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www.rspca.org.uksciencegroupfarmanimals12Sciencegroupreviewof2012FarmlivestockofcersDuringmostof2012thefarmlivestockofficersteamconsistedofsevenmembersthelargestnumbertodate.Thiswasmadepossiblethroughagrantobtainedduring2011fromthePersulaFoundationenablingtheteamtomonitoragreaternumberofFreedomFoodmembersduringthisyearthanhasbeenpreviouslypossible.ThishadaparticularimpactonthemonitoringoftheaquaculturesectorandtheEastAngliaareawhichhasahighFreedomFoodmembershiplevel.TheteamcontinuestodeliverWelfareOutcomeAssessmentWOAonlayinghenanddairymemberunitsafterreceivingtrainingondairyWOAinmid2012.SeveralmembersoftheteamhavealsobeeninvolvedinthedevelopmentofpigWOAprotocolseeAssureWelsection.TheteamattendedapighealthandwelfaretrainingcourseprovidedbyXLVetsFarmSkillsalongwithattendingseveralothertradeshowsandmeetingstokeepuptodatewithbestpracticeandadvancesinfarmanimalwelfare.ThiscontinuingprofessionaldevelopmenthelpstoensurethattheFLOsremainhighlyeffectiveandskilleddeliverersofhands-onanimalwelfareinthefield.PhilipToscanox2RSPCAPhotolibraryTheRSPCAfarmanimalsdepartmentdevelopstheRSPCAwelfarestandardsforfarmanimals.ThesedetaileddocumentsaimtorepresentbestpracticeinthecareandwelfareoffarmanimalsandgoaboveandbeyondstandardproductionsystemsandlegislationintheUKinanumberofkeyareas.Thestandardscovereveryaspectofananimalslifeincludingfoodandwaterprovisiontheenvironmenttransportationandhumaneslaughterkilling.Atpresentthereare10setsofstandardscoveringthemajorspeciesfarmedintheUK.Thestandardsarecontinuallybeingreviewedandrevisedbythedepartmentinlightofscientificevidenceandpracticalexperienceandthroughconsultationwithkeystakeholders.Developmentofeachsetofstandardsisfacilitatedthroughconsultationwithaspecies-specifictechnicalworkinggroupwhichconsistsofproducersusuallyFreedomFoodmembersspecialistveterinariansanimalwelfarescientistsFreedomFoodschemerepresentativesandRSPCAfarmanimalsdepartmentscientificandfieldstaff.ThroughtheseDevelopingRSPCAwelfarestandardsgroupsthedepartmentgathersanddiscussesinformationtoinformthedevelopmentofthestandards.Bycontinuallyreviewingthestandardswecanensurethattheyremainattheforefrontofwhatisachievableintermsofanimalwelfarehusbandryandcommercialviability.ThestandardsareprimarilyimplementedthroughtheRSPCAsownfarmassuranceandfoodlabellingschemeFreedomFood.FarmshaulierstransportersandabattoirsapprovedbytheFreedomFoodschememustimplementalltherelevantRSPCAwelfarestandardsandareassessedannuallybyFreedomFoodassessorstocheckcompliancewiththestandards.InadditionRSPCAFarmLivestockOfficersFLOsconductriskedbasedmonitoringvisitsoftencompletelyunannouncedonaproportionofFreedomFoodmemberseachyearasanextracheckofcompliancewiththestandardsseefarmlivestockofficerssection.In2012revisededitionsoftheRSPCAwelfarestandardsforpigsturkeysandfarmedAtlanticsalmonwerepublished.KeychangesintheRSPCAwelfarestandardsforpigsincludedprohibitingtaildockingforfree-rangepigsandtheinclusionofminimumspacerequirementsforoutdoorpigproduction.WithintheRSPCAwelfarestandardsforturkeysitbecamearequirementtoprovidenaturallightinallhousesandforfarmstoundertakeindependentwelfareauditsforeachflock.In2012theRSPCAwelfarestandardsforfarmedAtlanticsalmonintroducedabandedfreshwaterstockingdensitybasedontheliveweightofthefish.Thisnewapproachtofreshwaterstockingdensitiesmakesiteasiertomeasuretheoperationalindicatorswhichimpingeuponfishwelfareduringthesejuvenilefishlifecyclestages.GreenFoodProjectIntheNaturalEnvironmentWhitePaperforEnglandpublishedinJune2011itwasstatedthatgovernmentindustryandenvironmentalpartnerswouldworktogethertoexplorehowtoimprovetheenvironmentwhilstatthesametimeincreasingfoodproductiontomeetthedemandsofaneverexpandingglobalpopulation.TheGreenFoodProjectisthebodytaskedtotryandachievethesegoals.Astheanimalwelfarerepresentativeonthedairysub-grouptheRSPCAsoughttoensurefocusontheanimalwelfareissueswhichmightaffecttheanimalsinvolvedundersuchanambitiousproject.Anumberofissueswereconsideredsuchastheindicatorswhichdefinetherelationshipbetweenoutputperhectareandtechnicalefficiency.Oneofthethingsthatthegrouprecognisedwasthatsomeenvironmentalimpactscanbereducedbyoptimisingefficiencyresourceuseandreducingwastewhilstatthesametimeimprovingthehealthandwelfareofthecattle.Forexamplebyreducingmortalityandendemicdiseaseintheherdinputssuchasfeedenergywaterlanduseperunitofmilkproductionwouldbereduced.Byteasingoutsomeofthetensionsandchallengesinvolveditwaspossibletolookathowanimalwelfaremightbeaffectedasaresultandadvicewasgiveninordertoensurethattheprogressbeingmadeinimprovingthewelfareofthedairycowatpresentisnotadverselyaffectedbytheambitioussustainabilitygoalsoftheprojectinthefuture.WehavepreviouslycontributedtosimilarinitiativesinWales.