Humane Slaughter Association
Centenary International Symposium

Recent Advances in the Welfare of Livestock at Slaughter

30th June and 1st July 2011 at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, UK

FULLY BOOKED

The Symposium is now fully booked. However if you wish to be placed on the reserve list in case of cancellations please e-mail your registration form and payment details to Heather Barker at heather@hsa.org.uk.

The Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) is holding an International Symposium on Recent Advances in the Welfare of Livestock at Slaughter on the 30th June and 1st July 2011 at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth (UK) as part of the charity’s centenary celebrations.

Very large numbers of farmed livestock are slaughtered for human consumption each year and it is important that this is done as humanely as possible. There have been great advances in the science and technology of humane slaughter and killing methods over the years and work in these fields is set to continue with further developments expected.

Aims

The aim of this symposium is to present and discuss recent scientific and technical advances in the humane slaughter of farmed animals (mammals, birds, fish and others), the uptake and application of these advances around the world, and their relevance to current farming methods; to help identify future priorities and consider how these may be tackled; and to provide a forum for sharing information and experiences. It is intended that the proceedings will be published and made available to all delegates and to interested individuals and organisations around the world.

Programme of speakers

The following will be contributing talks to the symposium:

Thursday 30th June 2011 (Day 1)

08:00 – 09:00 Registration and Poster set-up

09:00 – 09:10

• JK Kirkwood (Humane Slaughter Association, UK)
  Welcome and Introduction

09:10 – 10:35 Session 1       Chair: Neville Gregory

• A Gavinelli and D Simonin (European Commission, Belgium)
  Future challenges of the new European regulation on the protection of animals at the time of killing and its relevance to international trade

• V Sandilands, N Sparks, L Baker, ABM Raj and T Pennycott (Scottish Agricultural College and University of Bristol, UK)
  Methods for whole house gassing of poultry

• E Lambooij and JW Van de Vis (Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands)
  Electrical stunning of farmed fish

• LC Hoffman (Stellenbosch University, South Africa)
  Advances in the electrical stunning and bleeding of ostriches

11:10 – 12:40 Session 2       Chair: Antonio Velarde

• G Limon, J Guitian and NG Gregory (Royal Veterinary College, UK)
  Current methods of livestock slaughter in Bolivia

• GJ Coleman and PH Hemsworth (Monash University and The University of Melbourne, Australia)
  The attitudes and behaviour of stock people at Australian sheep and cattle abattoirs

• G Aletta Bjørlykke, B Olav Kvamme, A Raae, B Roth and E Slinde (Institute of Marine Research, University of Bergen, Nofima Norconserv A/S and University of Life Science, Norway)
  Slaughter of Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar, L) in the presence of carbon monoxide (CO) and the importance of neuroglobin (NGB)

• RW Elwood (Queen’s University, UK)
  Do crustaceans experience pain?

14:10 – 15:40 Session 3       Chair: Jane Downes

• T Grandin (Colorado State University, USA)
  Auditing animal welfare and making practical improvements

• TJ Gibson, AL Ridler, CR Lamb, A Williams and NG Gregory (Royal Veterinary College and University of Cambridge, UK)
  Effectiveness of captive bolt guns as a killing method without exsanguination for horned and un-horned sheep

• EMC Terlouw, C Bourguet and V Deiss (INRA, France)
  Stress at slaughter in cattle: role of reactivity profile and environmental factors

• NJ Kells, NJ Beausoleil, CB Johnson and MA Sutherland (Massey University and AgResearch, New Zealand)
  Assessment of the relative welfare impacts of three gas treatments for the euthanasia of suckling piglets

16:15 – 17:35 Session 4       Chair: Lotta Berg

• M von Wenzlawowicz and K von Holleben (Bsi Schwarzenbek, Germany)
  Identifying reasons for stunning failures in slaughterhouses for cattle, sheep and pigs – a field study

• M Cullinane, E O’Sullivan, G Collins, DM Collins and SJ More (Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, The Veterinary Department of Cork County Council and Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis, Ireland)
  Veterinary certificates for emergency or casualty slaughter bovines in Ireland: are the welfare needs of certified bovine animals adequately protected?

