A selection of animal welfare news from around the world

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Please note that the articles below do not reflect opinions of TAWC. Although we aim to provide comprehensive coverage, there are likely articles that we’ve missed.

O/S = Overseas source

News 18 February – 3 March 2021

Cross-sectoral
  • Plant-based meat doesn’t stack up as a planet saver, scientists warn (Farm Online)
  • How do animal welfare standards impact the taste of meat?  (Food Navigator O/A)
  • Red Tractor Standards Review (Red Tractor O/S)
  • Spanish OCV asserts that “animal welfare is a science that should be included in the veterinary profession” (Sunday Vision O/S)
Cattle in beef & dairy production
  • The impact of heat stress on beef cattle: how can shade help? (OUP Blog O/S)
  • Animal Welfare Committee opinion on the welfare of cattle kept in different production systems (Gov.UK O/S)
  • Talented young meat and livestock scientists show vision, passion for the industry + pictures (Beef Central)
Pigs in pork production
  • Mass depopulation on pig farms, what does science say? (Pig Progress O/S)
  • Opinion: Why banning pig farrowing crates is a backwards step (NZ Herald O/S)
  • Concern at changes to Red Tractor pig standards (Farming Life O/S)
  • Body cameras used to assess pig welfare (Farms.com O/S)
 
Poultry in meat & egg production
  • Study: Mortality in cage-free flocks declines over time (Watt poultry O/S)
  • Building Hen Resilience (Canadian Poultry O/S)
  • Broilers track their own lifetime activity (The Poultry Site O/S)
  • ‘Dying like flies’: A million chickens die on way from farm to abattoir each year (Guardian UK O/S)
  • Morrisons to launch new high-welfare chicken range (The Grocer O/S)
  • Welfare focus is changing broiler growing in Europe (Watt Poultry O/S)
  • McDonald’s Australia agrees to use RSPCA Approved chicken (The Poultry Site)
  • Avoid large eggs to protect hen welfare, consumers urged (Vnonline O/S)
 
