CIWF POLICIES ON ANIMAL WELFARE
POLICIES ON ANIMAL WELFAREThis docum ent s ets out the anim al w elfare policies ofCom pas s ion in World Farm ing, as w ell as the organis ation’sv is ion for hum ane s us tainable farm ing.27 November 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTIONOUR VISIONRESPECT FOR LIFEANIMAL SENTIENCE IN THE EU’S LISBON TREATYFACTORY FARMINGANIMAL WELFAREANIMAL WELFARE POTENTIALANIMAL WELFARE OUTCOMESHUMANE SUSTAINABLE FARMINGFOOD SENSES PECIES -S PECIFIC POLICIESBeef cattleBroiler chickens (including broiler breeding stock)CalvesDairy cowsDairy ewes and goatsDucksFarmed fishFarmed crustaceansGeeseGoatsHorses, donkeys and other equids used for foodLaying hensPigsQuailRabbitsSheepTurkeysWild and non-domesticated speciesKILLING OF WILD ANIMALS FOR FOODANIMAL HANDLINGMARKETSTRANSPORTSLAUGHTERRELIGIOUS SLAUGHTERMUTILATIONSGENETIC ENGINEERING AND CLONINGANTIBIOTICSGLOS S ARY27 November 62626272829292930312
INTRODUCTIONCom pas s ion in World Farm ing (Com pas s ion) is the leading international farmanim al w elfare charity , s pecialis ing in the w elfare of anim als reared for food.We believ e that animals s hould not and need not s uffer. We adv ocate farm ingm ethods that benefit anim al w elfare as w ell as people and the env ironm ent.Each farm ed anim al is an indiv idual s entient being, capable of enjoy inghis /her life, but equally capable of feeling pain and ex periencing s uffering.Farm ed anim als s hould be treated w ith com pas s ion, care and res pect. It is afundam ental res ponsibility of s ociety to ens ure that farm ed anim als hav e adecent quality of life and as hum ane a death as pos s ible.OUR VIS IONis a w orld w here farm anim als are treated w ith com pas s ion and res pect.OUR MIS S IONis to end factory farm ing and adv ance the w ellbeing of farm anim als w orldw idethrough adv ocacy , cam paigning and engagem ent.RES PECT FOR LIFEFarm animals are sentient beings, capable of feeling emotions such as ‘fear’, ‘distress’and ‘pain’ as well as ‘pleasure’ and ‘happiness’. Respect for the sentience and theintrinsic value of the individual animal requires that all farm animals should be alloweda meaningful existence and a high quality of life.ANIMAL S ENTIENCE IN THE EU’S LIS BON TREATY“In formulating and implementing the Union's agriculture, fisheries, transport, internalmarket, research and technological development and space policies, the Union and theMember States shall, since animals are sentient beings, pay full regard to the welfarerequirements of animals, while respecting the legislative or administrative provisionsand customs of the Member States relating in particular to religious rites, culturaltraditions and regional heritage.”Consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on thefunctioning of the European Union.Official Journal of the European Union C 115, 09.05.200827 November 20123
FACTORY FARMINGFactory farming is where animals are treated like production machines rather thanindividual sentient beings with welfare needs. It involves ‘intensive’ farming,characterised by the use of close confinement systems (cages and crates) orovercrowded sheds or barren feedlots. It also involves the use of fast growing or highproducing breeds where the animals are prone to painful production-related diseases.Factory farming is energy-intensive, using concentrated feed, high mechanisation andlow labour requirements. Intensive farming is often practised on a massive scale and isoften known as ‘industrial’ agriculture.ANIMAL WELFAREAnimal welfare is about ensuring the wellbeing of the individual animal from theanimal’s point of view. It includes animal health and encompasses both the physical andpsychological state of the animal. The welfare of an animal can be described as good orhigh if the individual is fit, healthy and free from suffering. To put it another way, theanimals are healthy and have what they need.ANIMAL WELFARE POTENTIALHigher welfare potential means a husbandry system that provides for behaviouralfreedom without compromising health. Major concerns for animal welfare arise fromhusbandry practices with low welfare potential i.e. those that fail to meet thebehavioural and physical needs of the animal and thereby have the potential to causepain or suffering. Examples include confinement systems, such as veal crates for calves,or the overcrowded conditions and super-fast growing breeds used to produce meatchickens.The classic example of a farming system with low welfare potential is the battery cagefor egg laying hens. The cramped and barren cage denies hens many of their physicaland