Discussion paper on DRAFT Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines - Livestock at Saleyards and Depots
DRAFT
Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Livestock at Saleyards and Depots
(Saleyard Welfare Standards)
Discussion Paper on proposed standards
23July 2013
Acronyms
AAWS / Australian Animal Welfare StrategyALMA / Australian Livestock Markets Association
ALPA / Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association
AVA / Australian Veterinary Association
AWC / Animal Welfare Committee
AWSC / Animal Welfare Science Centre
CCA / Cattle Council Australia
COP / Code of Practice (for the welfare of animals in saleyards)
DPI / Department of Primary Industries (Victoria)
LMA / (Victorian) Livestock Management Act 2010
LSAV / Livestock Saleyards Association of Victoria
LTAV / Livestock Transport Association Victoria
LTS / Land Transport Standards (Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Land Transport of Livestock)
OBPR / Office of Best Practice Regulation
POCTAA / Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
RSPCA / Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
SCoPI / Standing Council on Primary Industries (replaced PIMC – Primary Industries Ministerial Council)
SRG / Standards Reference Group
SWG / Standards Writing Group
SWS / Saleyard Welfare Standards
VCEC / Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission
VFF / Victorian Farmers Federation
Introduction
The primary purpose of this discussion paper is to outline the basis and rationale for each of the proposed saleyard welfare standards and to identify the person/s responsible for each of the standards.
This paper also introduces the objective of the required Regulatory Impact Statement and alternativeoptions to be considered in the assessment.
Background
Following some media attention during 2011, saleyard animal welfare audit reports from Animals Angels, and ongoing reports of animal welfare issues at saleyards, the Livestock Saleyard Association of Victoria convened an industry stakeholder meeting with DPI Victoria on 12 December 2011. Industry representative groups included LSAV, LTAV, ALPA, VFF, CCA & NSQA.
It was agreed at this meeting that the current Model Code of Practice (COP) for the Welfare of Animals at Saleyards is now dated (last revised 2002), and is no longer adequate to promote the welfare of livestock in saleyards and meet the needs of Victorian livestock industries and current community expectations.
At this meeting, the industry representatives generally agreed that it would be in the best interest of the Victorian livestock industries to progress a revision of the current saleyard COP sooner rather than later. A follow-up meeting on 17 January 2012 re-confirmed industry’s preferred position to progress the revision of the COP into regulated Victorian Standards.
Under the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS), Model COPs for animal welfare are being revised into Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines to be harmoniously adopted into state legislation. The saleyard COP is not scheduled for national revision for a number of years.
The current voluntary saleyard COP is referenced under the Victorian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act(POCTA).
The code would be revised into Victorian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Livestock at Saleyards and could be regulated under the Livestock Management Act 2010 (LMA) and revoked from under POCTA legislation.
These new standards and guidelines should be reflected in industry quality assurance programs.
On a recommendation from the Victorian Livestock Industries Consultative Committee, the Victorian Minister for Agriculture endorsed the revision of the COP into Victorian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Livestock at Saleyards.
There is national interest in the development of these Standards suitable for national adoption.Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) has identified the development of national saleyard welfare standards as a high priority and has included it in its current work plan, and supported the work being undertaken by Victoria as a means to develop such national standards.
A business plan was drafted for the development of the Standards. This plan is based on the AAWS – Development of Australian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Livestock Business Plan, February 2009 version.
The role of DPIV is to manage the overall process for the development of the Standards, provide technical representation and project support.
Standards Reference Group
A Standards Reference Group (SRG)was formed with representation from the following stakeholder organisations:
- Industry members
- Livestock Saleyards Assoc of Victoria (LSAV)
- Aust Livestock Markets Assoc (ALMA)
- Aust Livestock & Property Agents (ALPA)
- Livestock Transporters Assoc Victoria (LTAV)
- Victorian Farmers Federation
- Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) – Victorian Division
- Animal Welfare Science Centre (AWSC)
- Animal Welfare organisations
- RSPCA Aust and RSPCA Victoria
- Animals Angels
- Animals Australia
- DPI
- Principal Vet Officer- Livestock Management Standards
- Bureau of Animal Welfare
- Invited consultants (if required)
Standards Writing Group
A small Standards Writing Group (SWG) consisting of David Champness (DPIV) and Mark McDonald (LSAV) are responsible for drafting the standards and guidelines in accordance with the views of the SRGand the principals set out in the Standards and Guidelines Business Plan.
