Eyes on Animals appreciates the open-door policy that the Dutch pig assembly station "ANIMO" has towards us. We visited, as usual unannounced, this collecting station today to observe the loading of culled-sows for slaughter in Germany and Belgium. These animals appear rather miserable after a life of reproduction, cramped housing, and genetics that favour growth and large … [Read more...] about Cooling off of culled sows at ANIMO pig assembly and export station in the Netherlands
Our inspections
Inspection of culled-dairy cattle awaiting slaughter at a small Dutch slaughterhouse
Eyes on Animals dropped by Van den Pesch Slachthuis, a small slaughterhouse in Brabant that is known to take culled-dairy cows. In the waiting pens we observed a number of cows in questionable shape, particularly one that was crippled with swollen joints on both her hind legs and one of her front legs. The slaughterhouse owner explained that they came from only 20-30km … [Read more...] about Inspection of culled-dairy cattle awaiting slaughter at a small Dutch slaughterhouse
Inspections of a Dutch pig transport truck from company Schurgers
Eyes on Animals inspected the conditions for piglets on board a livestock truck from the Dutch company Schurgers, spotted in Brabant. The piglets were on their way to a fattening farm in Limburg. The loading density was acceptable, and the piglets made an alert and fit impression. There was bedding on the floor and adequate headspace. … [Read more...] about Inspections of a Dutch pig transport truck from company Schurgers
Stress for pigs loaded on a livestock truck from the Dutch company Vermeulen
Eyes on Animals spent the entire night checking on national Dutch livestock trucks on the highways. Late at night we spotted a parked livestock truck from the company Vermeulen, loaded with pigs. On board were boars of approximately 5-6 months of age. Several compartment were very crowded, others had acceptable loading densities. In the crowded compartments the animals … [Read more...] about Stress for pigs loaded on a livestock truck from the Dutch company Vermeulen
Tour of a Belgian chicken slaughterhouse that uses gas instead of electricity to stun the birds
It has been an on-going discussion: meat quality is in direct conflict with animal welfare when poultry are stunned with electricity. When the amper and voltage are set high enough to guarantee that the birds lose consciousness before being slaughtered, their "carcasses" lose value due to the many blood spots caused by the shock. Therefore, most birds are purposely not … [Read more...] about Tour of a Belgian chicken slaughterhouse that uses gas instead of electricity to stun the birds