Category: Farm Animals

Farm Animals

Denmark wants to end the tethering of dairy cows

Denmark will prohibit the tethering of cattle from 2027 and is thus taking a forward-looking step towards the more animal-friendly keeping of cattle.
PROVIEH calls on the German government to take a role model from our neighboring country and also to ban as soon as possible the form of husbandry that is not compatible with the Animal Welfare Act.

Cows in chains, Germany

October 13, 2020: The Danish government has decided to phase out the tethering of cattle.
By 2027, the fixation of social and curious animals in Denmark will be a thing of the past.
Organic farms will have to get out of tethering as early as 2024, and the ban will even apply to new buildings in 2022.

PROVIEH welcomes this decision in favor of animals.

Denmark’s Agriculture Minister Mogens Jensen described the decision as a compromise solution through which animal welfare is actively promoted, but which also gives farmers sufficient time to adapt to the new rules thanks to the transition periods.

PROVIEH would like an equally energetic government that credibly implements the state goal of animal protection anchored in the Basic Law and also in Germany puts an end to the permanent restraint of animals.

Cows in chains, Germany

“Denmark is showing courage with the long-overdue abolition of tethering – I would like our government to show similar courage.
Tethering deprives the social, curious cattle of any opportunity to express their own behavior and is not compatible with the Animal Welfare Act. That is why Germany should urgently follow suit. “ (Anne Hamester, specialist for cattle at PROVIEH)

Background

In Germany, every fourth dairy cow is still fixed in a tethered post. This type of husbandry is still very present in southern Germany in particular.
First and foremost, tethering completely contradicts the species-specific needs of cattle and is therefore prohibited: The animals can neither move, clean, scrub nor interact with each other of their own species, for example by licking each other as a proof of friendship.
In addition, curious animals cannot explore their surroundings, cannot follow their natural reproductive behavior, and do not have any social behavior.

Thus, the scientific debate comes to the consensus that tethering is not an animal-friendly procedure, as it severely restricts the species-specific behavior of the animals.

PROVIEH has therefore been calling for an end to tethering for years. Even the Federal Council rated tethering as a violation of animal welfare in 2016, but the legislature is writhing around a ban on tethering all year round.

Dänemark beschließt Ausstieg aus der Anbindehaltung von Milchkühen – Deutschland sollte nachziehen

 

And I mean…The “tethering”: it is one of the most painful practices of the milk mafia!

That means for each of these cattle: to spend 275 days a year on a 2 m2 area, tied at the neck with a chain or between two metal rods. So getting up and lying down remains the only movement that is still possible.

They can’t walk around, turn around, or even lick areas of itchy skin.
Often the cows are tied so closely together that they cannot lie down at the same time.

It is a crime that is done to cattle when they have to eke out their lives in one place in small, dark stables with a chain around their necks.
Not even straw is required by law and so the animals lie on the hard concrete floor.

Their entire life the cows live in a dark barn that is dirty with feces. Lying in one’s own excrement causes protracted and painful udder diseases and skin wounds.

Although many sides are calling for a ban on this cruelty to animals, the lobbyist of the meat industry and German Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner speaks out against a ban on this attitude. It is a shame for Germany that this person is still in this post.

Denmark is so far the only EU country that expressly prohibits the incorporation of laws from 2022.

In the rest of the EU, the milk and meat mafia successfully prevented an explicit ban, because for them the cows are one thing above all else: milk machines and meat.

We will continue to oppose this painful bondage, no animal is born to live in chains.
We are sure that tethering will soon be a thing of the past.

We are working hard on it!

My best regards to all, Venus

Farm Animals, General News, Stray Animals, Uncategorized

South Korea: Dog Meat Farms – “There is No Future in Dog Meat at All, it’s Already Dying and Will Fall Apart Completely,” Says Dog Farmer. Your Victory !