behavioural needs, causing the birds to suffer as a result. The restrictive nature ofthe cage is an inherent part of the system. The battery cage is, therefore, a system withlow welfare potential. No matter how much stockmanship, care and attention is givento the birds in that system, their welfare is likely to remain poor.A free-range system, however - with its space and enriched environment - has a highwelfare potential. If stockmanship standards are poor or neglectful, then the birds maysuffer. Similarly, a badly designed unit could also have a detrimental effect on thebirds' welfare. However, problems that may arise can be addressed through improvedmanagement or design as they are not an inherent part of the system, thereby allowingthe full welfare potential of the system to be achieved.All food and farming production involving animals should use systems of higherwelfare potential, i.e. systems that meet the welfare needs of the animal. These systemsshould be managed in a way that ensures delivery of the highest level of welfareoutcomes.27 November 20124
ANIMAL WELFARE OUTCOMESAnimal welfare outcomes should be measured in all systems to determine the extent towhich the welfare potential of a system is achieved. They can highlight areas wherewelfare is poor, either due to inadequate management etc. or deficiencies inherentwithin the farming system. Measures should be species-specific and incorporate robustand recognised scoring systems. Measures should also include elements of the physical,psychological and behavioural needs of the animal.In order to make tangible improvements to welfare, targets for key measures should beset and active programmes implemented to ensure lessons are learnt and welfareimprovements are made continuously. If welfare cannot be delivered in the farmingsystem adopted, then the farming system must be changed.HUMANE S US TAINABLE FARMINGIn our v is ion for the future, hum ane s us tainable farm ing m us t prov ide goodanim al w elfare, protect the env ironm ent, hum an health, and rural liv elihoodsand ens ure fair access to food for all.Compassion in World Farming advocates that we move beyond factory farming andadopt humane sustainable farming systems that balance global economic,environmental and social drivers in an ethical way. The concept of sustainability mustinclude the welfare of animals. The best farming systems include mixed farming, whereanimals and arable agriculture are integrated in ways which maximise welfare,environmental, economic and community outcomes.Compassion in World Farming does not support further intensification of agriculturebased on the use of monocultures with reliance on high inputs of chemical fertilisersand pesticides, often with detrimental effects on the environment.Good health for humans should be supported by ensuring universal access to sufficientand nutritious food and minimising disease risks. The planet and its precious resources(such as minerals, soil, water, forest and biodiversity) should be restored and protected.Sustainable farming methods must support rural livelihoods and relieve poverty.Farming methods should promote the health and natural behaviour of animals andavoid causing them pain and suffering, because they are sentient.27 November 20125
FOOD S ENS ECom pas s ion propos es a com m on-s ens e approach to a m ore effectiv e foodproducing s y s tem that ends the com petition betw een people and farmanim als for food.Food S ens e is bas ed on fiv e principles :Pas ture-reared ruminantsFood from ruminant animals such as beef, mutton lamb and milk should be producedby grazing on mixed rotational farms, permanent pastures or marginal lands.Pigs and poultry on food w as te and foragingPigs and poultry should be an integral part of mixed farms where they can forage andturn food waste into eggs and meat.Food from mix ed farms of crops and animalsMixed farms where animals are rotated with soil-enhancing crop rotations should beencouraged. This restores the natural link between farm animals and the land.Fis h for people, not liv es tockA large proportion of fish caught from the sea is not consumed directly by people, butis used as feed for farmed fish and other farmed animals. Ending this practice wouldtake pressure off our often over-exploited seas and help feed people.Av oiding ov er-eating of meatEnsuring a balanced approach to eating resource-intensive meat, dairy and eggs wouldhelp reduce the environmental impact of animal farming and improve human health.27 November 20126
S PECIES -S PECIFIC POLICIESWhile Com pas s ion s upports m ix ed and rotational farm ing as far as pos s iblebas ed upon the natural carrying capacity of the land , billions of anim als stillex is t in m onoculture-s ty le farm ing. Incremental s teps can be taken to im prov ethe w elfare of farm anim als today and to end the w ors t a nd m os tunacceptable s y s tems and practices . The follow ing policies s et out w hatCom pas s ion s ees as preferable, acceptable and unacceptable for each s pecies .Beef cattlePreferred s y s tem s and practices :Compassion in World Farming supportsthe practice of keeping beef cattle instable long-term family groups withnatural weaning. Ideally, where cattle areweaned earlier, it should not be until thecalves are independent from their mothersat around eight months of age. Gradualweaning approaches should be used.Beef cattle should be bred so that they can give birth easily without assistance and withlow levels of mortality in both mother and offspring. The routine use of caesareans fordelivery of calves in pedigree beef cattle herds is an unacceptable practice. For thisreason, Compassion in World Farming is opposed to the use of double-muscled breeds.Acceptable s y stem s and practices :Whenever housed, beef cattle should have access to a comfortable bedded area whichis large enough for them all to lie down simultaneously and with comfortable walkingsurfaces. Fully-slatted floors are unacceptable on welfare grounds.Cattle are adapted to a forage-based diet and food rations high in concentrates cancompromise their health. High-fibre forage should be available for them to consume atall times.Unacceptable s y s tems and practices :i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi.vii.Confining cattle in large-scale feedlotsFeeding of concentrates (including cereals) without sufficient roughageFailure to provide proper shadeFully-slatted floors in housing without beddingRoutine use of caesarian section at birthHigh levels of calf mortality at birthSystems or breeds with a propensity to lameness.27 November 20127
Broiler chickens (including broiler breeding s tock)Preferred s y s tem s and practices :Chickens should be kept in freerange/organic systems with access to anoutdoor range with good ground, bushand tree cover, and suitable artificialshelters to encourage ranging. Insulatedhousing with varied ventilation options isneeded to avoid ammonia pollution andprevent the birds getting cold in winterand heat stressed in summer.Broiler chickens should be bred for health and fitness, including good natural diseaseresistance. Robust and slow-growing breeds should be used with low levels of lamenessand cardiovascular problems. Broiler chickens should be bred for good walking abilityand activity and be able to perform natural behaviours such as walking, perching,scratching, etc. throughout life. Parent birds should not need to have their feedrestricted to the point where they are permanently hungry in order to remain healthyand reproductively fit.The indoor environment should have sufficient environmental complexity to allow for arange of species-specific behaviours. This includes the freedom to move around, theprovision of friable dry litter for foraging and dust-bathing, perches, natural light andobjects such as straw bales and a range of pecking objects. Verandahs or wintergardens should also be provided to encourage ranging. Stocking densities should below enough to allow freedom of movement and minimise health problems, such ascontact dermatitis (skin lesions on the breast, feet and hocks). Most of the house shouldbe brightly lit during the day to encourage activity, preferably using natural light,though a darker perching and resting area is also desirable. During the night, thereshould be a continuous dark period.Compassion in World Farming is opposed to all mutilations of broilers and broilerbreeders including de-beaking, toe clipping, de-spurring, dubbing, pinioning orinsertion of devices that pierce nasal cartilage.Catching birds prior to slaughter should be done humanely and efficiently underconditions of darkness and should cause minimum stress. Inverting birds should beavoided and birds should not be carried by a single leg.27 November 20128
