Animal welfare

PHOTO : ISTOCKPHOTO PHOTO : A VERY PARTY FROM CANADA to slaughterhouses had glass, did we not become all vegetarians?' asks Georges Laraque in this docu - mentary. He says that when buying meat, the consumer perpetuates the annual massacre of six billion animals in the United States only. For an hour 30, the ex-pugilist hockey narrates a monocord tone the French translation of the American film Earthlinks , where the treatment of animals by men is compared to a new holocaust.

The shocking documentary, first broadcast in Montreal in January 2010, focuses on "industrial" breeding practices, among other things.

One of them jumps on chickens on foot as we press grapes."S Georges Laraque's Crusade By Nicolas Mesly L-ex-dur to cook the Canadian first agreed to give an interview to the Agricultural Co-operator. Then our numerous calls and emails remained dead letter. But on his website and in the documentary Terriens, Mr.

Laracus gives the reasons for the ethics of his new fight. In another sequence, a sadist takes his foot in torturing a sow with a stick in the driveway of a pig farm by calling it "smug." "I decided to become an official vegetative - Talian in June 2009, after seeing this film," says Georges Laraque. "When you are vegetarian, you eliminate fish and meat.

But when you are a vegan, you have to remove all dairy products and everything from animals [NDLR: including leather clothing]. "But can we really say from this docu - mentary that meat production – from agricultural producers to slaughterhouse – is ruled by executioners?" "Quebec has so far escaped the debate on animal welfare, perhaps because of language. But this issue is at the centre of a real social debate in English Canada, the United States and Europe," says Anne Marie de Passillé, animal welfare specialist at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Agassiz, British Columbia.

X Professor Anne Marie de Passillé says producers should "take the bull by the horns" by being very proactive in this social debate instead of being imposed standards. PHOTO: A PASSILY MARIE SHORTTOISY Quebec, like an island, has lived outside the debate on animal welfare in North America and Europe. Georges Laraque, the Canadian's former hard-to-cook, wants to change this. But in this multi-interested society issue, no one can ignore that animal comfort goes hand in hand with the well-being of producers.

And that there is a price to pay at the meat, egg and dairy counter. Animal welfare, a beast with multiple interests 42 The Agricultural Co-operators - OCTOBER 2011 OCTOBER 2011 - The Agricultural Co-operator 43 Animal welfare file PHOTO: NICOLAS MESLY PHOTO: THE FEDERED COOP has been dumb will be less easy to handle during calving. It may also be more nervous, which causes a waste of time for employees to handle or to wear - the rinaire called for to cure it. The gains in time and safety of a hole - calm skin are enormous.

"Cows of a peaceful herd can produce 1000 kg of milk more than a stressed herd, it's proven!" added Mr. Also, in March 2011, the breeder did not hesitate to jump on an airplane to cross the 5,000 km of his company from the Agri-Food Research Centre of the Paci - fique, in Agassiz, B.C. This facility is one of the 19 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centres located across the country. And research conducted with the assistance of experts from the University of British Columbia makes it an international Mecca for the well-being of dairy cattle.

As a result of this visit, Mr. Pittet now intends to defuse his heifers when they are less than a week old, with caustic paste, a much less dull process than the use of hot iron. And the breeder discusses with his veterinarian the best sedative to administer to young animals. "The animal wants to rub to get rid of the paste, which pricks; so it is necessary to immobilize for two or three hours," he explains.

Walking around the free-standing stable at Pittet Farm, where cows walk between the silage-laden alleys and the four milking robots, it is noted that some of them have no tail. L'ablation was L Georges Laraque filling this void. The Canadian's exathlete associates with the largest animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA. In Hollywood, PETA has the support of a skewer of stars, including the planter Pamela Anderson or the former Beatles singer, Sir Paul McCartney.

The striking campaigns "McCruelty" or "KFCruelty", signed PETA and conducted against the major chains of fast food McDonalds and PFK (Kentucky Fried Chicken), have turned the stomach of the clientele. When it comes to treating their image, these Goliath food products have forced their suppliers to engage in new practices of breeding, transportation and slaughtering. "It seems that this non-legislative approach has not completely satisfied the critics of intensive breeding or consumers," says Ms. de Passillé. "A sister organization of the PETA, The Humane Society of the United States, is at the origin of animal welfare campaigns in several states, where referendums on this issue are allowed.

A Quebec Strategy It is difficult to predict what the "Laraque" effect will be in the Belle Province. This is when Quebec began a consultation process since last June to refine its strategy on animal welfare. This Quebec law on the protection of animal health and welfare (the Animal Health Protection Act) "applies only to dogs and cats, and does not cover farm animals," explains D re Hélène Trépanier, responsible for the consultation process on this strategy at MAPAQ.