31/10/20  WAV Comment:

Well this is the best news ever to start the weekend.  As many of you will know, we have been very critical of the South Korean government for not taking action on this issue several years ago – it was one electoral issue that the government campaign was won on – read more:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/10/26/south-korea-pre-election-promises-that-once-elected-become-non-reality/

Regardless, now people power is getting the changes; with or without the help of governments.  They should take note; especially with the issue in the USA on 3/11/20.

We at WAV have also tried to play our part and support our wonderful friends at ‘Korean Animal Rights’ (KARA)  https://m.facebook.com/karakoreaanimalrights/  – ‘Korean Dogs’  and the ‘Humane Society International’ (HIS) https://www.hsi.org/  in getting these hell holes closed down.  It now looks as if, with your support and actions; a much changing (pro animal welfare) stance by younger Koreans, and the fate of the suffering dogs being given world attention; South Korea is now on the way to closing down all of its dog meat farms – and that is the word from a dog farmer himself (Mr Kim), who declares that “There is no future in dog meat at all, it’s already dying and will fall apart completely,”.

You can see many of our actions; with links to the above campaign groups, by visiting:  https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=south+korea

So; people sometimes ask us the big question if signing a petition or sending the odd e mail; to authorities does really make a difference.  Here is your proof it does, that with constant tenacity by animal welfare organisations to continue the fight; un questionable evidence showing the cruelty involved; supported by realistic video footage; be in no doubt; your actions do make a huge difference, so keep it up.

The closure of Yuliin is the next big target on the dog meat issue.

Check out some of our campaign work on Yulin by clicking on the following:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=yulin

Before we go; please spare a thought for all the dogs of the meat trade who are not with us any more.  They were cold, they were fed the worst scraps ever; and their end was the most despicable ever.  All for the want of some human beings.  Now we move on and will turn corners to stop this obscene abuse.

Regards Mark

WAV.

From ‘The Independent’ (UK national newspaper) – London;

South Korea starts to close dog meat farms as attitudes change

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/south-korea-dog-meat-farms-animal-welfare-attitudes-humane-society-b1426120.html

‘There is no future in dog meat at all, it’s already dying and will fall apart completely,’ says former dog meat farmer

A charity has closed its 17th dog meat farm in South Korea as more people in the country support a ban on dog meat consumption.

Washington-based animal rights group, Humane Society International, announced it closed a farm that had nearly 200 dogs, which were bred and raised for slaughter in the dog meat trade.

The dogs, mainly Korean jinxes and mastiffs, were rescued and taken to the US to be adopted.

The farm was operated by a farmer named Kim Il-hwan, who had been in the industry for around 40 years. In exchange for closing the farm, he was given financial compensation and career assistance from HSI.

Mr Kim said the industry was shrinking and business had been difficult for the past decade.

“There is no future in dog meat at all, it’s already dying and will fall apart completely,” he said of the industry. “And dog farming is physically hard and I’m getting old, so I want to get out. 40 years ago it was different, but now it’s over for dog farming.”

An opinion poll commissioned by HSI suggests that Mr Kim is right – 84 per cent of those polled said they do not or will not eat dog and almost 60 per cent supported a legislative ban on the trade.

The poll, conducted by Neilsen, also found 57 per cent of South Koreans believe dog meat consumption reflects poorly on the country, an increase from 37 per cent in 2017.

Nara Kim, HSI’s dog meat campaigner in South Korea, said: “More people in South Korea are interested in animal welfare and the environment, and so when they see footage of our dog farm closures on the news showing the animals suffering and filthy conditions, or read about dog meat exposés by other Korean groups, they are really shocked and upset.

“The inevitable drop in sales is leading more dog farmers to help them start a new life. But we hope in time the Korean government will adopt this type of approach to phase out the dog meat industry for good.”

The dogs rescued from this farm will arrive in the US on Friday and will be housed in temporary shelters in Washington DC and Montreal, Canada.

According to Kitty Block, CEO of HSI, the dogs will then go to animal shelter partners in Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania after several weeks to be adopted out to the public.