• JA Lines, P Berry and P Cook (Silsoe Livestock Systems, PB Technical and Food Animal Initiative, UK)
  Improving the poultry shackle line

• P Rodríguez, P Llonch, C Fuentes, A Dalmau* and A Velarde (IRTA, Spain)
  Assessment of unconsciousness during slaughter without stunning in lambs

Day 2 (Friday 1st July 2011)

09:00 – 10:20 Session 5       Chair: Mohan Raj

• JW van de Vis, H Digre, I Grong Aursand, L Grimsmo, D Burggraaf, W Abbink, B van Marlen, IJ Velzeboer and E Lambooij, Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands; SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture, Norway and Scienta Nova, The Netherlands)
  Electrical stunning of captured fish

• NG Gregory, M von Wenzlawowicz, K von Holleben, HR Fielding and TJ Gibson (Royal Veterinary College, UK and Bsi Schwarzenbek, Germany)
  Complications during halal slaughter and shechita in cattle

• S Wiberg, B Algers, A Gamble, S Gunnarsson, T Garling, J Hultgren, C Kolstrup, H Lerner, P Lundqvist, L Nordenfelt and G Widell (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gothenburg and Linköping University, Sweden)
  Welfare of animals and employees in connection with slaughter or euthanasia of animals

• D Quiliquini and I Alpigiani (Agriconsulting Europe S.A, Belgium and University of Parma, Italy)
  The Italian approach to welfare during transport of deers bred for meat: implementation of Regulation (EC) 1/2005

11:00 – 12:30 Session 6       Chair: Craig Johnson

• Jia Zili and Sun JJ (Beijing Chaoyang Anhua Animal Product Safety Research Insititute, China and World Society for the Protection of Animals)
  WSPA and APSRI humane slaughter programme in China – STEPS®

• JN Gilliam, JK Shearer, J Woods, J Hill and JD Taylor (Oklahoma State University, USA; Iowa State University, USA; J. Woods Livestock Services, Canada, and Agriculture and Rural Development, Food Safety and Animal Health Division, Canada)
  Captive bolt euthanasia of cattle: determination of optimal shot placement and evaluation of the cash special euthanizer kit for the euthanasia if cattle

• K van Driel, M Farish, H van de Weerd, J Talling, M Mitchell and P Kettlewell (Food and Environment Research Agency, Scottish Agricultural College, and ADAS, UK)
  Journey duration and welfare of pigs transported to slaughter in the UK

• K von Holleben and M von Wenzlawowicz (Bsi Schwarzenbek, Germany)
  Licensing poultry gas stunning systems with regard to animal welfare – investigations under practical conditions

14:00 – 15:30 Session 7       Chair: Karen von Holleben

• CB Johnson, TJ Gibson, KJ Stafford and DJ Mellor (Massey University, New Zealand)
  Pain perception at slaughter

• P Llonch, P Rodríguez, A Velarde, V Abreu de Lima and A Dalmau (IRTA, Spain and UNESP Jaboticabal, Brasil)
  Aversion to the inhalation of nitrogen and carbon dioxide mixtures compared to high concentrations of carbon dioxide for stunning rabbits

• C Berg, L Nordensten, J Hultgren and B Algers (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden and Swedish National Board of Agriculture, Sweden)
  Stun and meat quality of sheep under commercial conditions

• FG Roberts, AJ Lucas and S Johnson (Kingston Maurward College, Integra Food Secure Ltd and Tesco Stores Ltd, UK)
  The use of a single empirical outcome measure to assess welfare in slaughter plants: between and within sector comparisons of the supply base for a major retail multiple

16:10 – 17:30 Session 8       Chair: Temple Grandin

• DEF McKeegan, MA Gerritzen*, JM Sparrey, TGM Demmers and CM Wathes (University of Glasgow, UK; Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands; Livetec, UK and Royal Veterinary College, UK)
  High expansion gas-foam: a humane agent for emergency killing of poultry?