Interviewed shortly after the scandal of ill-treatment of the residents of the "Le Berger Blanc" furnace, she said she could not provide precise statistics on the number of cases of animal cruelty in agriculture. Hélène Trépanier, however, distinguished two categories of problem breeders: "Producers or owners of farm farms. In both cases, these people have a lot of personal problems or suffer from depression, and these problems mostly hide a real human misery."

At present, it is very difficult for the authorities to intervene to seize and save farm animals, which are subject to the Criminal Code and to prove before a judge that the person intended to hurt them, which is almost an impossible mission. MAPAQ's intervention is limited to providing advice to the owner, but often he or she falls into neglect.

"The new Animal Health Protection Act [Act P-42] would allow us in extreme cases to remove animals from a farm or farm based on their condition rather than on the intentions of the producer," says Dr. Trépanier. "The questions on animal welfare can be discussed on the MAPAQ online site this fall. Some 60 stakeholders, including SPCA cana - dienne (Société pour la prévention de la cruelité contre les animaux), have been involved in this process.

But there are no consumer groups in this list, nor are there Georges Laraque. A business opportunity On his website, Georges Laraque boasts the benefits of his new diet. Vegetarians are less likely than meat eaters to suffer from mala - heart disease, certain cancers and obesity, he says by quoting the Canadian and American associations of dietitians. And he invites his readers to become vegetarians or vegans to save the lives of billions of animals, improve the lot of the world and the lot of their wallet (meat costs dearly).

The former professional athlete intends to take advantage of his new convictions. Among other things, he promotes Terrasphere, a company producing hydroponic equipment and vegetables in Vancouver. As well as from Prudessence, a small company my - trealise of restaurants-treaters trendy and specialized in vegetarian food without cooking. X Animal welfare: Alphonse Pitttet takes the bull by the horns Lássage is the most suffering thing in the life of a heifer.

If you skin a beast over two months old, she remembers it all her life!" explains Alphonse Pittet. Saint-Tite's breeder believes that this elephant memory is costly for her dairy business of 455 cows. abandoned on the farm three years ago. Question of societal image: "On visits to the farm, the children asked us why the cows had no tail. It was said that cows were born with a tail and had to die with it," says Mr.

In addition, based on research funded by Dairy Farmers of Canada, this approach did not improve cow cleanliness or stop mastitis. Pittet, "farmers who do not pre-empt themselves - will not get animal welfare will not stay in business." But he deplores the attitude of some pressure groups and says that he was pro - based on what Mr. Adam said. He is sitting with Steve Adam, an expert in dairy production, animal comfort and welfare in Valacta, and the discussion on this subject is going well.

"It's like these groups refuse to know our reality," says the producer. "The possible mandatory return of cows to pastures is a concern," says the producer. "People associate cows with meadows," says the producer. "Some countries like Sweden make this a requirement.

And the gouda giant, the cooperative FrieslandCampina, of the Netherlands, strongly encourages herd farmers to have their herds grazed in the fields. The abandonment of pastures has allowed better food control and greater comfort of the animals, sheltered from insects and heath. Result: greater productivity. To do this, the producers have invested and mechanized their stables.

"In the fastening stables, animals are not free of movement. If there was a requirement to return to pasture, these investments would be less efficient, just like animals," Pittet believes. 的X Raising a heifer from 0 to 24 months costs between $2,700 and $2,800, and Alphonse Pitttet treats his heifers to small onions. Their comfort is paramount, since it is "the future of the flock".

The producer is planning to have them build a new stable. Its cost: one million dollars! OCTOBER 2011!The Agricultural Co-operator 4544 The Agricultural Co-operator WHERE TO OCTOBER 2011 Animal welfare Olymel and animal welfare PHOTO: NICOLAS MESLY beasts are surprisingly calm. Once they are head down, their breasts rub along a plexiglas panel, which gives the effect of a last caress.

Then their heads plunge a fraction of a second into a salt water bath, where they are slightly electrocuted."The electrical current disturbs the information of the brain, which is the center of pain. It is a form of anesthesia," explains Dr Benabid. "No beast of the 500 counted was poorly insensitivity.

These inert chickens continue their last journey to the bleeding. His time in hand, man measures again. The operation has succeeded on all birds. Whether it is "the assemblage" or "the bleeding", Dr Benabid, applying industry standards, will tolerate no more than 5 birds in 500 – or 1% of the animals – not passing these two critical points with their hands.

If that is the case, the factory must correct the problem... immediately. At 42, this native Algerian, who arrived in Quebec in 2001, is among other things the internal auditor of animal welfare at Olymel, the most important - both a producer-exporter of meat in the country. Veterinary doctor graduated from the University of Veterinary Sciences of Algiers in 1994, El Oualid Benabid is not afraid of the challenges. He started his course again at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Montreal to graduate in 2005.

