Laws failing unfit livestock, veterinarians say

Federal government veterinarians have alleged that injured animals are being transported to Australian slaughterhouses, despite laws intended to protect unfit livestock. Reports acquired by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age claim that some sheep and cattle arriving at Victorian export abattoirs are incapable of supporting their own weight, with some dying in transit and […]

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Abstracts: Effects of free farrowing system on the productive performance and welfare of sows and piglets

Regardless of international animal welfare regulations, most sows in production currently spend most of their lives and the peripartum period in caged housing systems. Although this type of management is intended to reduce neonatal mortality in piglets, several studies consider that there has been no significant reduction in its incidence over the last 30 years.

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Abstracts: Freedom from thirst-do dairy cows and calves have sufficient access to drinking water?

The importance of drinking water for production and animal welfare is widely recognized, but surveys and animal welfare assessment schemes suggest that many dairy calves and dairy cows do not have sufficient access. Limit milk-fed calves drink more water than calves fed milk ad libitum, but ad libitum milk-fed calves also require access to drinking […]

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