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Proceedings (editor)2009

Animal welfare at slaughter and killing for disease control - emerging issues and good examples

Algers Bo, Blokhuis Harry, Keeling Linda
Algers, Bo (ed.); Keeling, Linda (ed.); Blokhuis, Harry (ed.)

Abstract

The conference "Animal welfare at slaughter and killing for disease control - emerging issues and good examples was held in Sweden in October 1-3, 2008. The aim of the conference was to inform decision makers in politics and industry about the latest developments in slaughter and killing for disease control and especially to discuss issues related to animal welfare. The intention was to increase awareness among industry and politicians about problems and possibilities in the area. The conference covered very imortant issues, as was illustrated by the attendance of almost 100 people from 20 different countries. During the meeting several relevant innovations and developments in research and industry were addressed through 14 oral presentations and two study items (a mobile vehicle for killing of spent hens and a transport vehicle for pigs) as well as a study visit to an abattoir. The conference was also very timely considering policy developments and internationalization in the animal welfare discussion: - The OIE has prioritized animal welfare and started the development of animal welfare standards. The first four are accepted and published and it is noteworthy that among the first topics they addressed were welfare during transport, at slaughter and during killing for disease control. - The EU Commission took a clear common stand towards animal welfare and published their action plan on animal welfare early 2006. - And, very recently, the Commission launched a new directive on the protection of animals at the time of killing. These proceedings contain the papers of the presentations at the conference. We hope these proceedings will contribute to further intensive interaction between scientists, industry people and decision makers and that they will stimulate further initiatives and innovations in the area of animal welfare at killing for slaughter and disease control. The European Food Safety Authority is thankfully acknowledged for their contributions to the printing of the proceedings. Bo Algers, Harry Blokhuis and Linda Keeling

Keywords

animal welfare; slaughter; killing; disease control

Published in

Rapport (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för husdjurens miljö och hälsa)
2009, number: 22
Publisher: SLU