HSA Centenary International Symposium: Recent advances in the welfare of livestock at slaughter

The Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) is holding an International Symposium on Recent Advances in the Welfare of Livestock at Slaughter on the 30th June and 1st July 2011 at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth (UK) as part of the charity’s centenary celebrations. The HSA (founded in 1911) is the only registered charity that works, in the UK and internationally, through educational, scientific, and technical advances, exclusively towards the highest worldwide standards of welfare for food animals during transport, marketing and slaughter.

Very large numbers of farmed livestock are slaughtered for human consumption each year and it is important that this is done as humanely as possible. There have been great advances in the science and technology of humane slaughter and killing methods over the years and work in these fields is set to continue with further developments expected. The aim of the symposium is to present and discuss recent scientific and technical advances in the humane slaughter of farmed animals (mammals, birds, fish and others), the uptake and application of these advances around the world, and their relevance to current farming methods; to help identify future priorities and consider how these may be tackled; and to provide a forum for sharing information and experiences. It is intended that the proceedings will be published and made available to all delegates and are to be promoted widely to interested individuals and organisations around the world.

Oral and poster presentations will address various aspects of the slaughter and transport of a range of livestock species including cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, rabbits, deer, horses, fish and decapod crustaceans and give perspectives from various countries. Please visit the HSA website (www.hsa.org.uk) for the programme of speakers below and a list of the poster presentations.