Sheep in meat & wool production
  • Australian grower bodies plan wool awareness initiatives (Sheep Central)
  • Changing consumer sentiment pushes for improved sheep handling (ABC)
Animals in transit & at slaughter
  • Cattle stranded in Mediterranean for two months are likely dead or ‘suffering hell’ (Guardian O/S)
  • 3 ways to improve sow handling at slaughterhouses (Pig Progress O/S)
Animals in aquaculture
  • The next frontier for animal welfare: Fish (Vox O/S)
  • Intensive fish farming: A call to reform the industry – CIWF (Open Access Government O/S)
  • Dolphin protection petition helps win fish farms’ U-turn (Oban Times O/S)
  • Unlikely champions of aquaculture: Alf-Gøran Knutsen (The Fish Site O/S)
Animals in research & teaching
  • The Ethics of Animal Models in Preclinical Testing (News Medical O/S)
  • AgriThinking: Navigating the maze of laws on animal welfare in agribusiness research (Lexology)
Animals in racing & sport
  • NSW greyhounds to get life-long e-tracking (Yahoo News)
  • Sport of kings corrupted: In images that have revolted the nation, two top figures from the world of racing pose grotesquely on the corpses of thoroughbreds. And now there are suggestions of a conspiracy (Daily Mail O/S)
  • Horse Welfare Board preparing key initiatives as report anniversary approaches (Racing Post O/S)
  • UCalgary researchers publish first study on welfare of bucking horses at Calgary Stampede (Univ Calgary O/S)
Animals in zoos, aquaria & the wild
  • Animal rescue groups race to save Australia’s bushfire-hit wildlife with nearly $200 million in donations (ABC)
  • What the mink COVID-19 outbreaks taught us about pandemics (National Geographic O/S)
  • Norway Continues Whale Slaughter with 2021 Hunting Quota (Animal Welfare Institute O/S)
Pets & companion animals
  • Dogs prove they are aware of their own bodies when playing fetch (New Scientist O/S)
  • Covid lockdown: Concern for riding-school horses’ welfare (BBC O/S)
Podcasts & presentations
Policy
  • French Lawmakers Debate Animal Welfare Bill That Bans Circus Animals (RepublicWorld O/S)
  • Animal welfare is not well defended in trade agreements (Eurogroup for Animals O/S)
  • NSW animal cruelty laws to increase penalties for individuals and businesses that treat animals without care (Canberra Times)
  • Cuba approves animal welfare law after civil society pressure (Inquirer.net O/S)
Other/Publications
  • On-line course – Strengthening collaboration between human and animal health sectors for improved health security. As a majority of emerging diseases are shared by humans and animals, adopting a One Health approach is essential. This course provides insight into some of WHO’s work at the animal-human-environment interface, including National Bridging Workshops (NBWs), field simulation exercises, tripartite guidance and practical tools aimed to support countries in the operationalization of One Health mechanisms at their level. Outcomes and results of these activities are presented, discussed and highlighted through country experience examples (World Health Organisation O/S)
  • Christy Goldhawk, Temple Grandin, Ed Pajor. Effect of animal’s experience and rodeo procedures on behaviour of bucking horses at a large commercial rodeo in Canada, Applied Animal Behaviour Science,Volume 234,2021,105199, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105199
  • Schuck-Paim, C., Negro-Calduch, E. & Alonso, W.J. Laying hen mortality in different indoor housing systems: a meta-analysis of data from commercial farms in 16 countries. Sci Rep 11, 3052 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81868-3
  • Lenkei, R., Faragó, T., Zsilák, B. et al. Dogs (Canis familiaris) recognize their own body as a physical obstacle. Sci Rep 11, 2761 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82309-x
  • Jongman, E.C. (2021) Rearing conditions of laying hens and welfare during the laying phase. Animal Production Science, online early. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN20236
  • Viewpoint: Promoting science with ideology — Pro-GMO vegans use animal rights advocacy to boost vaccine, biotech acceptance (Gene Literacy Project O/S)
  • “PRAISE” Animal Welfare Impact award launched for new UK-based scientists (The Pig Site O/S)
  • Fernandes, Jill N., Paul H. Hemsworth, Grahame J. Coleman, and Alan J. Tilbrook. “Costos y beneficios de mejorar el bienestar de los animales agrícolas.” Agricultura 11 (2021): 104. (MDPI)
 

Conferences, Seminars & Events

  • DIARY HOLD – The National Primary Industries Animal Welfare Strategy 11th Annual Forum, Brisbane. December 2nd – Further details to be announced. Express interest on NAWRDES Webpage
  • 2021 International Livestock Congress. 04 Mar 6:00AM –  05:00PM (MLA)
  • National Livestock Wellbeing Seminar Series. 9 March. 1pm AEDST. New tools and funding sources. Edward Narayan and Mark Hutchinson. (Uni Adelaide – Davies Livestock Research Centre)
  • US Dairy Calf and Heifer Association webinar-Consumer Perceptions and Animal Welfare Considerations.  Mar 9, 2021 01:00 PM Central time US/Canada. (DCHA)
  • Cafre Equine Welfare Conference 2021. March 11 10.15 – 3.30 GMT. (CAFRE)
  • Getting to Zero Webinar. March 18 1.00pm. Foster Care, Covid and Technology (G2Z)
  • Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. Recent advances in animal welfare science VIII. 29-30 June. (UFAW)
  • 54th Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology (on-line). 2 – 6 August. (ISAE 2021)
  • 8th International Conference on The Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level. 16-19 August – Virtual Conference. (WAFL)
  • 11th World Virtual Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences 22-27 August 2021. (WC11)
  • LIVEXchange, Nov 10 – 11. Darwin. (LIVEXchange)
  • Australasian Pig Science Association Conference. 15 – 18 November. (APSA)
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