The welfare of laying hens directive - implications for the egg industry
The welfare of laying hens directive - implications for the egg industry

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2011-09-02

Total Pages: 80

ISBN-13: 9780215561220

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee warn of a potential commercial disaster over animal welfare regulations that could result in unfair competition for UK egg producers. New rules are designed to improve conditions for caged ('battery') hens. The Welfare of Laying Hens Directive (Council Directive 1999/74/EC), which applies to businesses with over 350 laying hens, provides that conventional cage systems must not be used after 1 January 2012. After this date, caged hens must be kept in 'enriched' cages, which have more living space per hen (750 cm2 cage area per hen compared to 550 cm2 in conventional cages - less than an A4 sheet of paper), a nest, perching space, litter to allow pecking and scratching, and unrestricted access to a feed trough. But around one third of Europe's egg production will not comply with the new welfare standards by 2012. UK egg producers have spent around £400 million to improve conditions for laying hens, and will be left at a competitive disadvantage if cheaper, illegal and non-compliant shell eggs and egg products can be imported to the UK from other European countries. The UK Government must press for an intra-community trade ban on the export of non-compliant eggs and egg products, and the EU Commission should initiate infraction proceedings against Member States where caged egg producers remain non-compliant. Failure to enforce this new Directive effectively will set a worrying precedent for other legislation intended to improve the welfare of farm animals.

Atlas of Clinical Avian Hematology
Atlas of Clinical Avian Hematology

Author: Phillip Clark

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2009-09-08

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 1444316192

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Atlas of Clinical Avian Hematology is a practicalguide to the hematological characteristics of birds. Illustratedthroughout with many color photographs, this rich resource aidsinterpretation of hematological data, and promotes the accurateclassification of hematological cells and identification ofpathological changes. Covering over 100 species of birds, the Atlas illustrates thegeneral hematological characteristics of birds; the hematologicalvariations encountered between the different Orders of birds; andthe hematological responses to disease of birds, using clinicalcases from many species of birds and a range of clinicaldisorders. Describes how to collect and handle blood samples from birds tobest preserve the quality of the blood. Highly illustrated, color guide to the hematologicalcharacteristics of birds Case data and images illustrates the avian hematologicalresponses to disease

Welfare of the Laying Hen
Welfare of the Laying Hen

Author: G. C. Perry

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2004-01-01

Total Pages: 450

ISBN-13: 9780851990361

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The welfare of egg-producing poultry is a topic of great concern to the poultry industry and to researchers in applied animal behaviour. It is also subject to increased legislation. Issues such as battery cages, space requirements, access to daylight and ''free-range'' eggs have attracted public interest.

Animal Health and Welfare in Organic Agriculture
Animal Health and Welfare in Organic Agriculture

Author: Mette Vaarst

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 456

ISBN-13: 9780851998701

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Annotation. The rapid growth of organic farming has been among the most remarkable changes in global agriculture in recent decades. However, more attention was initially aid to the crop side of organic systems, and animals are a lower priority in formal research and the development of organic farming. But now, that has changed. There is now greater recognition of the need to understand animal health and welfare better. The purpose of this book is to further the understanding of organic animal husbandry and to demonstrate practical solutions and innovative methods, drawing mainly on research and practical experience with organic farming in Europe.

Animal Machines
Animal Machines

Author: Ruth Harrison

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 1780642849

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

First published in 1964, Ruth Harrison's book Animal Machines had a profound and lasting impact on world agriculture, public opinion and the quality of life of millions of farmed animals. Concerned with welfare standards at a time when animal production was increasing in scale and mechanization, Ruth Harrison set about investigating the situation in a fair and even-handed way. Reporting her findings in this book, Harrison alerted the public to the undeniable suffering of calves living in veal crates and birds in battery cages. Written at the beginning of the intensive farming movement, which promised progress but in reality worsened conditions for domesticated animals, Animal Machines provides a fascinating insight into the system we are living with today and must continue with as the global population increases. Harrison's work brought about legal reforms, a greater understanding of farm conditions for animals and increased public awareness. Animal Machines is reprinted here in its entirety, accompanied by new chapters by world-renowned experts in animal welfare discussing the legacy and impact of Animal Machines 50 years on.

