Discipline: Veterinary

Survey report: Collect information on the national system to protect fish welfare in aquaculture

Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission

Published in 2024

Report on a survey carried out in Denmark in 2023 to gather information on the national fish welfare system for aquaculture. The Danish authorities take the view that current scientific knowledge is not sufficient to serve as a basis for the creation of a legislative framework for the welfare of farmed fish.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Animal trade, livestock farming systemTransport

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n°15271 : Contrôle des abattoirs

Question: Jorys Bovet (Rassemblement National - Allier). Answer: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

Published in 2024

Answer from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty to a question from a Member of Parliament concerning the role and number of veterinarians in charge of controls in French abattoirs.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

Keywords:Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Mutilation, Processing

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Animal board invited review: Improving animal health and welfare in the transition of livestock farming systems: Towards social acceptability and sustainability

C. Ducrot, M.B. Barrio, A. Boissy, F. Charrier, S. Even, P. Mormède, S. Petit, M.-H. Pinard-van der laan, F. Schelcher, F. Casabianca, A. Ducos, G. Foucras, R. Guatteo, J.-L. Peyraud, M. Vayssier-Taussat, P. Veysset, N.C. Friggens, X. Fernandez

Published in 2024

The shared views of a group of INRAE researchers on the interdisciplinary research needed to support the transition to sustainable livestock production systems. Animal health and welfare are at the heart of these issues.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Societal issues, Environment, Living environment, One Welfare, Human-animal relationships, Livestock farming system

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European Parliament: Oral answer to Question O-000059/23: Promising review of EU animal welfare legislation and European citizens' initiatives on animal welfare (debate)

Question : Niels Fuglsang (S&D), Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA), Günther Sidl (S&D), Sarah Wiener (Greens/EFA), Emil Radev (EPP), Michaela Šojdrová (EPP), Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP), Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA), Annika Bruna (ID), Caroline Roose (Greens/EFA), Pascal Durand (S&D), Pierre Larrouturou (S&D), Martin Buschmann (NI), Manuela Ripa (Greens/EFA), Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA), Maria Noichl (S&D), Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg (Greens/EFA), Grace O'Sullivan (Greens/EFA), Mario Furore (NI), Rosa D'Amato (Greens/EFA), Tiziana Beghin (NI), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), Sylwia Spurek (Greens/EFA), Francisco Guerreiro (Greens/EFA), Martin Hojsík (Renew), Michal Wiezik (Renew), Malin Björk (The Left), Marisa Matias (The Left), Ville Niinistö (Greens/EFA), Marianne Vind (S&D), Christel Schaldemose (S&D), Karen Melchior (Renew), Alice Kuhnke (Greens/EFA), Pär Holmgren (Greens/EFA), Marina Kaljurand (S&D), Mick Wallace (The Left), Henna Virkkunen (EPP), Róża Thun und Hohenstein (Renew). Answer: Ms Ferreira on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

On December 7, 2023, the European Commission brought forward only its proposed revision of the legislation on the protection of animals during transport, postponing the other long-awaited proposals to revise what is now outdated European animal welfare legislation. A group of MEPs has called on the European Commission to provide a precise timetable for the implementation of the legislative proposals that are still pending (farming, slaughter, labeling).

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Mammals, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Abandonment, Adoption,  Livestock buildings, Animal trade, Identification, Housing, Restraint equipment, Livestock farming system, Transport, Societal issues

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Review of the rules on the protection of animals during transport

Claudia Vinci

Published in 2024

A summary of the proposed revision of the legislation on the protection of animals during transport is available on the European Parliament website. Information on the background to this legislation and the timetable for the various stages of its revision are provided.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Dogs, Felines, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Animal trade, Transport

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European Parliament: Written answer to question E-000130/24: Relaunching the reform of EU rules for the transport of animals

Question: Annika Bruna (ID). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will not be supporting the proposed new European regulation on the protection of animals during transport. An MEP asks the European Commission on its intentions to relaunch this reform project, and on the possibility that the transport of meat transport could be encouraged as an alternative to live animal transport.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Bovines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Animal trade, Transport

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Active walking in broiler chickens: a flagship for good welfare, a goal for smart farming and a practical starting point for automated welfare recognition

Marian Stamp Dawkins

Published in 2024

Scientific article suggesting that active walking in broiler chickens can be a reliable indicator of health and welfare. Its sustained and regular pattern of expression is detectable by automated systems.  This smart detection of active walking deficiencies can be carried out both on an individual chicken and on a group of chickens, even at high stocking densities.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Robustness, Behavioural disorders

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Advancements in artificial intelligence technology for improving animal welfare: Current applications and research progress

Li Zhang, Wenqiang Guo, Chenrui Lv, Meng Guo, Mei Yang, Qiuyue Fu, Xiaomeng Liu

Published in 2024

Article summarizing the various technological advances in the field of artificial intelligence for animal health and welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Robustness, Behavioural disorders

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n°15015 : Conditions de mise à mort des animaux dans les abattoirs

Question: Béatrice Roullaud (Rassemblement National - Seine-et-Marne). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

Published in 2024

Answer from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty to a question from a member of parliament on the conditions under which animals are killed in abattoirs, and the measures the government intends to take to ensure effective controls by veterinary services and compliance with current regulations. The presence of an animal welfare officer in each abattoir must also be confirmed.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Bovines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Mutilation, Processing

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Animal welfare at German abattoirs: insights into the occurrence of violations against laws and regulations from official veterinarians and judicial decisions

Stephanie Janet Schneidewind, Susann Langforth, Diana Meemken

Published in 2024

Analysis of a survey on the occurrence of various animal welfare violations in German abattoirs. Offences reported and penalized mainly concerned the use of prohibited driving aids, lack of care, and improper restraint, stunning and bleeding. The authors suggest that official veterinarians should carry out closer monitoring of compliance with the legislation for these specific situations and that the training of abattoir staff should be improved.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Bovines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Mutilation, Processing

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