DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (204/08) issued by
The Government News Network on 1 July 2008
The Farm Animal
Welfare Council (FAWC) today 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.
Notes for Editors
1. Lamb castration and tail docking have been used for many years
and each year, in Britain, several million lambs are castrated and
many more tail-docked. Lambs are castrated mainly for management
purposes, whereas tail docking is done to help minimise the risk
of flystrike which is a debilitating condition for sheep.
2. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) is an independent
advisory body established by Government in 1979 to keep under
review the welfare of farm animals on agricultural land, at
market, in transit and at place of slaughter; and to advise
Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, of
any legislative or other changes that may be necessary.
3. Professor Christopher Wathes is Chair of Animal Welfare at the
Royal Veterinary College, University of London.
4. All FAWC members serve in a personal capacity and do not
represent any organisation with which they may be associated.
5. Copies of FAWC publications are available from the FAWC
Secretariat at the address below and on the FAWC website.
Approaches for interviews should also be routed through the Secretariat.
FAWC Secretariat Area 5A, Millbank
c/o Nobel House
17,
Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Website: http://www.fawc.org.uk
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News Release