“This is the 17th dog meat farm that HSI has helped close, part of a campaign to show dog meat farmers, the South Korean government and the South Korean people that there is a better path forward for us all, humans and animals, a path that celebrates the human-animal bond in the most special of ways,” she added.

Dog meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine and around one million dogs are believed to be eaten every year. However, the popularity of the meat has declined and consuming dog meat has become taboo among the younger generation.

In 2018, a city court in Bucheon ruled the killing of dogs for meat is illegal. The ruling was hailed by activists who said it could pave the way for outlawing dog meat consumption entirely.

KEEP UP THE FIGHT

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News, Hunting, Live Transport

From the USA: Ethical Vegans Must Reject Donald Trump. Period.

With thanks to Stacey at ‘Our Compass’ for sending the following over.  Mark.

Ethical Vegans Must Reject Donald Trump. Period.

‘Our Compass’ Link as follows:

Ethical Vegans Must Reject Donald Trump. Period.

Note: Regarding Protect the Harvest’s ludicrous and deceptive claim of the nonexistence of factory farms, “family” has zero legal distinction regarding farm size; indeed, a “family” can refer to Kraft, Ford, Trump, Smithfield, and Walmart. The government defines size, and anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of Google can easily find this data. To suggest that the greater than 10 billion land animals killed annually in the US alone come from Uncle Ted’s backyard hinges on desperation to continue the animal holocaust unseen and socially accepted. SL

EPA:

USDA:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines AFOs as agricultural enterprises where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. AFOs congregate animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area. Feed is brought to the animals rather than the animals grazing or otherwise seeking feed in pastures, fields, or on rangeland. There are approximately 450,000 AFOs in the United States.

A CAFO is another EPA term for a large concentrated AFO.  A CAFO is an AFO with more than 1000 animal units (an animal unit is defined as an animal equivalent of 1000 pounds live weight and equates to 1000 head of beef cattle, 700 dairy cows, 2500 swine weighing more than 55 lbs, 125 thousand broiler chickens, or 82 thousand laying hens or pullets) confined on site for more than 45 days during the year.  Any size AFO that discharges manure or wastewater into a natural or man-made ditch, stream or other waterway is defined as a CAFO, regardless of size.  CAFOs are regulated by EPA under the Clean Water Act in both the 2003 and 2008 versions of the “CAFO” rule.

Additional resources:

Large animal feeding operations on the rise

99% of U.S. Farmed Animals Live on Factory Farms

Ethical Vegans Must Reject Donald Trump. Period.

Source Free From Harm

By Rosemary Thompson

Veganism, at its essence, is the recognition that all animals have the right to bodily integrity. Humans do not own the bodies, families or lives of other animals – we can be guardians to animals in need of rescue, but animals are never our property or commodities.

Donald Trump has demonstrated, over and over again, that he sees animals only as obstacles to be cleared or resources to be used to serve corporate interests and generate maximum profits.

But his actions don’t reveal a detached view of other species as objects or commodities so much as a seething contempt – for the natural world, for animals and for anyone trying to protect them.

Putting animal haters in charge

At every turn, Trump has placed people who actively oppose animal welfare, wildlife and environmental protection in leadership roles at the agencies responsible for carrying out those protections. Not surprisingly, this fox-guarding-the-hen-house strategy has resulted in dire consequences for animals and their habitat.

In 2016 he selected Brian Klippenstein, executive director of a particularly vile organization called Protect the Harvest, to serve as senior advisor to the USDA – the agency charged with safeguarding animals used in commerce.

Protect the Harvest exists to “save the agricultural industry from the growing threat of the radical animal rights movement” by lobbying against animal welfare legislation, supporting ag-gag bills and promoting animal commoditization in all forms – including circuses, rodeos, dog and horse racing, horse carriages, puppy mills and horse slaughter.

One of the group’s campaigns aims to soothe consumers’ growing concern regarding confined animal feeding operations by assuring the public that factory farming is just a “fictional concept created by activists.”