Draft Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill
Draft Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Publisher: Stationery Office

Published: 2013-05-16

Total Pages: 64

ISBN-13: 9780215057501

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This report had endorsed draft laws to extend dangerous dogs offences to attacks on private property and on assistance dogs. But the MPs criticise the Government for failing to bring in wider measures, including Dog Control Notices, to tackle out-of-control dogs. MPs also endorse the proposed amendment to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 making attacks on private land the same as attacks on public land. The current law makes it impossible to bring criminal charges against an owner whose dog attacks someone in a private place, such as a home. The Committee welcomed the proposal to enable action to be taken regardless of where a dog attack happens. The Committee agree with the Government that the protection from prosecution should apply only when an attack takes place on a trespasser in the house, not in a surrounding area such as the garden or drive. However, measures taken by the owner to minimise the likelihood of their dog acting aggressively toward someone unexpectedly in such places should be taken into account by enforcement agencies and the courts. MPs fully support the measures to extend offences to those committed against an assistance dog, such as a guide dog, in the same way as if the attack were on a person. This reflects the significant consequences such attacks have on the daily lives of people who rely on assistance dogs. The Committee recommends that such offences should be extended to apply to any attack which injures a protected animal, such as a horse or livestock.

Vaccination against bovine TB
Vaccination against bovine TB

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Publisher: Stationery Office

Published: 2013-06-05

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13: 9780215058829

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee warns that vaccination against bovine TB is expensive, offers no guarantee of protection and will provide little benefit in the immediate future. More than £58 million has been invested in vaccine research and development since 1994. Deployment of the injectable badger vaccine will cost an estimated £2,000-£4,000 per km2. The cattle vaccine is expected to cost £5-6 per dose and the DIVA test (which differentiates between infected and vaccinated cattle) costs £25. Small-scale studies to test the efficacy of the vaccine in cattle overseas have shown the protective effect to be between 56-68%, a level of protection that won't immediately solve the problems of bovine TB in the cattle industry. The UK needs more reliable skin tests than the current one that could miss one in four infected cows. An injectable BCG vaccine for badgers is now available but it does not confer complete protection and has no discernible effect on animals already infected with TB. An oral baited vaccine that can be laid at setts is likely to be cheaper and more practical, but development and deployment of it will take several years to resolve. A variety of ongoing research projects could make a real difference to the eradication of bovine TB in the United Kingdom. These include: PCR testing to determine infected badger setts, a new type of test to identify bovine TB in cattle after slaughter, and work on a vaccine that does not interfere with the skin test.

Food contamination
Food contamination

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Publisher: Stationery Office

Published: 2013-07-16

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 9780215060815

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Committee agrees that Ministers must be responsible for policy, but there was confusion about where responsibility lay for responding to the horse meat discovery and urges the Government to reconsider the machinery of government changes it made in 2010 and make the FSA one step removed from the Government departments it reports to. Those responsible for the horsemeat scandal must be identified and prosecuted in order to restore consumer confidence in the UK's frozen meat sector. There was also surprise at the comparatively large number of horse carcasses from the UK which tested positive for the veterinary drug bute. A newly introduced system for testing horses for bute before they are released to the food system must continue with government and industry sharing the cost. The Committee also recommends: the Food Standards Agency must be more effective and given powers to compel industry to carry out food testing when needed; large retailers must carry out regular DNA testing of meat ingredients for frozen and processed meat products, with the costs borne by industry; all test results must be submitted to the FSA and a summary published on the retailers' website; the present system for issuing horse passports must change and a single national database be established in all EU Member States; the FSA should have powers to ensure all local authorities carry out some food sampling each year; local authorities should adopt targeted sampling without requiring intelligence to support it; the Government should ensure there are sufficient, properly trained public analysts in the UK