Animal welfare in practice: legislation, transport, and daily care.

Animal welfare is a professional, ethical, and legal obligation. In Danish agriculture, treatment of animals is regulated by the Animal Welfare Act and a number of orders for individual animal species. The law is built on a basic principle that animals are living creatures that must be treated responsibly and protected against unnecessary suffering, pain, fear, and permanent harm. For someone who cares for animals it's not enough to know the rules — you must be able to implement them in good daily practice.

§The legal framework

The Animal Welfare Act establishes the overall obligations: animals must be treated carefully, housed, fed, and watered according to their needs and have the opportunity for natural behavior. On top of the law, more detailed rules apply for individual species and production forms — for example about space, stable design, and care. Certain procedures may only be performed by specific people or under specific conditions and there's an obligation to call a veterinarian for serious illness or injury.

§Medicine, treatment and journal

Sick animals must be treated or if necessary humanely killed as quickly as possible. The use of medicines for production animals is regulated: medicine is dispensed and used on veterinary instructions, and you have a duty to keep records of treatments. Withdrawal periods — the time that must pass before milk, meat or eggs from a treated animal can be used for food — must be observed so that medicine residues don't end up in the food.

• 01Note which animal, which medication, dose, date and reason with each treatment.
• 02Observe the retention period and mark treated animals so they are not delivered too early.
• 03Store medicine correctly and locked, and dispose of residue and packaging properly.
• 04Call a veterinarian in case of doubt, lack of effect and reportable disease.

§Handling of live animals

Calm and safe handling is both animal welfare and work environment. Stressed animals are harder and more dangerous to work with, and rough handling can cause injury and poor production. Understand the animals' flight zone and natural movement patterns, use driving lanes and aids rather than force, and avoid shouting, hitting and unnecessary use of driving tools. Good handling is built on patience and predictability — animals that are met calmly and consistently become easier to work with over time.

§Transport of live animals

Transport is burden for animals and therefore specially regulated. Only animals suitable for transport may be moved — sick severely lame or heavily pregnant animals must as basis not be transported. Vehicle must be equipped for purpose with sufficient space ventilation and slip-resistant flooring and animals must be protected from extreme heat and cold. For longer transports stricter requirements apply to rest water and feed and driver must in many cases have special competence certificate

• 01Assess each animal for transport suitability before loading.
• 02Drive quietly and avoid overloading — space requirements must be complied with.
• 03Ensure ventilation and protection from weather throughout the journey.
• 04Have the papers in order: origin, destination and any transport documents.

Animal welfare doesn't end at the barn door. It follows the animal all the way — from birth and care through any treatment to transport and delivery — and whoever deals with the animals at each stage has a responsibility to do it responsibly.