Animal welfare during transport and slaughter of cattle - background and facts

Abstract

In the case of commercial transport of animals, both national and European legal requirements must be observed and complied with. The animal welfare obligation extends to all persons involved in the transport of animals. When deciding to hand over an animal, e. g. for slaughter, the question of the animal's fitness for transport in the sense of the European Transport Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005) must also be taken into account.In general, only animals fit for transport may be transported. In cases of doubt, answering the question of whether an animal is fit for transport is a challenge for all persons involved in the transport. In addition, the owner must confirm in advance by means of the so-called standard declaration that the animal is "free of signs of the occurrence of diseases that could affect the safety of the meat" within the meaning of food hygiene law. Only under this condition can the transport of an animal fit for transport to the slaughterhouse be justified.This article summarizes the respective legal framework and provides a source of information on the fitness for transport and suitability for slaughter of cattle from an animal welfare perspective.