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The 6th International Colloquium on Working Equids

29th November- 2nd December 2010 (optional field visit 3rd December)
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India

As the Colloquium is less than four months away, please register now if you haven’t already done so. Don’t miss the opportunity to take advantage of the special extended early-bird registration – one week left!

The 2010 International Colloquium on Working Equids will be a unique gathering where keynote speakers from the worlds of international development, social science, human health and education will interact with animal scientists, veterinarians, project managers and field workers from the world of working horses, donkeys and mules. The interdisciplinary approach is set to deliver a ground-breaking and thought-provoking conference that will use the theme of ‘Learning from Others’ to explore new approaches to benefit working animals and their owners in the developing world.

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Treating animals with care and respect is very important and (I hope) there is hardly any discussion about its importance in animal production. But there seems to be a discussion going on whether 'animal welfare' is considered a real science or just a combination of values, emotions and interpretations. But does it really matter?
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A study monitoring facial expressions of mice in pain drew fire but was ruled as complying with Canadian regulations.

A Canadian research team that induced pain in mice to help develop a 'grimace scale' recently came under fire from a researcher-support organization, which posted an online commentary suggesting that the scientists may not have complied with Canada's animal welfare regulations. But Canadian officials have since determined that the study did follow national rules for the care of laboratory animals.

The research team, led by pain geneticist Jeffrey Mogil of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, videotaped the facial expressions of mice during 14 pain-inducing procedures, such as immersing the tail in hot water, putting a binder clip on tails, cutting the paw, injecting chemicals into the paw or stomach and constricting or damaging nerves during surgery. The researchers coded the intensity of facial expressions and reported their technique this May in the journal Nature Methods.

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The Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA) has taken action to address some of the issues raised by the Animal Aid undercover filming at a number of slaughterhouses in England.

In June VPHA brought together representatives from a number of organisations with an interest in ensuring good animal welfare standards in abattoirs: British Meat Processors Association (BMPA); Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS); Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW); Defra; FSA Operations Group (FSAOG – formerly the Meat Hygiene Service);and the Humane Slaughter Association (HSA). The meeting was observed by representatives of the British Veterinary Association (BVA).

The meeting considered the issues arising from the Animal Aid footage and attempted to identify some of the reasons for the problems and how the organisations might work together to address them.

The organisations acknowledged that the Animal Aid films raised concerns at various stages of the slaughter process, including the handling of animals and the use of stunning equipment.

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