Today, we paid a visit to a large slaughterhouse in Flanders, where laying hens from the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium are processed. Our aim was to observe the measures in place to prevent heat stress and to raise concerns about the containers in which part of the hens are transported. After a productive discussion, we were given access to observe the lairage, … [Read more...] about Visit to laying hen slaughterhouse in Flanders
animal welfare improvements
Loading piglets at Van Rooi: reflecting together on how to reduce stress
Today we observed the loading of piglets at the Van Rooi assembly centre in Lieshout. The piglets being loaded were surplus animals, selected for slaughter in Croatia due to issues such as bitten ears or umbilical hernias. Our aim was to gain insight into how ‘fitness for transport’ is assessed, and to explore ways to reduce stress during loading. Herding and loading – … [Read more...] about Loading piglets at Van Rooi: reflecting together on how to reduce stress
Visit to poultry slaughterhouse Wilki in Ravels (Belgium)
Today, our team made an unannounced visit to slaughterhouse Wilki in Ravels, where large numbers of Dutch laying hens are slaughtered. At our suggestion, Wilki previously installed a canopy for poultry trucks. In warm weather, loaded trucks can wait here instead of standing in direct sunlight. We inspected the canopy today: it accommodates 2–3 trucks and is equipped … [Read more...] about Visit to poultry slaughterhouse Wilki in Ravels (Belgium)
EonA at the final PigStun Project conference, Brussels
Eyes on Animals attended the final PigStun conference in Brussels. PigStun is an EU-funded project led by scientists to explore alternative stunning methods to high-concentration CO2 gas for rendering pigs unconscious before slaughter in high-throughput facilities. This study is important because CO2 gas is painful for pigs; it’s highly acidic, causing irritation to the … [Read more...] about EonA at the final PigStun Project conference, Brussels
NVWA to start enforcing rules on poultry trapped on their backs
Following enforcement requests by Animal Rights, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) will finally take stronger action against a long-standing animal welfare issue: birds ending up on their backs in transport crates or containers. This often occurs when poultry is handled roughly during loading and tossed into crates or containers at high speed and … [Read more...] about NVWA to start enforcing rules on poultry trapped on their backs
Visit to Leeuwarden livestock market: improvements visible, some concerns remain
On 19 March, we paid an unannounced visit to the cattle market in Leeuwarden. The market management immediately made time to show us around. The market appeared well organised: all cattle were housed in groups (except for the bulls), there was plenty of clean straw, the air was fresh, and water was available in every pen. Compared to a few years ago, the condition of … [Read more...] about Visit to Leeuwarden livestock market: improvements visible, some concerns remain
Visit to the calf market in Leeuwarden: concerns about extended periods without milk
On 18 March, we paid an unannounced visit to the calf market in Leeuwarden. We were immediately welcomed and, as always, given the opportunity to observe the calves. The market appeared well organised: calves were housed in groups, there was plenty of clean straw, and the handling of the animals was calm. We also observed good practices, such as drivers placing straw on … [Read more...] about Visit to the calf market in Leeuwarden: concerns about extended periods without milk
Illustration of electric stunning at a halal sheep abattoir near Tekirdag, Turkey
Together with humane-slaughter specialists from Bristol university, Eyes on Animals re-visited this cattle and sheep slaughterhouse that EonA knows very well. Years ago we taught the use of captive bolt stunners on cattle. We were very pleased to see that the captive bolt stunner we gave them 4 years ago is still in use and gave them some more boxes of cartridges. Since … [Read more...] about Illustration of electric stunning at a halal sheep abattoir near Tekirdag, Turkey
Visit to Mulder sheep and goat slaughterhouse in Twello (NL)
Today, we paid a scheduled visit to the Mulder slaughterhouse in Twello. With input from Eyes on Animals, Mulder has implemented various improvements to create a calmer, more controlled handling and stunning process, reducing stress for the animals and minimizing errors. During our visit we watched camera surveillance footage from previous days and walked through the … [Read more...] about Visit to Mulder sheep and goat slaughterhouse in Twello (NL)
Visit to VION cattle and pig slaughterhouse in Crailsheim, Germany
Today, Eyes on Animals visited a large pig and cattle slaughterhouse of VION in Crailsheim, Germany. Despite arriving without an appointment, the manager immediately made time for us. This allowed us to dive into key topics, including public concerns about CO₂ stunning for pigs and our work on a less stressful alternative: an optimized automatic electrical stunning system. … [Read more...] about Visit to VION cattle and pig slaughterhouse in Crailsheim, Germany
