The Challenge of Assessing Welfare in Abattoirs

Wigham, E., Wotton, S., Grist, A. and Butterworth, A. (2017) The Challenge of Assessing Welfare in Abattoirs. UFAW International Symposium 2017: Measuring Animal Welfare and Applying Scientific Advances - Why is it still so difficult?, Surrey, UK, 27-29 Jun 2017.

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Publisher's URL: https://www.ufaw.org.uk/ufaw-events/measuring-animal-welfare-and-applying-scientific-advances-why-is-it-still-so-difficult

Abstract

Good welfare at slaughter is paramount not only in minimising suffering of animals but also in producing high quality meat and meat products. However assessing what actually constitutes good welfare in large commercial abattoirs continues to pose a significant challenge. Fundamental factors such as effects of transportation, reactions to novel environments and underlying commercial pressures make establishing a valid, reliable and feasible welfare assessment protocol difficult. Aspects of currently widely used welfare assessment frameworks, such as the Welfare Quality Assessment are not readily applicable or very difficult to measure in full in an abattoir environment. Accurately determining the welfare status of animals during the short period of time spent at the slaughterhouse has particular importance in evaluating the effect of welfare improvement measures. As part of the preliminary stages of a larger study we present a review of the literature regarding welfare assessment at slaughter and outline the processes involved to develop a novel welfare assessment protocol with a predominant focus on evaluating the human-animal interaction at the abattoir, and human operator attitudes to handling and treatment of the animals during their progress through the lairage and the slaughter process. It is planned that the assessment system developed will subsequently be used to assess and measure lairage and slaughter animal welfare outcomes, before, and after abattoir staff in a number of slaughter plants in the UK, and USA have received specific animal welfare.

Item Type:Conference or Workshop Item
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Wigham, Dr Ellie
Authors: Wigham, E., Wotton, S., Grist, A., and Butterworth, A.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine

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