And since January 2006, he has been auditing animal welfare for the three poultry-poultry shoots and the three pig slaughterhouses of the agri-food giant of Quebec. "I am a kind of coach," says the main concerned humbly. He is one of the few Cana - to be a certified auditor 1 by the American organization PAACO (Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization). He was formed in 2009 by the North American guru of animal welfare, Temple Grandin (see box of p. 47).

The company's role is crucial: it prepares plants for external audits, monitors the correspondents and works closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The latter is not content with internal audits supervised by Dr Benabid. Once a year, the fried chicken giant delegates an independent audit team, the American company Silliker. The commercial consequences of a failed review could be disastrous."On the limit, if you have not brought the necessary corrective measures, a customer can break a contract.

He will not run the risk of putting his reputation at stake if L Chrono, Dr. El Oualid Benabid, watches chickens march through the slaughter line of the slaughterhouse and poultry cutting plant Flamingo Olymel, located in SaintDamase. Near him, employees hang the live birds by both legs as soon as they are removed from their delivery cages. the problem is found in the public square," slice D r Benabid. "This has never happened in Olymel." According to the veterinarian, "the question of animal welfare is a matter of a chain of which the actors – producers, carriers and slaughterhouses – are increasingly aware."

It is also a constantly evolving estate. After leaving the Saint-Damase factory, we quickly head to the Unidindon factory in Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Rouville, owned by Olymel and Exceldor. For four months, large birds have been insensitivity in a CO2 anaesthesia chamber instead of the electric anaesthesia used with chickens – a total investment of four million dollars. Volatile birds, very calm, no longer leave their delivery cages.

These are carried on a conveyor that passes through a huge metal box. Inside, we control the soporific injection of carbon dioxide. And at the other end, the animals rise - tent inanimate. "Take one!" Mg. Benabid orders.

The big bird weighs between 6 and 7 kg. But some turkeys can weigh up to 18 kg. "Imagine if it was fighting!" continues my guide. Understood: hanging a live turkey by both legs, it's sport!

By not fighting, volatile cots are no longer likely to break their wings or damage their precious breasts. Once hung, turkeys make the same last journey as their small winged cousins, with the same critical points in the slaughterhouse. In addition to improving the working conditions of employees, the new gas anaesthesia system saves previously lost kilos of meat. Leaving Dr Benabid at the entrance to this factory, it is understood that the best definition of well-being includes that of animal, human and economics.

X Grandin Temple, guru of animal welfare "Nature is cruel. But the animals we eat deserve our full respect. And we must make sure that they are not afraid and that they do not suffer!" says Grandin Temple. When McDonalds, PFK and other agri-food giants became the target of activists, the North American meat industry turned to this exceptional woman to improve her practices.

Grandin suffers from autism, a disease characterized by a retreat and a more or less severe loss of contact with the outside. It is by working on her aunt's ranch in Texas that the girl sees cows immobilized in a cage of restraint for the first time to be vaccinated. She notes that the steel tightness calms the animals. She tries it and even makes a cage at her waist with wooden panels to calm her own anxieties.

The machine helps to become "more sociable". Grandin became the guru of animal welfare thanks to her ability to get into the skin of animals. Brilliant mathematician, she re-designs, during her mastery project, the facilities of a slaughterhouse after having discovered that cattle move in circles. For the company, it promotes a fluid movement of animals, a saving of time and money.

The student publishes her research in Arizona Farmers, which will help to make her known. Even today, Grandin does not hesitate to stand on her feet when she visits a slaughterhouse to detect a d'air, a slammed door, a bolt that goes beyond, or any object or circumstance that could scare cattle and pigs, or anything that might hinder their movement. It is to her that the principle of killing animals "humanly" is a principle.

And today, more than half of the slaughter facilities in North America are designed according to his work. The expert teaches animal science at the University of Colorado and regularly gives lectures in Canada. Animal welfare, a five-point definition: sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

OCTOBER 2011: Agricultural Co-operator 4746 Agricultural Co-operators - OCTOBER 2011 Animal Well-being PHOTO: NORMAND MARTINEAU they are very important North American companies (Smithfield and Maple Leaf) announced that they would demand from their furnaces a gradual elimination of cages by 2017. For its part, the Manitoba Pork Council announced (2011) that it would encourage producers to abandon gestation cages by 2025."The current economic situation of producers does not allow for the investment - necessary to make the transition for sows from cages to parks.