Next, Trump chose to appease animal agriculture and fossil fuel industry elites by putting climate change denier Scott Pruitt in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency – a move that led to the rollback of several critical climate and pollution regulations, along with the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

Pruitt, once honored with an award for his contribution to the success of the beef cattle industry, has described himself as a “leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda” and “a big fan of beef.”

Though he resigned in 2018 under the weight of numerous legal and ethics investigations, EPA leadership continues to prioritize industry demands over keeping the country’s air and water clean. In March the agency used the COVID-19 chaos as a cover to release polluting industries from monitoring and reporting requirements.

Perhaps the most stunning hire Trump made was William Perry Pendley, a former oil and gas attorney he installed to wreak havoc on the Bureau of Land Management. That’s the agency charged with conserving public lands – such as national parks – in 11 Western states and Alaska.

Pendley, who spent the bulk of his career lobbying for oil companies’ rights to drill in pristine wilderness, does not believe public lands should exist at all.

He has joked on video about illegally killing and burying endangered animals, and tweeted that climate change is like a unicorn because “neither exists.” He also has a grotesque obsession with eradicating wild horses and burros – insisting that they (rather than cattle grazing or resource extraction) represent an “existential threat” to public lands.

A judge recently ruled that Pendley’s service violates the Constitution because he was never confirmed by the Senate, but so far he has refused to leave his post.

Please click on the above link to continue reading the full article.

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

EU: No, No, It Cannot Be True – EU Struggles to Hold Member States to Account Over Animal Transport Breaches. We Say, Close Down the EU – Simple.

EU plans to strip UK of bank regulation powers

EU struggles to hold Member States to account over animal transport breaches

WAV Comment: 

Wow! – that’s breaking news – the wonderful EU struggles to hold member states to account for animal transport breaches.  What with all the evidence we have presented to them; the very them; regarding breaches of transport rules over the last 25+ years; what is changing ?

As we have always said, they are utterly useless’ and as Claire Bury says; they (EU) are not able to ban the trade.  Why not we ask ? – could it be the big money made from live exports into EU coffers ? – ie putting finance before animal welfare ? – certainly seems that way.

And now we hear MEPs ‘voice concern’ about the injury and suffering caused to animals during transport across Europe.

We say; put them all into one livestock transporter and haul them from Scotland to Southern Italy.  We bet the rules would be changed pretty quickly after that.  As the EU can do nothing; probably better to shut it (the EU) all down and go back to individual member states and regulations. 

Anything would be better than this ‘we can do nothing’ yukspeak put out by EU ‘importants’ (or so they think they are !).

EU struggles to hold Member States to account over animal transport breaches

30 October 2020

MEPs voice concern about the injury and suffering caused to animals during transport across Europe.

A senior commission official has admitted it is currently “impossible” to ban the controversial trade in live animals.

Speaking to parliament’s newly created special animal welfare committee, Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General of Health and Food Safety at the Commission, sympathised with MEPs who voiced concern about the injury and suffering caused to animals during transport across Europe.

She said everything was being done to ensure hauliers comply with current regulations but conceded, “We are not able to ban this at present.”

But, in response to growing calls for a ban on exports of live animals, she revealed that the Commission plans to revise existing legislation on animal transportation.

Read more at source

The Parliament Magazine

Farm Animals, General News

South Korea: Dog Meat Actions – October 2020.

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If you wish to translate all the text of this site to another / your language, then please use it.