Acceptable s y stem s and practices :Compassion finds higher welfare indoor systems acceptable where they provide broilerswith natural light, straw bales, perches and pecking objects, and operate at maximumstocking densities of 30kg of bird per m2 of floor space or less. We strongly urge the useof slower growing birds, but where fast-growth rate breeds are used, we advocate amonitoring/reduction programme for leg health through gait scoring. Whilst notperfect, this improves the lives of millions of birds that would otherwise sit in dimly litsheds at higher stocking rates. If thinning (where a proportion of the population isremoved for slaughter at a lower weight) is conducted, we prefer to see the use ofsegregated thinning.For broiler chickens, welfare outcomes could include gait score, footpad dermatitis,hock burns and breast blisters as well as mortality levels. Ranging should also bemeasured in free-range systems.Unacceptable s y s tems and practices :i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi.vii.viii.Selection for fast growth ratesFeed restriction of parent birdsThe use of high stocking densities(above 30kg bird per m2)Continuous or near continuous lightrearing in dimly lit shedsBarren environmentsCaged or fully-slatted flooring systemsfor both broilers and broiler breedersAll mutilations including de-beaking,toe clipping, de-spurring, dubbing,pinioning or insertion of devices thatpierce nasal cartilageMethods of thinning the birds(removal of part of a flock forslaughter) which cause stress to theremaining birds.27 November 20129
Calv esPreferred s y s tem s and practices :Calves should be reared with their mothers onpasture, in stable long-term social groups.Ideally, natural weaning would be practised andotherwise not before the calves are largelyindependent of their mothers for food (e.g. at8 months old).The dairy industry should take responsibility forthe calves born into their farming system.Ensuring their early care and body shape(through appropriate breeding strategies)confers a market value into the meat chain. This isbest achieved through the use of dual-purposecattle or balanced dairy breeds. The use of sexedsemen is also to be encouraged in the short termas an acceptable means of reducing the numberof pure-bred male dairy calves, where these areseen as ‘unwanted’.Acceptable s y stem s and practices :Where calves are separated from their mothers when they are born, they must beprovided with adequate colostrum within 6 hours of birth. They should always be keptin stable social groups throughout life, preferably on pasture-based systems. Whenhoused, they should have access to comfortable bedding such as straw. In the mediumterm, the use of other cows as surrogate mothers for calves is an acceptablecompromise, provided that the welfare of the cow is ensured.Calves should always be kept on a diet to which they are physiologically adapted. Thediet must provide all needs for health including milk (substitute) and suitable forage,available ad lib, to enable normal rumination. Levels of iron in the diet must not berestricted.Unacceptable s y s tems and practices :i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi.vii.viii.ix.The use of veal crates and individual penningLong-distance transport or export of calvesThe shooting of day-old calvesFailure to provide any calf with adequate colostrum in the first 6 hours of lifeFeeding low fibre and iron diets to keep the animal’s flesh pale via inducing alevel of anaemiaDehorningDisbudding or castration without short and long-term pain reliefThe use of fully-slatted flooring systemsAny system without bedding.27 November 201210
Dairy cow sPreferred s y s tem s and practices :Dairy cows should be kept in stable groupsthroughout their life with access to grazing. Thisshould supply a significant part of the dietthroughout the grass-growing season. Systemsshould allow for a range of species-specificbehaviours, such as grazing, browsing, formationand maintenance of preferred partner bonds, achoice of indoor/outdoor environments to suittheir thermal comfort, and ability to lie naturallywithin their social groups.Sufficient shelter and shade should also be available. Breeding strategies should includewelfare traits so that ‘robust’ cows are produced; able to sustain health and productionover an extended life on a pasture-based diet. Production levels should not be so highthat they leave animals so tired they are unable to perform a range of naturalbehaviours.Dual purpose breeds are preferred which produce male dairy calves which can be kepteconomically for beef on grass-based systems. Ideally systems should be developedwhich maintain the bond between mother and calf throughout a natural lactation,producing high-quality beef calves as well as milk.Systems with autumn or spring calving are preferred where they facilitate themaintenance of natural social groupings. Fertility should be maintained through goodbreeding and management without the need for hormonal intervention.Acceptable s y stem s and practices :i.ii.iii.Systems with good winter housing and access to pasture