Handling of the petition for carrying out ritual slaughter (the area of conflict of the official veterinarian between the special requirements and legal possibilities). Juristic view

With the introduction of Art. 20 a GG in August 2002 the moral thought of animal protection has become a constitutional principle. Now an accommodation between animal protection on the one hand and with religious freedom (undisturbed practice of religion), the right to free development of personality and the right to free choice an practice of an occupation on the other hand has become necessary. If somebody is able to substantiate a claim because of compelling religious reasons, the appropriate authority has still to grant him a certificate of exemption for ritual slaughtering pursuant to paragraph 4 a Abs. 2 Nr. 2 animal-protection-act. The following text tries to explain the conditions precedent to get a permission in detail. The author affirms, that the authorities are bounded by the law. Veterinarians as appropriate authorities are not allowed to turn downed an application on reasons of conscience.     

The least requirements for the rotation of swine for slaughter from loading to transport to resting time until stunning from the viewpoint of animal protection and meat quality

1. According to the loading density there is a significant increase of the physical burden (strain) during a transport of pigs to the slaughterhouse. Keeping up minimal requirements (kgs pigs/sqm) the stress reaction decreases and the meat quality becomes better. 2. Each transport produces excitement which can be shown in higher respiratory and heart frequencies. The slaughtering of excited animals shows a higher percentage of carcasses with bad meat quality. Waiting times from at least 2 hours up to a maximum of 4 hours shows that the percentage of carcasses with a better meat quality increases. 3. Handling of animals at the slaughterhouse prior to stunning by dividing the number of pigs into small groups of at least 9 animals is very important especially because it reduces the excitement of the pigs prior to stunning. The stunning results are getting better. Mistakes in handling pigs prior to stunning especially in guiding them to the stunning place usually destroy all positive efforts for optimal transparent conditions and keeping up waiting times after transport. 4. The last step ahead to the stunning equipment. No good solution does exist which makes the pigs willingly do this last step and enter the place where the stunning is performed. This results in the CO2 stunning system itself as well as in the automatic electrical stunning equipment using a restrainer. 5. Stunning with CO2.     

100th anniversary of the birth of Professor Dr. Dr.h.c. Hugo Grau (15 April 1899-27 June 1984). Co-founder of the World Association of Veterinary Anatomists and the European Association of Veterinary Anatomists

On occasion of the centenary of Professor Hugo Grau's birth, in the first part of this memorandum his successful life and work, and in the second part his forsighted contribution to the foundation of above-mentioned international associations of veterinary anatomists will be honoured.     

World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) guidelines for evaluating the effectiveness of anthelmintics in chickens and turkeys

These guidelines have been prepared to assist in the planning, operation and interpretation of studies designed to assess the effectiveness of drugs against helminth parasites of chickens and turkeys. They are the first to be compiled under the auspices of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) for these parasites. The advantages and disadvantages of the widely used critical and controlled tests are discussed. Information is provided on the selection of animals for experiments, animal housing, feed, dose determination studies, confirmatory and field trials, record keeping and necropsy procedures. This document should help investigators and those involved in product approval and registration in conducting and evaluating studies concerned with determining the effectiveness and safety of anthelmintic drugs.     

Origin and history to date of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) African Foundation

The origin of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) African Foundation is described. The 16th WAAVP Conference held in South Africa in 1997 generated a surplus of ZAR 430 460 (US$ 70 116). This was invested and a foundation established to manage the fund with the intention of using it to the mutual advantage of the WAAVP and African veterinary parasitologists. To date, more than 110 scholarship applications have been screened, and 51 full and partial scholarships awarded to young African veterinary parasitologists to attend subsequent biennial WAAVP Conferences. This investment has grown into a very successful endowment currently valued at US$ 206 553. This article is written in response to many queries across the globe about the origin of this fund and how it has been invested, managed, sustained and utilised.