Good animal welfare practices not only reduce unnecessary suffering, but also help improve animal health. It is therefore an essential element for the safety of the food chain, given the close links that exist between animal welfare, health and foodborne diseases, according to the principle of “One Health” » that the FRA is committed to,” said Gilhem de Seze, head of risk assessment at the FRA.
The Financial Supervisory Authority has set quantitative thresholds for the temperatures that must be maintained in transport vehicles as well as the minimum space allowed for animals. Reviews also describe the development or progression of many other factors that affect animal welfare over time during transportation, such as hunger, thirst, and fatigue.
For example, with regard to animals transported in containers (poultry and rabbits), the European Food Safety Authority recommends that the flight time is considered the total time the animals spend in containers and that, for day chicks, the only way to avoid any welfare consequences is to transport fertilized eggs It is hatched at the destination farm.
Existing EU legislation on the protection of animals in transit entered into force in 2005. As part of F2F strategythe results of the Financial Supervisory Authority will serve as a basis for Legislation review by the European Commission, a review aimed at bringing it in line with the latest scientific data, expanding its scope, facilitating its application and, ultimately, ensuring a higher level of animal welfare. The commission’s proposal is expected in the second half of 2023.
General meeting on animal welfare
On September 26, the FRA will host a public event where it will present the results of its scientific advice on transporting animals as well as recently published advice on the care of farmed pigs. More information can be found at this link.
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