The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a report on the slaughter of pregnant farmed animals in Europe. According to EFSA’s experts, on average 3% of dairy cows, 1.5 % of beef cattle, 0.5% of pigs, 0.8% sheep and 0.2% of goats in the EU are slaughtered during the last third of gestation. There may be economic reasons for this, or there may be health concerns, or the farmers may not realise the animals are pregnant.
EFSA's experts concluded that, due to the presence of 'inhibitory mechanisms in the body of the foetus', the foetuses were unlikely to feel pain if killed during the first two thirds of gestation, and that the protections probably continue during the final third. However, they found limited information on which to base their judgement, and recommended that fewer pregnant animals should be sent to slaughter. Read more here.
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