, but the moderate tempo music also influenced certain blood indicators, such as calcium and hemoglobin levels. These results show that music can contribute to the welfare of horses in the stable.

Article on the three main equine welfare assessment protocols - SEBWAT, AWIN Horse and Cheval Bien-être (most recent and in French). The last includes equine welfare indicators of negative mental states, but could be further improved by including indicators of positive mental states.