Subject: Slaughtering

Conventional versus Ritual Slaughter-Ethical Aspects and Meat Quality

Jagoda Żurek, Mariusz Rudy, Magdalena Kachel, Stanisław Rudy

Published in 2021

Scientific review concerning the ethical aspects and quality of meat from animals undergoing conventional and ritual slaughter. The right to exercise one's religion is an inalienable right and animal welfare is an ethical issue, so it is essential that the assessment of ritual practices from an animal welfare perspective should be carried out in an objective and rigorous manner.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Goats, Sheep

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

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Projet de guide de bonnes pratiques de protection animale en abattoirs de volailles – Avis révisé de l’Anses – Rapport révisé d’expertise collective

Anses

Published in 2021

Revised Opinion from Anses and revised collective expertise report on the draft guide to good welfare practices in poultry abattoirs. Particular aims are to assess its compliance with Regulation 1099/2009/EC and its logic and consistency, to identify the points to be addressed in light of new scientific knowledge, and to propose possible improvements.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Stress

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French Assemblée Nationale: Written answer to question n°39377: Major system failures in abattoirs

Question: Ms Danièle Obono (La France insoumise - Paris). Answer: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Published in 2021

Written answer to a parliamentary question on the measures taken by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food in respect of the failings found in abattoirs  and whether a general audit of French abattoirs is under consideration, along with the compulsory publication of annual reports on compliance with standards and regulations.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

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

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Enhancing the value of meat inspection records for broiler health and welfare surveillance: longitudinal detection of relational patterns

S. N. Buzdugan, P. Alarcon, B. Huntington, J. Rushton, D. P. Blake, J. Guitian

Published in 2021

A scientific paper that uses data from UK abattoir broiler meat inspection records to highlight relationships between different conditions leading to condemnation of batches that would be useful for monitoring animal health and welfare. It highlights relationships that suggest the presence of syndromes in certain months of the year, potentially providing a basis on which to identify surveillance indicators for broiler producers to use.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Carcass quality, Processing

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Prevalence of Potential Indicators of Welfare Status in Young Calves at Meat Processing Premises in New Zealand

Anna L. Palmer, Ngaio J. Beausoleil, Alana C. Boulton, Naomi Cogger

Published in 2021

A scientific paper assessing the welfare of calves in the holding areas of abattoirs in New Zealand, using group and individual animal-based indicators. It proposes relevant indicators, recommending that they should be systematically incorporated into the protocols used to assess the welfare of calves at slaughter.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Anxiety, Consciousness, Fear, Stress

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Slaughter of Pregnant Cattle at an Austrian Abattoir: Prevalence and Gestational Age

Ignaz Zitterer, Peter Paulsen

Published in 2021

Scientific paper to determine the percentage of pregnant cows and heifers slaughtered in a medium-sized Austrian slaughterhouse. The observed prevalences are much higher than estimated (6.4% as against an estimated 2.5%). The article recommends that measures should be taken to avoid sending pregnant cows to slaughter for ethical and public health reasons.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Societal issues, Stress

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National Assembly: Written answer to question n°39648: Mesures d’accompagnement pour le développement des abattoirs mobiles en France

Question: Loïc Dombreval (La République en Marche - Alpes-Maritimes). Answer: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Published in 2021

Answer to a parliamentary question on the government's support measures for France's first mobile abattoir project, and whether the recovery plan could help the development of this new slaughtering method.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Carcass quality, Societal issues, Processing

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Twenty Years of Research in Seabass and Seabream Welfare during Slaughter

Igother small companion animalsio de la Rosa, Pedro L. Castro, Rafael Ginés

Published in 2021

Scientific review of the different stunning methods used for sea bass and sea bream. The following methods are described, compared and evaluated: hypothermia, electrical stunning, carbon dioxide narcosis and clove oil anaesthesia.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Stress

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002470/2021: 'Halal' Islamic slaughtering method. Clarification with regard to consumer protection and compatibility with animal welfare legislation

Question: Gianantonio Da Re (ID). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2021

Parliamentary question on ritual slaughter and halal labelling

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines

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

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Welfare of pigs being handled, stunned and bled in the slaughterhouse

EURCAW-Pigs

Published in 2021

Presentation of the EURCAW-Pigs report on the welfare of pigs in abattoirs, providing the regulatory background and focusing on the animal-based indicators and areas of intervention that should be incorporated in veterinary inspections.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Pain, Carcass quality, Stress

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