20. May 2017

Poland | Bodzentyn | Cattle market

[Translate to English:] Kuh mit vernachlässigten Klauen.

Our team is inspecting cattle market in Bodzentyn. There are much less animals than a week ago. We count only about 300-350 animals. There are quite a lot of animals with neglected claws and a few emaciated cows. We note down the ear tag numbers and discover that two are written with a marker, and one was broken. Both are not clearly readable. We…

27. April 2017

Germany | Chemnitz | Police training: road inspections

[Translate to English:]

During the road inspection at the highway A4 nine animal transporters are inspected, among them two private horse transports, cattle transported for slaughter and piglets on journeys exceeding 8 hours for further fattening.

Infringement procedures are started for two transporters. In one of them a divider was not fixed properly and a cow injured…

26. April 2017

Germany | Chemnitz | Police training in Chemnitz

[Translate to English:]

The traffic police in Chemnitz is very active in the field of livestock inspections and, with support of Dr. Alexander Rabitsch,  AWF could support them with a training on EU Regulation 1/2005. Beside police officers also veterinary inspectors participate and problematic fields of animal transport are discussed, for e.g. the long distance transport…

13. April 2017

Uruguay | Cerro Largo | Blood farms for hormone production

[Translate to English:] Die schwer verletzte Stute humpelt am blauen Tank vorbei.

At 8:00 in the morning, two gauchos on horseback arrive at the blood farm, herding 30 to 40 horses. Shortly after, two employees are observed moving the horses from the holding pens into the raceway leading to the extraction building. One of them is waving a long stick with a white flag on the end and the other a stick with a plastic bag attached.…

07. April 2017

Poland | Lublin | Police (ITD) training

[Translate to English:]

It is our fifth day of work with ITD (Road Transport Inspection) from Lublin area, accompanied by Veterinary Inspectors. This time we inspect one truck, but with plenty of violations. The example how NOT to transport poultry: the curtains are inappropriate, not allowing proper ventilation; the crates are destroyed, creating a) risk of injury and…

06. April 2017

Poland | Lublin area | Police (ITD) training – follow up

[Translate to English:]

The weather is not supporting our work today: we are inspecting animal transports with Road Transport Inspectors in wind, rain and hail. The first stopped truck is empty, documents and construction are OK. The second one, a national pig transport, raises our doubts about loading density, but after careful calculations we see that there are no…

06. April 2017

Uruguay | Maldonado | Estancia „Las Marquesas“ | Blood farms for hormone production

[Translate to English:] Hochträchtige Stuten, die zur Nachzucht von Blutstuten bestimmt sind.

Today we return to the estancia “Las Marquesas” of Fernando Perdigón to conduct further observations on the pastures. Our first sight are three heavily pregnant mares crossing the road. They have yellow tags around their necks. We assume that these mares are used for breeding to ensure a supply of young mares for PMSG production.

Most horses we…

05. April 2017

Poland | Lublin - Kraśnik | Police (ITD) training – follow up

[Translate to English:]

Another long day on the road with Road Transport Inspection and Veterinary Inspection. The first truck is empty, so we have a look inside a very well equipped long distance swanneck trailer - a great educating opportunity. Next, a short distance transport is a consignment of pigs whose status makes us worried: they are dirty, obviously stressed, we…

04. April 2017

Poland | Lublin - Kraśnik | Police (ITD) training – follow up

[Translate to English:]

Three animal transports inspected today with Road Transport Inspection. The first truck looked familiar, and indeed it was the same one that we inspected yesterday, with the same driver. We were pleased to see again proper conditions for the animals. The driver only received a warning for incomplete documentation under Art. 4 of Reg. 1/2005. The…