• V Deiss, C Bourguet, T Fassier, M Lullier, C Terlouw and A Boissy (INRA, France)
  Reduction of stress reactions of lambs at slaughter by improving their reactivity to human beings

• JA Woods, C Stull and T Grandin (J Livestock Services Ltd, Canada; Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada; University of California, USA, and Grandin Livestock Handling Systems, Inc., USA)
  The welfare of horses at slaughter: the development of recommended handling guidelines and animal welfare assessment tool for horses

• T Cassidy and A Wilson (Food and Veterinary Office, Ireland)
  Equivalency between EU and third country standards for animal welfare at slaughter (findings from inspections of the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission)
  
  

Click here to download the Symposium timetable and the list of poster presentations

Click here to download the Abstracts of the oral presentations

Registration

The Symposium is now fully booked. However if you wish to be placed on the reserve list in case of cancellations please e-mail your registration form and payment details to Heather Barker at heather@hsa.org.uk. The cost of registration is £290. Please note that the early registration fee of £240 is no longer available and all student places have been filled.

Download an electronic Registration form here (download a PDF version here)

Accommodation

Delegates will be responsible for booking their own accommodation. To download details of local hotels with special discount rates for the Symposium please click here or click the following link to go direct to the site http://tiny.cc/HSA11. Details of other accommodation in Portsmouth and the surrounding area can also be obtained through the Portsmouth Visitor Information website: http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/site/where-to-stay .

Venue

The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is the home of the Royal Navy and contains the world famous historic ships the HMS Victory and the HMS Warrior 1860. The symposium is being held in Boathouse 6 (the Action Stations building) located within the historic dockyard.

The drinks reception is being held on HMS Warrior 1860 the world’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship powered by steam as well as sail. Delegates will be able to look around the ship during the reception.

Delegates will also be able to visit the other attractions within the Dockyard including the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Vice Admiral Lord Nelson’s HMS Victory, the oldest commissioned ship in the world, and have a tour of the harbour by boat. For more information about the Dockyard please visit http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/

Further information about Portsmouth can be found on the Portsmouth Visitor Information website www.visitportsmouth.co.uk. Details of accommodation in the area will be posted on the HSA website nearer the event.
Pictures courtesy of PortsmouthCity Council

Transport

Delegates are responsible for their own transport to the venue and to Portsmouth. Information on travel to Portsmouth and the venue can be found on the following websites:
How to get to the venue: http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/visitors/howtogethere.php .
How to get to Portsmouth and around Portsmouth: http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/site/getting-here-and-getting-around
The airport closest to the venue is Southampton. The Portsmouth Harbour train station and the bus stop Hard Interchange are within walking distance of the venue.

About the Humane Slaughter Association

This symposium marks the centenary of the Humane Slaughter Association which was founded in 1911. The HSA is the only registered charity that works, in the UK and internationally, through educational, scientific and technical advances, exclusively towards the highest worldwide standards of welfare for food animals during transport, marketing and slaughter. More information about the HSA can be found by clicking on the links: About the HSA, HSA Press (on site menu) and exploring the website (www.hsa.org.uk).

UFAW International Animal Welfare Symposium

The HSA’s sister charity, UFAW (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare), is holding a conference entitled “Making Animal Welfare Improvements: Economic and Other Incentives and Constraints” on the 28th & 29th June 2011 at the same venue. For further details please visit the UFAW website, available at: www.ufaw.org.uk

Contact Details

Return forms to:
Heather Barker
Technical Officer
Humane Slaughter Association
The Old School, Brewhouse Hill,
Wheathampstead,
Hertfordshire,
AL4 8AN,
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1582 831919; Fax: +44 (0) 1582 831414;
Website: www.hsa.org.uk; Email: heather@hsa.org.uk

Please note:
In the event of circumstances arising beyond the charity’s control, the HSA reserves the right to cancel this conference at its discretion without incurring any liability in respect of such cancellations, and to return to delegates any monies received.
Delegates who cancel their bookings within 4 weeks of the start of the conference will not have their registration fee refunded. Prior to this, refunds will be discretionary and will be returned less any handling fee.
The registration fee is for an individual, not an institution, and is not transferable unless agreed in advance with the HSA. Failure to comply may result in such individuals being denied entry to the meeting.