Navigating Bill 156 & Animal Welfare Practices

from 2020 Fall BlockTalk

How GS1 Barcoding Enhances Food Manufacturing

TECH TALK Navigating Bill 156 & Animal Welfare Practices Daphne Nuys-Hall, Technical Director, MPO

Bill 156, the Security from Trespass plant regarding humane treatment of food animals pertaining and Protecting Food Safety Act, to the loading or unloading, housing and general handling. 2020 was passed in legislature Wilful acts of abuse are not acceptable nor tolerated. This article earlier this summer. The Bill is intended to protect farm animals, seeks to highlight a few areas to consider to ensure animals are the food supply, farmers and others from risks that are created humanely handled throughout the slaughter process. when trespassers enter places where farm animals are kept or handled in humane manner. As well, Ontario Meat Regulation when persons engage in unauthorized interactions with Handling of Animals Along the farm animals. Slaughter Continuum There are outside factors that impact animal welfare prior to Although Bill 156 focuses on preventing the risks to animals, the animals being received at the abattoir, such as primary including exposing farm animals to disease and stress and production and husbandry practices on farms or during the introducing contaminants into the food supply, it brought to loading and transportation of the animals. As a plant operator the forefront concerns from the public and media about how you can clearly outline conditions of acceptability of the animals, animals destined for food are handled and cared for from farm including good animal welfare handling practices starting with through transport to the abattoir. loading of the animals, in addition to the condition and health Abattoir owners are committed to ensuring that animals are animals to the farmers and transport operators. of the animals to be loaded, unloading and housing of these 31/05 details specific requirements for the humane handling Employees responsible for handling animals should of animals in provincially licensed abattoirs. These regulations be competent, patient, respectful of the animals and clearly address the responsibilities of the operator of a slaughter knowledgeable about the normal behavior of different species

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of animals. Animals should not be forced to move at a speed greater than their normal walking pace, in order to minimize injury through falling or slipping. In properly designed and constructed facilities with competent animal handlers, it should be possible to move 99% of animals without them falling. Animals are unloaded from the trucks in a timely and humane manner upon receiving with minimal use of driving tools and minimal waiting time in the trucks.

Moving Animals When moving animals, handling aids are used to encourage and direct movement with minimum contact, never use any object to hit the animal and never use handling aids with excessive force. Acceptable alternative handling aids include panels, flags, plastic paddles, flappers, moving boards, plastic bags, flappers, witches capes, vibrating prods and metallic rattles. Implements, such as large sticks, sticks with sharp ends, metal piping, fencing wire, or heavy leather belts, are not considered to be humane driving tools to move animals and are never used. All these handling tools are never to be used to hit the animal in order to move it.

Animal Welfare Training An important element for animal welfare is training. All employees or contracted personnel such as transport drivers must be sufficiently knowledgeable so that they understand how to handle food animals, including handling the crates, cages or modules that contain poultry or rabbits. The employees must be well trained to understand animal behaviour and know the best practices for handling the food animals during any slaughter activity. For those performing stunning and slaughter activities, including ritual slaughterers, it is essential that they are fully qualified and do so in a competent and humane manner.

Incorporate “Whistleblower” provisions in the orientation training of employees. Empower employees to report any instances of animal abuse in your facility – whether it be a coworker, livestock hauler, supervisor or even owner. The ultimate outcome of humane treatment of food animals at your abattoir is to prevent avoidable suffering, injury or death during all slaughter activities.

Additional References Guidelines for animal welfare preventive control plans and selfaudits for the slaughter of food animals Evidence showing an animal welfare preventive measure is effective World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Chapter 7.5, Slaughter of Animals Dr. Temple Grandin’s Web Page: Livestock Behaviour, Design of Facilities and Humane Slaughter National Farm Animal Care Council Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals