Subject: Slaughtering

Poultry Preslaughter Operations in Hot Environments: The Present Knowledge and the Next Steps Forward

Vieira FMC, Portugal MAG, de Borba LP, Angrecka S, Herbut P, Jongbo AO, De-Sousa KT, Deniz M.

Published in 2024

Overview of the challenges faced by the poultry industry. According to the authors, improving thermal management and logistics, particularly during pre-slaughter operations, is crucial to minimizing stress, injury and economic losses.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Carcass quality, Education, Pain, Stress, Transport

Go to document

Development of Welfare Protocols at Slaughter in Farmed Fish

Mercogliano, R., Avolio, A., Castiello, F., Ferrante, M.C.

Published in 2024

Study exploring gaps in fish protection during slaughter. Improved welfare protocols could not only reduce fish suffering, but also improve meat quality and positively influence consumer perception and the economics of aquaculture.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Consciousness, Carcass quality, Education, Pain, Stress, Transport

Go to document

Public attitudes towards aquatic animal welfare

Eurogroup for Animals and CIWF

Published in 2024

Enquête citoyenne de CIWF et Eurogroup for Animals sur l’attitude des citoyens européens à l’égard du poisson et de sa consommation, ainsi que ses connaissances concernant les pratiques d’élevage.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Pain, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Housing, Stress

Go to document

Mémoire de thèse : Le Conseil National de l’Alimentation et ses missions en matière de bien-être animal, l’exemple du Comité National d’Éthique des Abattoirs

Maximilien Bailly

Published in 2024

Dissertation examining the role and evolution of the Conseil national de l'alimentation (CNA) and its management of the Comité national d'éthique des abattoirs (CNEAb), which deals with topics related to animal protection and abattoir ethics in a context of societal crisis. The CNEAb, initially a temporary body, has been made permanent, becoming a unique forum in Europe for constructive debate on animal protection, particularly in connection with the revision of the European regulations on animal transport.

Document Types: Technical work

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

Keywords: Carcass quality, Euthanasia, Abuse,Animal trade, Transport, Societal issues

Go to document

European Parliament: Written answer to Question P-001523/2024: Respect for EU animal welfare standards, with reference to the excessive euthanasia of stray animals in Romania

Question: Nicolae Ştefănuță (Greens/EFA). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

An MEP raises the issue of the mass slaughter of stray animals in Romania in relation to EU animal welfare standards. The European Commission points out that there are no specific European regulations on the euthanasia of dogs and cats, leaving this issue to the Member States. A proposal for a regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats, currently passing through the legislative process, addresses certain aspects of euthanasia.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords: Adoption, Euthanasia,Abandonment, Population management

Go to document

Effects of electrical and percussive stunning on neural, ventilatory and cardiac responses of rainbow trout

Jeroen Brijs, Per Hjelmstedt, Erika Sundell, Charlotte Berg, Erik Sandblom, Albin Gräns

Published in 2025

Study evaluating the effectiveness of dry and percussive electrical stunning for the ethical slaughter of rainbow trout. The results indicate that percussivestunning is more effective, while dry electrical stunning requires further research before it can be validated as a humane slaughter method.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Fish

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

Go to document

Farmed cricket (Acheta domesticus, Gryllus assimilis, and Gryllodes sigillatus; Orthoptera) welfare considerations: recommendations for improving global practice

Rowe, E., Robles López, K.Y., Robinson, K.M., Baudier, K.M., & Barrett, M.

Published in 2024

Article on a study evaluating various factors affecting the welfare of the three main species of cricket bred for animal and human consumption. The article makes recommendations for improving the conditions under which they are farmed 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Euthanasia, Euthanasia, Abuse, Living environment, Pain, Education, Stress, Transport

Go to document

Occurrence of tail docking and tail biting in weaner pigs - A preliminary study in Portuguese abattoirs

Gomes-Neves, E, Teixeira, MF, Cardoso, MF

Published in 2024

Study revealing that tail docking is still practised despite being banned in Europe, and that weaners with undocked tails are more likely to suffer from bites, especially when transiting through assembly centers prior to slaughter. The carcasses of pigs with tail lesions are more frequently downgraded, underlining the need for new regulations to improve animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Animal trade, Pain, Mutilation, Carcass quality, Transport, Behavioural disorders

Go to document

Landscape review about the decision to euthanize a compromised pig

Stoffregen, J., Winkelmann, T., Schneider, B., K. Gerdes, M. Miller, J. Reinmold, C. Kleinsorgen, K. H. Toelle, L. Kreienbrock, E. grosse Beilage

Published in 2024

Synthesis of the results of articles examining factors that may influence a decision to euthanize a compromised pig on farm. The role of animal welfare as a justification and the training of those working with animals in making decisions on euthanasia emerge as the key factors.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Pain, Education, Euthanasia, End of life, Behavioural disorders, Aging

Go to document

Actualités Règlementation – Application de la règlementation bien-être animal lors de l’abattage, prenant en compte les spécificités des petits abattoirs de volailles et lagomorphes

RMT Alimentation locale

Published in 2024

Conclusions du travail du réseau mixte technologique Alimentation locale concernant la justification de l’application du règlement européen sur la protection des animaux au moment de leur mise à mort dans les petits abattoirs volailles et lagomorphes. Plus spécifiquement, la formation exigée d’un Responsable de la Protection Animale en petits abattoirs (< 150 000 oiseaux) semble disproportionnée. Une instruction technique de la DGAL pour mieux cadrer cela devrait être publiée courant 2024.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal trade, Euthanasia, Processing, Transport

Go to document