National Consultation
A national industry stakeholder workshop reviewed the draft proposed standards and guidelines in May 2013. The group endorsed the scope of the standards with the inclusion of depots, and agreed with the draft standards and guidelines with some amendments.
Scope of Saleyard Welfare Standards
The saleyard welfare standards and guidelines apply to all livestock saleyard enterprises and livestock depots. The Standards do not apply to on-farm livestock sales, or markets where no permanent livestock handling facilities exist, however, the standards and guidelines should be used for guidance in the management of livestock at on-farm sales and farmers markets.
They apply to the main commercial livestock species: cattle, sheep, goats, pigs andhorses that are handled through saleyards and depots.
The Standards apply to all those responsible for the care and management of livestock that are handled through saleyards, including saleyard managers / superintendents, saleyard staff, stock persons, agents, transport operators and drivers.
This scope was agreed to by the national AWC (AWC 6) on 25 June 2013.
Definitions of saleyard and Transport Processes
Saleyard Process – means all the stages involved in handling livestock through a saleyard or depot, including the receival of livestock into the saleyard complex or depot, unloading, yarding, holding, handling, drafting, weighing, NLIS scanning, penning into and out of selling pens, provision of feed and water, assembling, loading and dispatch from the saleyard complex.
Transport Process- means all the stages involved in moving livestock from one place to another and includes assembling, selecting livestock to be transported, holding livestock prior to loading, loading, transporting, unloading and handling livestock until they have reasonable access to water and feed at a destination.
Discussion onproposed standards
Responsibility
The transition of livestock though the transport and saleyard process’ usually involves the process of ‘change in ownership’ and the ‘transfer of responsibility’. The chain of responsibility is integral to making sure that outcomes are consistent with livestock welfare. The central idea is that a‘person in charge’ is responsible for the welfare of livestock at each stage of the saleyard process (and/ortransport process)and has a duty of care to ensure the welfare of livestock under their control and to communicate vital information.
Please note the use of ‘a person’ or ‘a person in charge’ in the standards. ‘A’ means more than one person (plural) and not just a specific person. Use of ‘a person in charge’ is appropriate where responsibility is shared and may extend along a hierarchy of management.
Land Transport Standards
The Standards Reference Group agreed that the relevant standards and guidelines from the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Land Transport of Livestock (Land Transport Standards(LTS)) should be transcribed and incorporated into the Saleyard Welfare Standards. The rationale for this approach is that saleyard operators and stakeholders will have one reference document for animal welfare in saleyards, rather than the need to refer to both the Land Transport Standards and Saleyard Welfare Standards (SWS) documents for the single enterprise.
Table 1 below lists the proposed saleyard welfare standards. The land transport standards and equivalent saleyard welfare standard are listed in the second column of thetablerespectively. Many of the other proposed saleyard welfare standards are based on or have overlap with some transport standards and these are listed in the third column of the table. The difference may simply be the scope of the standard in relation to the ‘saleyard process’ rather than the ‘transport process’.The fourth column indicates consistency with other relevant welfare standards such as the cattle, sheep, pig and /or horse standards. A lack of a tick in the fourth column does not infer lack of consistency, simply not relevant to the scope. Other proposed saleyard welfare standards not based on transport standards are indicated in the fifth column as either a new standard (New Std), existing standard (S) under the COP or a guideline (G) under the COP.
Table 1.
