Subject: Slaughtering

A History of Pain Studies and Changing Attitudes to the Welfare of Crustaceans

R. W. Elwood

Published in 2025

Review article tracing the evolution of opinion on pain in crustaceans over time. There are numerous scientific studies that discuss indications,  but not incontrovertible proof, that Crustaceans are sensitive to pain. The difficulty in proving beyond doubt that Crustaceans experience pain leads some experts continue to question this, while others invoke the precautionary principle. This principle was applied in 2022, leading to the inclusion of decapod crustaceans in the UK's Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act of that year.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Crustaceans

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Euthanasia

Go to document

EFSA Opinion - Welfare of horses during killing for purposes other than slaughter

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare

Published in 2025

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.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Anxiety, Consciousness, Pain, Brain integration, Fear, Stress

Go to document

EFSA Opinion - Welfare of horses at slaughter

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare

Published in 2025

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.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Anxiety, Consciousness, Pain, Brain integration, Fear, Stress

Go to document

European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002402/24: New evidence of breaches of EU law during transport of Irish calves

Question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Answer from the European Commission to a report from an MEP of serious breaches of the rules governing the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to Europe, including falsified documents and unsuitable conditions. The Commission, which is concerned by these practices, is following up the case, and the Irish authorities have launched an investigation into the animal collection center involved.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal trade, Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Transport

Go to document

European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002112/24: Serious concerns regarding animal cruelty during animal transport in Austria

Question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mr Varhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Answer to a qiuestion from an  MEP on two recent cases of animal cruelty during transport in Austria. The Commission points out that it is for Member States to apply EU rules, and that new, stricter rules governing exports are currently under discussion.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal trade, Pain, Education, Abuse, Mutilation, Transport

Go to document

Farmed yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor; Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) welfare: species-specific recommendations for a global industry

Barrett, M., Godfrey, R.K., Schnell, A., & Fischer, B.

Published in 2024

Review examining the factors influencing the welfare of yellow mealworms in farming, such as abiotic conditions, nutrition, intra/interspecific interactions and slaughter methods. Practical recommendations and research directions are suggested that would improve and anticipate welfare issues in this rapidly expanding sector.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Euthanasia, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Stress

Go to document

Effects of space allowance on behaviour during lairage, stress physiology, skin lesion scores, and meat quality of market pigs transported in an actively ventilated vehicle in the winter

Vanessa Pasquale, Luigi Faucitano, Nicolas Devillers, Sabine Conte, Renée Bergeron

Published in 2024

Study evaluating the impact of winter transport on pig pwelfare and meat quality. The results show that the location of pigs in the vehicle (upper vs. lower deck) has a greater effect than the space available, influencing their behavior, meat quality and certain blood parameters. Pigs transported in the upper deck are exposed to colder temperatures, affecting muscle brightness and behavior.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Carcass quality, Stress, Transport, Behavioural disorders

Go to document

Impact of slaughter method on stress in organic common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Łosiewicz B, Szudrowicz H.

Published in 2024

Study evaluating the impact of slaughter methods on stress in carp measured using biochemical parameters in the blood. The recommended method to reduce stress is that of percussion followed by destruction of the brain.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Pain, Euthanasia, Stress

Go to document

European Parliament: written answer to Question E-001843/2024: Banning chick culling in the EU

Question: Pascal Arimont (PPE). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

Question from an MEP to the European Commission on the culling of day-old male chicks in some Member States, despite the existence of in-ovo sexing technologies and answer from the Commission stating that it is examining this issue on the basis of EFSA Opinions and impact studies, with a view to including a harmonized ban in forthcoming legislation on animal welfare.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Prenatal issues

Go to document

Abattage des bovins : contrôle de l’état de conscience et fluidité industrielle

Jourdan Félix

Published in 2024

Article exploring the tensions between the requirement in EC Regulation 1099/2009 to monitor the state of consciousness of cattle during slaughter, and the fluidity of the industrial process in abattoirs. It highlights the difficulties of implementation, particularly for ritual slaughter, and the strategies developed to reconcile regulatory requirements and productivity.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Animal trade, Consciousness, Pain, Euthanasia, Brain integration, Stress

Go to document