Farm Animal Welfare Council Annual Report 1997
8. The full Council met on three occasions during 1997 on 26 February, 12 June and 9 October. Its various working groups met much more frequently and there were 37 meetings and visits last year by the nine working groups.
9. The work by the groups looking at laying hens and dairy cattle culminated in the publication of a Report on the Welfare of Laying Hens (July 1997) and a Report on the Welfare of Dairy Cattle (December 1997).
This considered the main systems of production: battery cages, deep litter, perchery, aviary and free range. It updated certain recommendations made in the 1991 report on the Welfare of Laying Hens in Colony Systems and urged Ministers to pursue implementation of those recommendations that were accepted by Government but are not yet in place. The new report recommended that the European Directive laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens in battery cages should be amended immediately to require an increase in the minimum space allowance in all battery cages from 450cm² per hen to 600cm² per hen. Furthermore, it stated that conventional battery cages should be withdrawn in the long-term subject to: simultaneous phasing out throughout the European Union, the prevention of imports into the EU from countries in which conventional battery cages are still used and the elimination, or successful control, of injurious pecking and cannibalism.
FAWC had not previously reported on the full range of aspects of dairy cattle welfare. Issues of particular concern were mastitis, lameness, fertility and reproduction. Whereas the incidence of mastitis has fallen in recent years, the Council considered the prevalence of lameness to be at an unacceptable level. Lameness is an extremely painful condition and the report strongly recommended that steps must be taken as a matter of urgency to reduce the incidence. Infertility is the greatest single cause of unplanned culling within the dairy herd and reduced rates of reproductive success can be an indicator of poor welfare. It follows that the achievement of positive welfare should be of paramount importance to the breeding companies who can have a marked effect on all of the above. The report also outlined the Council's concerns regarding the slaughter of very young calves under the EU calf processing aid scheme; and published FAWC's position on the welfare aspects of per rectum ultrasonography in cattle.
10. Whilst the culmination of most of the detailed studies is a published report, the Council may also advise Ministers by letter about other important issues of current or developing interest. Those considered last year were:
EU Calf Processing Aid Scheme - the calf destined for early slaughter undergoes a series of extremely stressful events in a relatively short time: the stresses associated with birth, transport and slaughter. FAWC was advised that on-farm slaughter is not permissible under the terms of the EU scheme. The slaughter of unwanted calves should take place as near to the point of production as possible and the Council has called on the Government to introduce measures to discourage unnecessary long distance transport.
11. All of the advice outlined above emanated from working groups which presented their findings to the full Council for discussion and approval. FAWC has an on-going programme that is undertaken by its various working groups. There were nine groups last year: those considering laying hens and dairy cattle have now been disbanded; the work of the others is summarised below.
12. One of the main recommendations in the 1992 Report on the Welfare of Broiler Chickens was that there should be a demonstrable improvement in leg health. The industry has established a study to determine the extent of the problem and the level of improvement since 1992. The Council continues to monitor this work and has discussed with the industry the need for publication of results at the end of the five year period. So far, three of the five years have been completed.
13. The Council is drawing to a conclusion its study on the welfare of broiler breeders. These are the parent stock of those birds reared for meat. The report is expected to be published later this year and, coupled with the Report on the Welfare of Broiler Chickens (1992), will provide advice enabling the Agriculture Departments to prepare a new welfare code relating to all aspects of broiler chicken welfare.
14. Following the publicity surrounding Dolly the sheep, Ministers asked FAWC to investigate the farm animal welfare implications of this new procedure. The study commenced with a visit to the scientists undertaking the work at Roslin and, following a consultation exercise, the Council is in the process of finalising advice to Ministers.
15. A working group was established to review FAWC's position on the licensing and registration of farmers and agricultural holdings. In 1990, the Council published a report about enforcement of welfare legislation and codes of practice. One of the recommendations then was for the Government to consider the introduction of a licensing/registration scheme for all those with responsibility for farm livestock. At the time, the Agriculture Departments did not believe such an arrangement was necessary so it was not pursued. With heightening consumer concern about farm animal welfare and the need to protect welfare-oriented livestock procedures from the adverse publicity associated with an offending minority, there is increasing pressure to ensure that standards are fully met. FAWC is therefore revisiting its proposal to assess the effectiveness of enforcement and the impact of farm assurance schemes. Views have been sought from interested organisations and advice should be submitted to Ministers during 1998.
16. The role of the Promotion & Education Group is to raise the profile of farm animal welfare and of FAWC. Its activities included liaison with those who influence farm animal welfare and meetings were held with the NFU, animal protection organisations, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare and most of the major food retailers. The skill of stockpeople is all important to the welfare of the animals in their care and, through its Promotion & Education Group, the Council has kept in contact with training organisations and provided comments on the welfare content of teaching material used for the instruction of students on NVQ livestock courses.
17. The Research and Development Group was closely involved in the formulation of recent recommendations on welfare at slaughter (see paragraph 10). In 1993 it provided advice which resulted in publication of the Report on Priorities for Animal Welfare Research & Development. The group has now embarked on a further review which, in due course, will lead to the publication of a new report on priorities.
18. Nearly every farm animal will be transported at some stage in its life and many will pass through a market. The introduction of new legislation on the transport of animals and proposals for vehicle standards have been items of key interest to this working group. On behalf of the Council, it presented views to the Agriculture Departments as part of the general consultation process on these subjects and is presently conducting a review of the effectiveness of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997. The remit of the group was extended last year to include the welfare of livestock at markets. FAWC published its Report on the Welfare of Livestock at Markets in 1986 and an update is timely. Work on markets will commence later this year.
19. Members continued to liaise with their counterparts on the Home Office Animal Procedures Committee. An ad hoc group met during the year to discuss issues of common concern. Foremost amongst these was the perceived gap in the control of new techniques once they leave the control of Home Office legislation (the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986). Currently, there is no requirement for new procedures to be examined in terms of animal welfare before being used in farming. Further liaison meetings are planned.
20. It is important to make progress to improve farm animal welfare throughout, and in concert with, the European Union. Whilst FAWC reports are written primarily for the GB Agriculture Ministers, they are also circulated to the European Commission, the Council of Europe and to government agriculture representatives in other countries. FAWC believes that progress is required to lift standards across the whole of Europe and, ideally, globally. The Council therefore keeps in close touch with counterparts in other European Union countries and beyond.
21. During 1997 the Council carried out formal consultation exercises on the welfare implications of cloning farmed livestock, the licensing/registration of livestock keepers and priorities for farm animal welfare research and development. The letters seeking comments are reproduced at Appendix B.
22. The work of FAWC is financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which also provides staff for the Secretariat. During the financial year 1996/97 the total expenditure on the Council by government was about £320,000. This sum comprised £101,000 for members' fees and travel etc.; £128,000 for Secretariat salaries, travel and other costs; £74,000 for MAFF advisers and ADAS consultants; and £17,000 for printing and other overheads.
23. A full list of FAWC publications, which are available free of charge, is at Appendix C. Those wishing to receive copies, or to find out more about the Council, should contact:
The FAWC Secretariat
5th Floor
1A Page Street
London
SW1P 4PQ
Tel: + 44 (0)207 904 6535 Fax: + 44 (0)207 904 6533
Farm Animal Welfare Council
June 1998