TY - JOUR

T1 - Animal welfare aspects in respect of the slaughter or killing of pregnant livestock animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats,horses)

AU - More, Simon J.

AU - Bicout, Dominique

AU - Bøtner, Anette

AU - Butterworth, Andrew

AU - Calistri, Paolo

AU - Depner, Klaus

AU - Edwards, Sandra

AU - Garin-Bastuji, Bruno

AU - Good, Margaret

AU - Gortazar Schmidt, Christian

AU - Michel, Virginie

AU - Miranda, Miguel Angel

AU - Nielsen, Søren Saxmose

AU - Velarde, Antonio

AU - Thulke, Hans-Hermann

AU - Sihvonen, Liisa

AU - Spoolder, Hans

AU - Stegeman, Arjan

AU - Raj, Mohan

AU - Willeberg, Preben

AU - Candiani, Denise

AU - Winckler, Christoph

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - This scientific opinion addresses animal welfare aspects of slaughtering of livestock pregnant animals.Term of Reference (ToR) 1 requested assessment of the prevalence of animals slaughtered in a criticaldevelopmental stage of gestation when the livestock fetuses might experience negative affect. Limiteddata on European prevalence and related uncertainties necessitated a structu red expert knowledgeelicitation (EKE) exercise. Estimated median percentages of animals slaughtered in the last third ofgestation are 3%, 1.5%, 0.5%, 0.8% and 0.2% (dairy cows, beef cattle, pigs, sheep and goats,respectively). Pregnant animals may be sent for slaughter for health, welfare, management andeconomic reasons (ToR2); there are also reasons for farmers not knowing that animals sent forslaughter are pregnant. Measures to reduce the incidence are listed. ToR3 asked whether livestockfetuses can experience pain and other negative affect. The available literature was reviewed and, at asecond multidisciplinary EKE meeting, judg ements and uncertainty were elicited. It is concluded thatlivestock fetuses in the last third of gestation have the anatomical and neurophysiological structuresrequired to experience negative affect (with 90–100% likelihood). However, there are two differentpossibilities whether they perceive negative affect. It is more probable that the neurophysiologicalsituation does not allow for conscious perception (with 66–99% likelihood) because of brain inhibitorymechanisms. There is also a less probable situation that livestock fetuses can experience negativeaffect (with 1–33% likelihood) arising from differences in the interpretation of the fetalelectroencephalogram, observed responses to external stimuli and the possibility of fetal learning.Regarding methods to stun and kill livestock fetuses at slaughter (ToR4), sets of scenarios andrespective actions take account of both the probable and le ss probable situation regarding fetal abilityfor conscious perception. Finally, information was collated on methods to establish the dam’sgestational stage based on physical features of livestock fetuses (ToR5).

AB - This scientific opinion addresses animal welfare aspects of slaughtering of livestock pregnant animals.Term of Reference (ToR) 1 requested assessment of the prevalence of animals slaughtered in a criticaldevelopmental stage of gestation when the livestock fetuses might experience negative affect. Limiteddata on European prevalence and related uncertainties necessitated a structu red expert knowledgeelicitation (EKE) exercise. Estimated median percentages of animals slaughtered in the last third ofgestation are 3%, 1.5%, 0.5%, 0.8% and 0.2% (dairy cows, beef cattle, pigs, sheep and goats,respectively). Pregnant animals may be sent for slaughter for health, welfare, management andeconomic reasons (ToR2); there are also reasons for farmers not knowing that animals sent forslaughter are pregnant. Measures to reduce the incidence are listed. ToR3 asked whether livestockfetuses can experience pain and other negative affect. The available literature was reviewed and, at asecond multidisciplinary EKE meeting, judg ements and uncertainty were elicited. It is concluded thatlivestock fetuses in the last third of gestation have the anatomical and neurophysiological structuresrequired to experience negative affect (with 90–100% likelihood). However, there are two differentpossibilities whether they perceive negative affect. It is more probable that the neurophysiologicalsituation does not allow for conscious perception (with 66–99% likelihood) because of brain inhibitorymechanisms. There is also a less probable situation that livestock fetuses can experience negativeaffect (with 1–33% likelihood) arising from differences in the interpretation of the fetalelectroencephalogram, observed responses to external stimuli and the possibility of fetal learning.Regarding methods to stun and kill livestock fetuses at slaughter (ToR4), sets of scenarios andrespective actions take account of both the probable and le ss probable situation regarding fetal abilityfor conscious perception. Finally, information was collated on methods to establish the dam’sgestational stage based on physical features of livestock fetuses (ToR5).

U2 - 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4782

DO - 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4782

M3 - Journal article

VL - 15

JO - E F S A Journal

JF - E F S A Journal

SN - 1831-4732

IS - 5

M1 - 4782

ER -