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South Korea –  Dog Meat Farms

LATEST – Please click on the following link in order to take many (October) actions against the dog meat business in South Korea.  There are many regional petitions and letters to authorities which you can sign or send.

https://r.newsletter.koreandogs.org/ah8xr8odtht7e.html?utm_source=sendinblue&utm_campaign=Your_voice_matters_and_you_are_saving_lives!__Updates_from_the_Lotte_Gyeyang_Mountain_Dog_Farm_&utm_medium=email

Here are just a few of our most recent posts relating to the South Korean issue:

Presidential election promises that mean nothing – read more at 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/10/26/south-korea-pre-election-promises-that-once-elected-become-non-reality/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/10/19/south-korea-a-call-to-action-to-ask-you-to-join-forces-with-korean-activists-to-close-the-dog-meat-farms-and-businesses/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/09/30/south-korea-seven-dogs-have-been-rescued-from-a-dog-farm-in-paju-and-the-dog-farm-is-now-shut-down/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/07/29/south-korea-korean-dogs-latest-actions/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/07/23/south-korea-korean-dogs-july-newsletter-please-click-on-link-for-actions/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/07/07/south-korea-you-can-help-save-the-korean-dogs-from-slaughter-by-taking-5-minute-actions/

Regards WAV

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

SAFE New Zealand: New analysis of live export ships shows there is still a high risk to animals – SAFE

New analysis of live export ships shows there is still a high risk to animals – SAFE

29 October 2020

New analysis from The Guardian has found that live export ships are twice as likely to be lost at sea as cargo vessels.

SAFE Campaigns Manager Bianka Atlas said the growing evidence supports what SAFE has been saying for years.

“It is clear that the live export trade places the lives of animals and humans at an unacceptable risk,” said Atlas

Livestock carrier Yangtze Fortune is expected to arrive at Napier Port on Wednesday 4 November. This is will be the first export of live animals since the sinking of Gulf Livestock 1 in September.

The Yangtze Fortune’s arrival next week is estimated and subject to change, but the animal rights organisation SAFE will be protesting regardless.

“It’s only been two months since we lost 5,867 cows and 2 of our own people in the Gulf Livestock 1 tragedy and now we have another ship leaving from that same Port,” said Atlas.

“The reality is, all of these animals, who are exported for breeding purposes, will eventually be slaughtered in their destination country, potentially by methods outlawed in New Zealand.”

“Ending live export should be at the top of Jacinda Ardern’s agenda when she forms her new cabinet.”

Click on this link for the Guardian article:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/10/29/live-animal-exports-exclusive-livestock-ships-twice-as-likely-to-be-lost-as-cargo-vessels/

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

Live Animal Exports: Exclusive: Livestock Ships Twice as Likely to be Lost as Cargo Vessels
Carcasses line a beach after a livestock carrier loaded with 5,000 cows, capsized at Vila do Conde port in northern Brazil in 2015.

Above – Carcasses line a beach after a livestock carrier loaded with 5,000 cows capsized at Vila do Conde port in northern Brazil in 2015. Photograph: Reuters

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/28/exclusive-livestock-ships-twice-as-likely-to-be-lost-as-cargo-vessels

Exclusive: livestock ships twice as likely to be lost as cargo vessels

Billion-dollar export trade puts lives of animals and crew at greater risk of ‘total loss’ through faulty design and inexperience

Ships carrying live animals are at least twice as likely to suffer a “total loss” from sinking or grounding as standard cargo vessels, the Guardian has found.

In the past year alone there have been two disasters involving animals in transit. Last November, at least 14,000 sheep drowned after the Queen Hind capsized en route to Saudi Arabia from Romania. And last month, Gulf Livestock 1, a carrier transporting almost 6,000 cattle, sank off the Japanese coast en route to China from New Zealand. Forty crew members remain missing and are presumed dead.

“With the Guardian’s shocking findings … [it’s] time for an open and honest assessment of an industry that has caused one crisis after another,” said Prof Kristen Stilt, director of Harvard’s animal law & policy program, currently writing a book about the transport of live animals. “That assessment should recognise that the transport of chilled and frozen meat is the way that nearly all meat travels in commerce today. The idea of sending live animals is a holdover from a bygone era.”

The global live export trade is worth nearly £16bn. For decades, campaigners have been calling on the EU to provide better protections for animals in transit, and an inquiry into the regulatory system is under way.

