Treatment of vertebrates according to Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act]

Relating to Section 4 of the Animal Protection Act "Operations on animals", general principles and arguments of the animal protection law are demonstrated; questions about painfulness and necessity of operations on vertebrates are discussed considering the recent states of knowledge and practice. Problems mainly relate to the sensation of pain in juvenile animals during operations without anaesthesia, and to castration and amputation (tails, horns, beaks, combs/wattles, teeth) as well as to destruction or removal of tissues (notching or perforation of ears) in various animal species. Finally, it is recommended to question the indispensability of operations both continuously and more frequently, and to anaesthetize young animals for specified operations despite the legal possibility to dispense from anaesthesia.     

Amendment of the Animal Welfare Act and other topical questions in animal welfare legislation]

A report on the amendment of the German Animal Welfare Act as well as on other questions relevant to animal welfare legislation in the Federal Republic of Germany is given.     

The logical basis in the sense of section 17 number 1 of the Animal Welfare Act]

Since 1972 in Germany it is not allowed to kill vertebrates without a "reasonable reason". This is laid down in article 17 (1) of the Animal Protection Act. This theme--killing of animals--is one of the taboos in our society. The legislative background of killing vertebrates in regard to the "reasonable reason" is reported. Examples are given to illustrate the range of "reasonable reasons" for which animals are killed today.     

A procedure to test and approve standard farm equipment in respect to animal welfare

Since several years, there are claims from various sides to introduce and establish test methods and approval procedures concerning mass-producted standard farm equipment and husbandry systems in Germany. Such a procedure should be closely related to practical conditions, feasible and promoting innovation. The aim is to improve animal welfare, to relieve the authorities of single case testing and to create legal confidence for both, manufacturers and livestock owners.     

认真贯彻实施《兽药管理条例》全面推进兽药管理依法行政

根据兽药管理依法行政的要求,<兽药管理条例>在明确兽药许可事项的实施机关、条件、程序、期限,完善兽药监督管理措施,建立责任追究制度等方面进行了全面的修订.兽药监督管理是依法行政的重要内容,是依法行政的一种具体体现和表现形式.在兽药监督管理中推进依法行政,必须加强兽药管理立法工作,加强制度建设,加强监督队伍建设,加强对行政权力的监督.     

加强人畜互作 保证动物福利

饲养管理中人与动物的关系是动物生产中必须考虑的一个重要环节,人与动物的互作给畜禽带来益处的同时,也会给畜禽造成不同程度的应激,影响其健康和福利,进而影响其各项生产性能的发挥.     

Implementation of paragraph 11b of the German Animal Welfare Act on the basis of the so-called "Quality Breeding" Report

Enforcement of paragraph 11b of the German Animal Welfare Act is a responsibility of breeders and their organisations as well as executive local authorities. The Report on Defective Breeds of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture describes numerous breeding traits which are in conflict with animal welfare and gives valuable information for fancy or pet breeding. Yet a selection has to be made for taking legal actions, following specific criteria. With four examples different cases are presented, each requiring a different approach by the veterinarian authorities. Court decisions in Hessen concerning bans on breeding white cats and crested ducks show that the paragraph 11b is executable.     

The Animal Health and Welfare Law: the veterinary statement as evidence and the role of veterinarians in legal procedures

Every veterinarian can be confronted with the request from a law enforcement agency to conduct a veterinary examination based on the Animal Health and Welfare Act and to produce a written report of that examination. This Veterinary Statement can be used in court. The Veterinary Statement is an important piece of evidence, so it should be formulated with care. The veterinarian in charge must be aware of the requirements that the Veterinary Statement must meet and the legal procedures that must be followed.     

中华人民共和国畜牧法

第一条 为了规范畜牧业生产经营行为，保障畜禽产品质量安全，保护和合理利用畜禽遗传资源，维护畜牧业生产经营者的合法权益，促进畜牧业持续健康发展，制定本法。     

参照OIE动物福利国际标准，提升奶牛养殖生产福利化水平

世界动物卫生组织（OIE）制定了奶牛生产福利的相关国际标准,其中包括奶牛福利衡量指标以及解决奶牛生产系统设计、环境控制和动物管理实践中相关动物福利问题的推荐性建议。OIE奶牛福利标准理念先进、操作性强,具有很好的参考借鉴作用。这提示应参考OIE国际标准,构建适合我国国情的奶牛福利标准和科学评估体系,加大对奶牛福利科学研究的投入,提高奶牛饲养管理人员的动物福利意识,切实提升我国奶牛生产的福利化水平。     

Application of paragraph 16a of the Animal Protection Act

section 16 a of the Animal Protection Act presents difficulties from a number of points of view. What applies here in particular also applies to the Animal Protection Act in general. A look at the rulings of the Federal Administrative Court, which has only issued about twelve judgements regarding the Animal Protection Act, shows that a large number of elements of this act are still in need of final interpretation. One of the principal reasons for this seems to be that disputes involving this act only relatively rarely come up before the administrative courts. Furthermore, this legal provision has shortcomings and it not entirely easy to implement. section 16 a of the Animal Protection Act should at least be improved from the legal technical point of view. There is scope for this to be done. Legislators must use this scope within the meaning of animal protection defined in the law--an issue which is of great concern to us all.     

按照畜牧业的特点调整我国饲料工业

1我国饲料工业与传统畜牧业脱节1.1我国饲料工业的发展1958年“大跃进”运动如火如荼,新生事物不断涌现。我国畜牧战线也不例外,当时曾出现所谓的“养猪自动线”和“养鸡自动线”,实际上这就是中国集约化饲养业的最初尝试。由于集约化饲养的需要,出现了早期的配合饲料。“大跃进”失败后,集约化饲养和配合饲料也随之销声匿迹。30年之后,亦即上世纪70年代末期,华国锋同志号召发展“机械化养猪、养鸡”,全国各地(主要是大中城市郊区)兴建了一批集约化饲养场,相应建设了一批饲料加工车间,加工的饲料自产自用。随后,部分饲料加工车间从饲养场分…     

Ethological basis for the evaluation of animal welfare in housing systems for agricultural animals and laboratory animals]

The Swiss Federal Act on Animal Protection (1978) requires the sale of mass-produced housing systems for farm animals to be authorized by the Federal Veterinary Office. Authorization is only granted for housing systems that safeguard the animals' welfare. A concept for the assessment of Animal Welfare has to provide a high forensic value. The capacity of farm animals to adapt to an intensive housing system can be directly examined, whereas the existence and extent of subjective feelings can only be assumed. In our concept the examination focuses on the interaction of individuals with their artificial environment. The main question is whether or not the individuals are able to cope with given nonspecific (e.g. temperature, humidity) and specific (e.g. drinking troughs, behaviour of conspecifics) stimuli in order to reach the immediate (e.g. drinking, make way for) and ultimate (survival, reproduction success) goals. Animals of the same breed are observed in a highly diverse environment in order to determine normal behaviour. Whether behavioural expressions which differ significantly from normal behaviour are adaptive to the restrictive housing conditions is judged by the behaviours' consequences for both, the individuals and the environment. Many studies prove the concept's high forensic value and the authorities prefer conclusions based on this concept to others referring to the animals' motivational and emotional state. However more research has to be done with respect to animal welfare in farm and laboratory animal breeding as well as in the use of laboratory animals for experimental studies.