Subject: Slaughtering

The use of animal-based measures at slaughter for assessing the welfare of turkeys on farm: EFSA scientific NCPs Network exercise

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Marika Vitali, Gizella Aboagye, Denise Candiani, Cristina Rojo Gimeno, Yves Van der Stede, Chiara Fabris

Published in 2023

Report on work, carried out by the network of national contact points providing scientific support on animal welfare at the time of killing, on turkey welfare. This work produced a list of animal-based measures considered by the experts to be useful for on-site recording and monitoring activities in abattoirs to retrospectively assess the on-farm welfare of turkeys .

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Carcass quality, Welfare indicators

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Towards the use of on-farm slaughterhouse

Thierry Astruc, E.M. Claudia Terlouw

Published in 2023

Scientific review of the different stages of slaughtering and their possible impacts on animal stress, welfare and meat quality. It reviews the regulations and technological advances that have led to the development of mobile slaughter units, presents a non-exhaustive list of mobile slaughter units currently in use, and sets out the advantages and disadvantages of these mobile units.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Brain integration, Carcass quality, Stress, Livestock farming system

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Stunning Compliance in Halal Slaughter: A Review of Current Scientific Knowledge

Awis Qurni Sazili, Pavan Kumar, Muhammad Nizam Hayat

Published in 2023

Scientific review of the stunning methods used for halal animal slaughter and their effective compliance with halal standards.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines

Keywords: Carcass quality,Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Stress

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Update to the 2014 FAWC Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing

Animal Welfare Committee

Published in 2023

Expert opinion providing recommendations for improvements to   the welfare of farmed fish at the time of slaughter. It highlights the fish sentience, recommends effective stunning methods, and proposes rules to reduce stress and suffering before slaughter. It recommends a legal requirement for inspection , the use of video surveillance on slaughter sites, tighter controls and sanctions, and better management of voluntary code standards.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Exploring Consumer Preference towards the On-Farm Slaughtering of Beef in Germany: A Discrete Choice Experiment

Josephine Lauterbach, Antonia Johanna Brun, Anna Maria Häring

Published in 2023

Scientific article investigating whether on-farm slaughtering would be a selling point for minced beef in Germany. It shows that consumers attach the greatest importance to price, followed by information on on-farm slaughtering. Information on animal welfare is more important to German consumers than information on meat quality.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Carcass quality, Human-animal relationships,Societal issues

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Animal welfare of embryos and newly hatched chicks: A review

Itallo C. S. Arraujo, Tainá S. B. Lopes, Leonardo J. C. Lara, Bruno T. A. Costa

Published in 2023

Scientific review identifying egg storage, in ovo nutrition and the slaughter of 1-day-old male chicks as the main welfare problems in hatcheries, and describing practical avenues for improvements that can meet societal expectations.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Prenatal issues, Human-animal relationships,  Livestock farming system

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Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark: Aquatic Animal Welfare - Edition 2

Aquatic Life Institute

Published in 2023

Second edition of a reference tool for welfare-based certification of aquaculture facilities. It analyzes current welfare requirements as part of the basic farming standards of seven international seafood certification programs.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Pain, Welfare indicators, Stress

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Routledge Handbook of Animal Welfare

Andrew Knight, Clive Phillips, Paula Sparks

Published in 2022

Book offering a comprehensive review of animal welfare and the law. It explores the biological basis for the consideration of animals within a moral framework and traces changes in how we conceptualize animal welfare. It takes a detailed look at the welfare issues associated with many different uses of animals. It includes recent issues such as climate change, pandemics and antimicrobial resistance.

Document Types: Scientific work

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, All animals

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Enrichment, Environment, Euthanasia, Brain integration, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Livestock farming system, Transport

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Remote ante mortem inspection - Possibilities for improved sustainability in low-capacity slaughter

Arja Helena Kautto, Ingrid Medin, Viktor Almqvist, Sofia Boqvist, Ivar Vågsholm

Published in 2023

Scientific article comparing the effectiveness of remote compulsory official ante-mortem inspections carried out via video link with on-site inspections, with a view to reducing the need for official veterinarians to travel, thus compensating for the lack of available manpower for these inspections, while also reducing costs and CO2 emissions.

Document Types: Scientific paper

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

Keywords:Carcass quality, Stress, Transport

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