According to Guardian analysis, between January 2010 and December 2019 five livestock vessels were recorded as lost to sinking or irrevocable grounding, killing crew and animals. The total equates to just over 3% of the estimated 150 livestock carriers above 100 gross tonnes (GT) known to operate worldwide. The 100 GT measurement is used by the shipping industry to separate smaller vessels, often owned for pleasure, from larger, more probably commercial, ones.

The same loss calculation for the global cargo fleet of about 61,000 ships over 100 GT, shows that 471 vessels within that tonnage (excluding tugs, dredgers, fishing and passenger vessels), were lost to sinking or grounding in the same period – or less than 1%.

The Guardian’s risk calculations are based on historical data from insurer Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty’s Safety and Shipping Review 2020, analyst IHS Markit and the International Maritime Organization.

If the loss figure for livestock vessels expands to include two more vessels, sunk in December 2009 and September 2020, just outside the 10 years covered by the Allianz shipping safety report, used as a basis for the calculation, then the figure rises to 4.7%.

Select Page 2 below to continue reading more.

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Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

Australia: Suprise, Suprise; A Change to (Live Export) Animal Welfare Laws that Would Mean Fewer Livestock on Vessels has Been Delayed. Money Rules Over Welfare, Ok ?
A ship is loaded with live cattle at night.

The implementation of a new law that would have reduced the number of cattle permitted on live export ships sailing from Australia has been put on hold.

Key points:

  • A change to animal welfare laws that would mean fewer livestock on vessels has been delayed
  • Exporters and former Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie have questioned the science behind the new rules
  • ·         The RSPCA has rejected those concerns, saying the “science is clear”

Days before new animal welfare laws were expected to come into effect, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has changed the rules to allow exporters to continue to load cattle at existing stocking densities.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment said Mr Littleproud had decided to make last-minute amendments that would be in place until April 30 next year.

The decision comes after changes to the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) were announced in April following a Federal review sparked by footage of the Awassi Express carrying dead and distressed Australian sheep to the Middle East in April, 2018.

The new ASEL stocking density rule was expected to come into effect on November 1 and would have required more space to be provided for each head of cattle exported.

The ABC understands the changes announced today only relate to cattle and do not include sheep.

The Australian Livestock Exporters Council said the changes amounted to a 17 per cent increase in the space allocated for cattle.

In the case of exports to Indonesia, for example, a vessel that would typically carry 5,000 cattle would be reduced to carrying 4,300.

The Northern Territory Livestock Exporters Association (NTLEA) told ABC Rural the reduced stocking density rules had been “tweaked” and would not apply during a trial period.

 

The Awassi docked at Fremantle.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-27/live-exporters-win-reprieve-on-new-stocking-densities/12817910

 

‘Audition period’

NTLEA chief executive Will Evans said the reprieve would allow exporters to prove that current stocking densities were delivering good animal welfare outcomes.

Mr Evans said the industry had been told by the Government that the new stocking rate would not be imposed for at least six months, and exporters that maintained low mortality rates would be allowed to continue to export at a higher stocking density.

“It’s essentially an audition period,” Mr Evans said.

“Those exporters who have a rolling average of 0.1 per cent mortality rate or lower will be able to maintain the [current] stocking density.

“But those who don’t will need to go to the new ASEL 3.0 stocking densities.

“So for the next six months, you’ll be able to maintain access to current stocking densities.”It gives us a period to prove what we’re saying is true.”

ASEL 3.0 changes coming to live export industryDownload 4 MB

 

Bulk of recommendations to be adopted

Despite the last-minute change to stocking densities, Mr Evans said other significant changes to the way live animals were shipped under ASEL would commence as planned on November 1.

“Out of the 49 recommendations, one of those was about stocking densities,” he said.”The other 48 recommendations are coming into effect next week. “So there will be changes to how many stockmen are on vessels, changes to bedding, changes to the time we have cattle in registered premises.

“It’s an enormous regulatory change that’s coming in next week, it’s the biggest regulatory change to the industry since [the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System] in 2011.”

Cattle exporters had previously suggested introducing the changes would cost the industry as much as $40 million a year.