in the grass growingseasonClean and comfortable resting areas where all cows are able to restsimultaneouslyFunctional areas for feeding, drinking, socialising etc. should also be provided.Where it is considered necessary to keep cows without horns, this should be achievedthrough breeding for naturally polled animals. In the meantime, disbudding with shortand long term pain relief is the least worst method.Unacceptable s y s tems and practices :i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi.Permanent housing of dairy cowsTethering of dairy cows (except briefly for treatment or veterinary examination)Lack of pasture and grazing accessSelection for unsustainably high milk yieldsAbsence of comfortable lying areasEarly induction of birth.27 November 201211
Dairy ew es and goatsPreferred s y s tem s and practices :Dairy ewes and goats should be bred suchthat they can maintain health andcondition on a pasture-based diet. Goatsin particular should also have access tobrowse. Resulting offspring should bereared in humane systems. Compassionsupports systems where milking goats andewes are still able to suckle their offspringand welcomes the practice of keepingsheep and goats in stable long-termfamily groups with natural weaning.Dairy ewes and goats should be bred so that male offspring can be viably reared formeat.Acceptable s y stem s and practices :Whenever housed, goats should have access to a comfortable bedded area which islarge enough for them all to lie down simultaneously. Fully-slatted flooring systems areno
Rabbits 21 Sheep 22 Turkeys 24 Wild and non-domesticated species 25 . animal welfare charity, specialising in the welfare of animals reared for food. We believe that animals should not and need not suffer. We advocate farming . Animal welfare outcomes should be measured in all systems to determine the extent to
7.9. Animal welfare and beef cattle production systems 7.10. Animal welfare and broiler chicken production systems 7.11. Animal welfare and dairy cattle production systems 7.12. Welfare of working equids 7.13. Animal welfare and pig production systems 7.14. Killing of reptiles for their skins, meat and other products TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL HEALTH CODE
Our Animal Welfare Plan for Wales resonates strongly with the internationally recognised concept of One Welfare, which sets out the interconnections between animal welfare, human well-being and the environment. One Welfare seeks to help improve global standards of both human well-being and animal welfare, promoting key objectives such as supporting
Our animal welfare approach, developed in cooperation with Compassion In World Farming (CIWF) and . focused on indoor reared species. The key criteria developed and implemented with suppliers are the . Rabbits Move to 100% higher welfare systems (cage-free and enriched environment)
perspective on animal welfare today in this veterinary practice. Travel to East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, Latin America and across the globe and explore the animal welfare topics and deliberations in this issue of the Animal Welfare Magazine. Lay back, take a sip of your coffee and flip through the Animal Welfare Magazine.
promote animal health and welfare within the 'One Health, One Welfare, One Wales' approach as foundations are laid for the future. A new ten-year Framework will be launched in 2024, building on past achievements and continuing the momentum of improvement in animal health and welfare in Wales. Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group -
chosen species are those that are most commonly reared throughout the United States. Animal welfare certifications also have standards that cover: bison, ducks, geese, goats (meat and dairy), rabbits and sheep. FARM ANIMAL WELFARE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS 6 OVERVIEW. FARM ANIMAL WELFARE CERTIFICATION GUIDE Certi!cation Programs Back to Table of .
the different criteria of animal welfare. Rather, the differ-ent criteria have provided the rationale for diverse approaches to animal welfare research. Thus, our under-standing of animal welfare is both values-based and sci-ence-based. In this respect, animal welfare is like ma
the tank itself, API standards prescribe provisions for leak prevention, leak detection, and leak containment. It is useful to distinguish between leak prevention, leak detection and leak containment to better understand the changes that have occurred in tank standards over the years. In simple terms, leak prevention is any process that is designed to deter a leak from occurring in the first .