However, if the consumer is willing to pay, we will answer," says Normand Martineau, head of animal welfare at the Fédération des producteurs de porcines du Québec (FPPQ).According to agro-economist Daniel-Mercier Gouin, professor at Laval University and member of the Groupe de recherche en économie et politique agricoles (GREPA), who cites an American study, the rejection of the gestation cage results in "an increase in production costs of 9%."

Is productivity understood - put? Sows fight in groups. It would not be necessary for freedom of movement to be met with wounded animals," says Marie-José Turgeon, a specialist in food and pre-slaughter welfare at the Centre de développement du porc du Québec (CDPQ). She indicates that research results will be published on this issue in the fall of 2011.

In addition to the notion of freedom of movement, the other major issue raised by animal welfare concerns painful practices, such as castration. "We are looking for an alternative solution to this practice. In Europe, livestock farmers cast their animals by injection, a process that does not inflict pain," says Turgeon. "For Professor Gouin, animal welfare can represent a new market opportunity for innovative companies... until it becomes the norm.

D Elsewhere in the world The ban on gestation cages began in England in 2003. Jointly with the National Pig Association in London, Stewart Houston, says that English producers have converted cages into parks for a cost of between $460 and $935 per sow. This cost includes the establishment of an independent audit system for animal welfare devices among breeders, to reassure consumers, on the one hand, and on the other to avoid an overbidding of requirements between large feeding chains, such as Tesco and Sainsbury.

England is self-sufficient at 50% in pork meat, and imports come mainly from Denmark and France. This percentage - self-sufficiency has not changed much since 2003, the start of the transition to gestation cages. Other factors than animal welfare – such as exchange rates, new environmental rules, diseases – have also affected the profitability of livestock farms. Gestation cages will be banned for all producers in the European Union from 1 January 2013.

The Commission has also been able to provide a number of support measures to the Community's agricultural sector, including the development of a new agricultural policy, the development of a new agricultural policy and the development of a new agricultural policy.

Animal welfare certification in pig farms Quebec hog producers have until January 1, 2012 to have their businesses certified under the Animal Welfare Program (AWB) and will be merged with the Canadian Quality Assurance (CQA) program, which focuses on farm safety."Canadian consumers want to ensure that hog producers take good care of their animals," said Jurgen Preugschas, President of the Canadian Pork Council. "The merger of the AWB and AQC programs will strengthen the position of Canadian pork and Canadian hog producers.

This will also simplify the documentation, registration and validation process for all stakeholders." According to Normand Martineau (photo opposite), responsible for animal welfare at the FPPQ, 70 farms out of 800 are certified. He estimates that 50% of Quebec production meets these standards. FPPQ plans to launch an awareness campaign to ensure that the maximum number of companies are certified by the end of the schedule.

This self-declaration on animal welfare will be mandatory to obtain AQC accreditation. Sows raised in cages or parks? "The notion of animal welfare is already integrated into the pig's specification La Coop," explains Étienne Hardy, Senior Director, Porcine Production Service in La Coop federated. "This booklet focuses on good practices in handling and transporting animals and on the conditions of breeding.

The development of this issue, including the abolition of gestation cages, will be based on consumer demand and the technical and financial capacity of the 150 farmers in the sector, says La Coop, currently markets 1.2 million pigs and aims to market 2 million animals. Open hens lay more expensive eggs Serge Lefebvre produces eggs from chickens raised in "Convention - nelles" cages, free range and organic. Canada's egg producers, he says, can meet the demand.

But there is a price: organic eggs sell twice as much as ordinary eggs. The growth of the organic market is slow and represents only 1.5% of the Quebec market. When we were in the heat of the day, chickens preferred to stay inside rather than take out the beak outside the chicken chicken. The breeder considers the recent historic agreement between the United Egg Producers (United Egg Producers) and the activist group Humane Society (HRS) to be "random".

This will allow chickens to enjoy a space of 124 to 144 square inches each, almost double the space in the "conventional" cages."It is a social peace that is not based on any scientific expertise and that will cost US consumers four billion dollars," he says. Cana - diners produce the same standards of enriched cages as Europeans, a 116 square inch space per hen. Producers across the Atlantic will have to comply with this standard in 2012.

In Canada, there is no deadline. Note that Canada's Egg Producers launched a Poultry Well-Being Research Chair at the University of Guelph in May. PHOTO: NICOLAS MESLY Serge Lefebvre , a member of the Executive Committee of Canada's Egg Producers and also the second vice-president of the Fédération des producteurs d'éufs du Québec. PHOTO: NORMAND BLOUIN "We do not plan to change our current facilities, but rather to abolish the gestation cages when new pigs are built, to meet some market demand," explains Catherine Michaud, an agronomist, pig sector at La Coop fedérée.

PHOTO : NICOLAS MESLY OCTOBER 2011