Saleyard Welfare standard / Equivalent LT std / Similar LT Std / Consistent with cattle,sheep,pig &/or horseWelfare Stds* / Saleyard COPS / G
S1.1 / SA 1.1 / COP
S2.1 / SA 2.1 / / G
S3.1 / SA 3.1 / / G
S3.2 / G
S3.3 / G
S4.1 / SA 5.7 /
S4.2 / SA5.8 (ii) & SB8.11
S4.3 / SB 7.3
S4.4 / SB 9.4 /
S4.5 / SA5.8 / / G
S4.6 / SA 5.9 / / S
S4.7 / SA 5.11, SB 4.9 / S
S4.8 / SB4.9, SB 8.12 / S (pigs), G (calves)
S4.9 / / G
S4.10 / SA 5.16 / / G
S4.11 / (SA5.17) / G
S5.1 / G
S5.2 / SA 5.4 / G
S5.3 / SA 5.6 / G
S5.4 / New Std
S6.1 / SA5.3 / / G
S6.2 / SA 5.2 / G
S6.3 / SA 5.1
S6.4 / / G
S6.5 / / G
S6.6 / / G
S6.7 / GB8.8 / / G
S6.8 / SB 4.5 (iv)
S7.1 / SA 4.1, SA4.3, SA4.4 / G
S7.2 / SA4.1, SB4.5 / G
S7.3 / SA 5.17, SA 5.15
S7.4 / SA 4.5, SA5.15
S8.1 / SA 4.1 / G
S8.2 / SA 4.2 / G
S8.3 / SA 4.3
S8.4 / SA 4.4
S8.5 / SA4.5
S9.1 / New Std
S9.2 / G
S9.3 / SA 4.5 / / G
S9.4 / SA 6.1 / / G
S9.5 / SA 6.2 / / G
S9.6 / SA 6.4 / / G
S9.7 / SA 6.5 /
* Note: lack of a in this column does not infer lack of consistency, simply not relevant to the scope.
Proposed standards
- Responsibilities and planning
S1.1A person must exercise a duty of care to ensure the welfare of livestock under their control and compliance with these saleyard welfare standards.
This standard further lists the particular responsibilities for all stakeholders involved in the saleyard process. They include:
i)Saleyard and depot operators including saleyard owners, managers and superintendents.
ii)Stockpersons (including livestock agents, agency staff, saleyard staff, stock persons and drovers)
iii)Livestock owners (vendor / buyer (or their nominated representative or agent)
iv)Consignors ((livestock owner / buyer) or their nominated representative)
v)Transporters / drivers
S1.1 identifies the people responsible for the care and management of livestock at saleyards. These responsibilitiesare based on the responsibilities listed in sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the COP and SA1.1 of the LTS, and confirmed with relevant stakeholder groups (LSAV, ALMA, ALPA, LTAV).
The following standards (2-9) specify the actual minimum requirements.
- Livestock handling, knowledge and skills
S2.1A person involved in any part of the livestock saleyard process must have the relevant knowledge, skills and experience to perform their required task, or must be supervised by a person with the relevant knowledge, skills and experience.
S2.1 is very similar to the SA2.1 in the LTS, and the respective standards in the draft Cattle and Sheep Welfare Standards requiring people handling or performing tasks on livestock to be competent, having the relevant knowledge, skills and experience, or supervised by such person.
Section 2.2 of the COP states “The importance of competent stockmanship cannot be over-emphasised. The ability to recognise the early signs of distress and injury in animals is an important skill which enables prompt remedial action to be taken. Competent persons are required to exhibit patience, commonsense and responsibility in dealing with animals. Inexperienced persons should not be given tasks requiring particular skills or be required to work alone at any time when animals are being handled. Inexperienced staff should be given training in stock handling by competent and skilled staff. Such training should emphasis the behavioural characteristics of stock.”
S2.1 applies to all people involved in the saleyard process.
- Saleyard facilities for handling livestock
S3.1A person in charge must take reasonable actions in the construction, maintenance and operation of livestock handling facilities to ensure the welfare of livestock.
Saleyard and depot facilities must:
i)be appropriate for the purpose and contain the species; and
ii)have flooring that minimises the likelihood of injury or of livestock slipping or falling; and
iii)be free from protrusions and other objects that could cause injury; and
iv)have sufficient vertical clearance for livestock to minimise the risk of injury; and
v)have unloading and loading facilities which are appropriate for the livestock and transport vehicles; and
vi)have pens constructed so that pigs cannot fight with unfamiliar pigs in adjoining pens; and
vii)have suitable watering facilities; and
viii)have suitable feeding facilities (where required); and
ix)have effective means to minimise the risk to the welfare of livestock from extremes of weather.
S3.1 is based on section 3 of the COP and SA3.1 of the LTS.
Clause vi (pig pens) is based on section 5.1 of the COP in which it was a guideline.
The saleyard operator (owner, manager, superintendent) is primarily responsible for ensuring the construction and maintenance of the saleyards. The responsibility for the operation may extend to others.
S3.2 The saleyard operator must provide for and ensure the holding and selling of pigs and dairy bred bobby calves in a saleyard is conducted under a roofed area.
