This dossier aims to help Competent Authorities and other stakeholders with issues related to pig welfare in slaughterhouses at the time of stunning and killing.
Dossier
Killing on farm
About this dossier
Legislation
The legal requirements related to killing on farm can be found in Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009. The Regulation recognises that killing animals may induce pain, fear and distress even under the best available technical conditions. Therefore, any person involved in the stunning or killing of animals should take the necessary measures to avoid pain and minimise distress and suffering during the killing process, considering the best practices in the field.
Knowledge
To avoid unintended welfare problems, the killing procedure must spare animals any avoidable pain, distress or suffering. This implies that moving animals to the killing point and restraining them for the purpose of stunning and killing must be done without causing undue fear and distress. Operators must affirm death of animals by confirming the absence of vital signs of cardiovascular, respiratory and neuronal functioning. Best practices maximally limit stress during handling and killing processes (see ‘Show more’).
Welfare indicators
Welfare indicators can be used to facilitate welfare inspections on farms and to identify welfare issues related to the killing process on farms. Farmers must confirm death of each animal killed on farm by checking the absence of vital signs of cardiovascular, respiratory and neuronal functioning. For this purpose, several indicators are described and combined in an indicator factsheet (see ‘Show more’).
Training courses
In collaboration with national training bodies and national reference centers on animal welfare, EURCAW-Pigs develops training guides for the different welfare topics as standards for national training in EU Member States.