The goal of this national equine industry project is to develop internationally recognized guidelines, animal welfare assessments and education for all those involved in the processing of horses. This project will be completed in the fall of 2010.
The project includes:
- The development of guidelines and assessment tools including:
- Behavior and handling of horses
- Facility design for optimal animal welfare at loading, unloading, lairage and plant handling areas
- Proper stunning
- Transportation
- Animal Welfare Assessment forms
- Program review and endorsement by the North America Farm Animal Well-being Commission
- Development of industry communication tools
- A certification training session for animal welfare assessors
Background
Horses have been a source of protein for people around the world for centuries. Over one billion people, or 16% of the world population, eat horse meat. In 2008, 111,236 horses were processed for meat in Canada and 20,912 tonnes of horse meat was exported. Horse meat is Canada’s third largest exported meat.
In Canada we set the highest standards for all aspects of horse production. The equine industry has guidelines for the care and handling of horses, including unfit animals and humane handling, transport training programs and codes of practice. This Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada (HWAC) project fills the need for horses at processing, including detailed information about animal behavior and handling, facility design, transport, compromised animals and effective stunning.
The tools developed in this project are modeled after the animal welfare guidelines and assessment tools developed by the American Meat Institute (AMI) for the other meat packing industry (cattle, pigs and sheep).
Project Team and Support
This project is a team effort to continuously advance animal welfare in the equine industry. Funding for this project was provided by: Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Intercity Insurance Services (Capri Insurance), Alberta Farm Animal Care, North American Equine Ranching Information Council, Horse Council BC, Saskatchewan Horse Federation, Nova Scotia Equestrian Federation and Fédération équestre du Québec.
This project is managed through the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada (HWAC). For more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
HWAC gratefully acknowledges the Alberta Equestrian Federation for its secretariat support.