Former minister questions science

At a Senate Estimates hearing last week, former Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie said the new ASEL stocking density was based on “loose science”.

Speaking to officials from the Department of Agriculture Water and Environment, Ms McKenzie said the change would mean as many as 130,000 fewer Australian cattle were sold into South East Asia.

“There isn’t a robust body of science available to us right now to be making these decisions,” she said.”[The standards are] not fit for purpose, for our industry, our place in the world, our markets.” The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which has lobbied for an end to the live export trade, described Ms McKenzie’s appearance at Estimates as disappointing and feared a potential policy shift.

“The science is clear around stocking density reduction for cattle on these voyages,” RSPCA spokesman Jed Goodfellow said.

“This is simply about giving animals a little bit more space so they can lie down during the voyages, which sometimes take over two weeks, to give them further space to access food and water troughs.

“I hope Minister Littleproud will stand strong on these reforms that he himself has overseen and introduced.”

Mr Littleproud’s office has been contacted for comment.

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News

EU: EC study find outs the livestock sector is responsible for 81-86% of the agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Feeding and Nutritional Strategies to Reduce Livestock Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Frontiers Research Topic

EC study find outs the livestock sector is responsible for 81-86% of the agricultural greenhouse gas emission

22 October 2020

On 14 October 2020, the European Commission published a report examining the environmental, economic and social consequences of EU livestock production and how this sector can contribute to sustainable agriculture.

While recognising the important economic role played by livestock production in the EU economy, the report stresses the significant environmental impacts associated with industrial animal production. Such impacts can affect biodiversity, human health, and the functioning of ecosystems.

In particular, by including in calculations the environmental impacts of the production, processing, and transport of feed, the report concludes that the livestock sector is responsible for 86-88% of the EU’s agricultural GHG emissions.

Additionally, more than 80% of nitrogen of agricultural origin present in all EU aquatic environments is linked to livestock farming, and livestock farms are the main sources of ammonia.

On animal welfare, the report recalls the results of the last special Eurobarometer on animal welfare (add link) showing that 94% of European citizens attach importance to animal welfare, with 82% agreeing that farm animals should be better protected. Three key areas need to be addressed to respond to citizens expectations, and namely the intensification of farming, transportation of animals and slaughter. 

The report notes that the specialisation and intensification of livestock farming systems has had negative implications for animal welfare, leading to stress and pain due to artificial living conditions in industrial type buildings, damage to animal integrity (e.g., painful husbandry procedures), separation from familiar conspecifics and unnatural levels of mixing. Citizens expect animals to be spared fear and anxiety and to be offered the possibility to experience positive emotions. Such an approach can also have positive knock-on effects on the reduction in the use of antimicrobials in farmed animals, which should be halved by 2030 compared to current levels according to the Farm to Fork strategy. 

Read more at source

Publications Office of the EU

Plant-based and the Environment — Plantier

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

“Animals in Europe” – EP#2: Interview with Anja Hazekamp MEP.

“Animals in Europe” – EP#2: Interview with Anja Hazekamp MEP

28 October 2020

News

“Animals in Europe” is a bi-weekly podcast to meet animal advocates, decision-makers and experts building together a Europe that cares for animals. Listen to Episode #2!

What were the main highlights for animals last week at the European Parliament?

Is change for animals on the horizon?

What are the biggest political opportunities for animals during this political mandate?

These are some of the questions our host and CEO Reineke Hameleers asks Anja Hazekamp MEP in our podcast.

Biologist and animal advocate, Anja Hazekamp MEP started her political career with the Dutch Party for the Animals and last year she was appointed as President of the Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals. She is one of the forces behind the newly constituted Committee of Inquiry on Live Transport of the European Parliament. 

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/918918883&visual=&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false “Animals in Europe” is available on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Soundcloud.

 

2014 EU Elections - Animal Welfare PartyAnimal Welfare Party
Anja Hazekamp (@anjahazekamp) | Twitter