Industry must work together on animal transport
The extension of Defra’s consultation on animal transport regulations to February 25 should be used to consult with the industry to allow a joint approach to be taken in any new legislation.
Calling for a more inclusive approach – involving those with direct experienceandexpertisetodesign practical legislation, Ruminant Health and Welfare (RH&W) says any regulatory changes should be evidence-based and rooted in science.
The organisation, set up to work with industry and governments to influence collective action and secure the policy framework and funding required to prevent,manageorcontroldiseaseandwelfarechallenges acrosstheruminantsectors isheadedupbyformernfu Scotland president, Nigel Miller.
Hesaidthatanynewstandards should be subject to a welfare benefit assessment and a cost benefit analysis.
“Safeguarding the welfare of animals should be the primary focus of any regulatory change, recognising that the existing European regulatory framework has underpinned high operating standards within the UK.”
Appropriateregulationneeded to be supported by effective monitoring and enforcement, said Miller who argued that some of the welfare problems identified in other European jurisdictions were the result of non-compliance and weak enforcement, rather than regulatory failure.
Welcoming the extension of the truncated consultation period he added: “However, concerns remain that the consultation was launched withoutaclearevidencebasetosupportmuchofthedetailandthat impact assessments were also incomplete.”
But he expressed doubts that the limited extension granted to allow industry, expert, and professional bodies to input to theprocesswouldresolvethese concerns.
And Miller expressed fears that the while it would be usefultoalignregulatorystandards across the UK, the approach takenintheconsultationpaper failed to factor in the needs of peripheralregions,andislands.
“Without partnership workingacrossthefournations,per verseoutcomesorregulatory fragmentation are inevitable - collaboration must now be a priority,” he said.
The proposed ban on live exports would also have far-reachingconsequences, whichthegovernmentmust planfor–includingbuilding regional abattoir capacity.
“Defra should, if a trade ban is implemented, take responsibilityfortheimpact on businesses and support the development not only of sustainable high welfare rearing systems but markets for the classes of stock which have previously been reared in Europe.” And while the group had welcomed the introduction of temperature monitoring and forced ventilation to long distance transport vehicles, it worried that the proposals ignored different abilities to tolerate both high and low temperatures by different species and age groups.
“Young animals including calves and lambs have a reduced tolerance of extreme environmental conditions. A single benchmark temperature range for conventional transport isthereforeunlikelytodeliver benefit across all species. “We believe time should be takentousethatresourceto take the development process forward.”