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Report on castration and tail docking
The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) has launched its "Report on the implications of castration and tail docking for the welfare of lambs".
The report considers the implications of castration and tail docking for the welfare of lambs and reiterates FAWC's earlier view that castration and tail docking of lambs are mutilations which should not be undertaken without strong justification.
Professor Wathes, Chairman of FAWC, said: "FAWC believes that scientifically based advice can now be given that will minimise the suffering arising from castration and tail docking."
He continued: "If castration is warranted, some methods cause more suffering than others and pain relief should be given once practical methods of delivering local anaesthetics and analgesics have been developed."
The Report notes that the pain and distress caused by tail docking is less severe than that following castration but that it is a painful mutilation. One of the Report's recommendations is that farmers should agree a decision to dock lambs' tails with their veterinary surgeon following an appraisal of the disease risks.
The report recommends that sheep farmers, the meat industry, operators of farm assurance schemes, and retailers should implement the Welfare Code, which requires careful consideration of the need for castration and tail docking, and should introduce measures to avoid these mutilations.
In addition, the Report recommends that retailers and others in the food supply chain should not require castration of lambs and should reward farmers for adoption of a welfare-oriented policy on castration and tail docking.
4:00pm Tuesday 1st July 2008
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