S3.2 is based on section 5.1 of the COP (special requirements for pigs) “Pigs are more susceptible to heat stress and sunburn than other livestock. They should not be exposed to long periods in direct sunlight or extremes of temperature. Spray facilities should be provide for cooling animals. All procedures involving pigs including holding and selling should be conducted under a roofed area.”
Section 5.2 of the COP (special considerations for unweaned (bobby calves)) states “It is desirable to provide a roofed area to protect calves from the sun.”
There was strong support from the Victorian SRG and national industry stakeholder workshop to mandate a roofed area to protect bobby calves at saleyards.
The Victorian saleyards which routinely sell pigs (Bendigo, Ballarat, and VLE Pakenham) have existing roofed areas for pigs. Colac saleyard infrequently sells pigs, and these are pennedin covered calf pens.
The Victorian saleyards which routinely sell dairy bred bobby calves, namely Shepparton, Warrnambool,Camperdown, Colac, Baw Baw, East Gippsland (Bairnsdale) and VLE Pakenham, all have existing covered / roofed calf pens.
S3.2 is the responsibility of the saleyard operator.
S3.3 The saleyard operator must provide water spray facilities and equipment for cooling pigs at a saleyard.
S3.3 is based on section 5.1 of the COP (special requirements for pigs) “Pigs are more susceptible to heat stress and sunburn than other livestock. They should not be exposed to long periods in direct sunlight or extremes of temperature. Spray facilities should be provide for cooling animals”.
The standard does not specify that spray equipment must be a fixed installation. The spray facilities may be as simple as a portable sprinkler system or hose and nozzle with suitable water pressure and flow rate, and suitable for the scale of the saleyard and environmental conditions.Saleyards should already have portable hoses and nozzles with suitable pressure for washing down / leaning pen floors.
S3.3 is the responsibility of the saleyard operator.
- Handling and husbandry
S4.1A person who handles livestock in a saleyard or depot must do so in a manner that is appropriate to the species and class, and minimises pain or injury. Including:
i)livestock must not be lifted by only the head, ears, horns, neck, tail, wool, hair; or
ii)livestock must not be lifted off the ground by a single leg, or
iii)mechanical lifting of livestock must ensure that the livestock is supported or secured as necessary; or
iv)livestock must not be thrown, or dropped except from a height which allows the animal to safely land standing on its feet; or
v)livestock must not be struck in an unreasonable manner, punched or kicked; or
vi)livestock with no room to move must not be forced, prodded, pushed or excessively handled; or
vii)animals which are unable to stand, must not be dragged except in an emergency to allow safe handling, lifting, treatment or humane killing.
S4.1 is based on SA5.7 of the LTS with some amendments:
- removal on reference to poultry
- removal exemption for lifting sheep, goats and pigs by a single leg if less than 15 kg liveweight from clause (ii). This exemption is applicable in transport situations where access can be an issue in stock crates and ramps. The livestock handler should be able to position themselves in a saleyard situation to lift a smaller animal in an supported and appropriate manner without resorting to a single leg. It is okay to catch an animal by a single leg, but not lift or drag (except in an emergency).
- clause (iv) is amended to allow the ‘dropping’ of animals from a “height which allows the animal to safely land standing on its feet”. This is consistent with the proposed sheep and cattle welfare standards.
- Additional clause (vi) – based on section 4.2 of COP
The SRG discussed clause (v) in relation to the allowance to ‘strike” an animal. Some suggested animals shouldnot be struck at all, and should delete the “in an unreasonable manner”. This was apparently discussed in the development of the LTS and settled on this clause. Everyone agreed that animals must not be struck ‘unreasonably”, but there is a difference between ‘slapping’ an animal for example on the back or rump compared with repeatedly hitting or striking an animal with force.The use of the comma after the word ‘manner’ separates the “punch” or “kick” distinguishing these from the ‘unreasonable manner’; ie you cannot punch or kick an animal at all.
S4.1 applies to all people handling livestock in the saleyard.
Electric Prodders
S4.2 A person must not use an electric prodder on a bobby calf or a horse in a saleyard or depot.
S4.2 is based on LTS SA5.8 (ii) (electric prodders not permitted on animals less than 3 months) and SB8.11 (must not use an electric prodder on a horse).