March 2016

Interim Elk Welfare Risk Assessment

The nationally recommended code of practice for the care and handling of Farmed Deer (Cervidae) is available through the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) at http://www.nfacc.ca/pdfs/codes/deer_code_of_practice.pdf

To complement this code of practise, this “interim” elk welfare risk assessment has been developed by the Alberta Elk Commission (AEC) in consultation with the Alberta Government to facilitate elk producer funding for livestock welfare improvements under Growing Forward 2 (GF2). Producers can learn more about this funding opportunity by contacting the AEC office.

This assessment provides an opportunity to evaluate your current production practices to identify any areas within your elk operation that negatively impact livestock welfare. The risk assessment can also be used as a tool to provide suggestions on potential projects.

If your intention is to apply for funding under the Growing Forward 2 Livestock Welfare Producer Program, you must complete the interim elk welfare risk assessment prior to the start of your project and submit it with your application form.

You may choose to complete this On-Farm assessment on your own or you may hire a recognized expert (e.g. veterinarian, agrologist, ethologist etc.) to complete the assessment. If you choose to hire someone, the Growing Forward 2 Livestock Welfare Producer Program will reimburse 50% up to a maximum assessment cost of $1000 (maximum reimbursement of $500).

Farm/Applicant Information Farm/Corporation/Operating Name:

Primary Contact Person:

Address:

City: Province: Postal Code:

Phone: Fax: Email:

Premises Identification Number: (Contact 310-FARM to look up your PID#)

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Background

Are you aware that the Elk Farming Handbook (2000) is available through the Alberta Elk Commission, and has a “handling” section?

Are you a member of the Alberta Elk Commission (AEC)? Whereas a fringe benefit you can keep current in all animal health developments as well as better methods to raise, handle, transport and market elk.

Farmed elk are creatures of routine, and will over time quickly reinforce both positive and negative experiences. (Elk Farming Handbook, 2000).

Excerpts from “Elk Farming Handbook” pp 55-60. “Stockmanship is often more important than a set pattern of yard design, but there are standard basic principles required to meet the combination of the elk’s natural response to this somewhat artificial situation, and the necessary management task.

The key points in design and handling are

 simplicity and routine  control and pressure  letting the elk react naturally  curves and corners  safety and avoidance of over crowding  efficiency and patience

Elk respond well to enclosure and subdued light on first entering a barn. It is not necessary to have darkness as many operations require tag reading, veterinary examination and animal health treatments that are specific in placement. Good lighting in a work area is essential and it is often practical to have lighting controlled by a dimmer switch.

The common theme in elk yard design is individual variation, but the common features are SIMPLICITY and FLOW.

Yards have two functions:

1. Break down groups into smaller manageable units (4-6 head). 2. From these small groups animals can be handled individually in specially designed equipment or construction for the management task.”

Page 2 Elk Welfare Risk Assessment HANDLING Select COMMENTS: Low stress design Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 1. Safe and secure footholds (footing) or adequate bedding is provided to prevent elk from slipping and falling during loading/unloading and transport. 2. Traction is provided in handling areas to minimize elk slips and falls. 3. Are there any blind corners where elk can’t see what they are heading for, which may spook them? 4. Are there any sudden changes in light (such as daylight to a dark building) which may spook elk? 5. Are there “blinds” that handlers can stand behind to open and shut gates? 6. Are there areas where elk have resisted moving through that may result in delay or inability to handle them? 7. If yes to question 6, is there a means for the animal to exit this area easily, to facilitate handling? 8. Do weaning pens have adequate space, water & feed bunks? 9. Does your system work well in cold weather, or snowy /icy conditions? 10. Have you had animals injured or die as a result of a design flaw? 11. After handling animals, have you noticed a decrease in daily feed intake by the animals that were handled? 12. Do facilities make it easy to sort animals into smaller groups to avoid overcrowding injury?

COMMENTS: Procedures Yes No AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 1. Are efforts made so that the first experiences calves have in the handling system are not traumatic? (such as the herd being able to wander through them at their leisure…) 2. Is your handling facility accessible by elk when not handling to allow them to familiarize themselves with it? 3. Elk loading and unloading equipment and chutes are free of hazards to minimize injuries to elk. 4. Livestock transporters refuse to load elk that are unfit for transport and that refusal is respected. 5. If transport is refused, the reason for refusal is

addressed appropriately. 6. Do areas for loading/ unloading elk have adequate

lighting for loading during dark hours? 7. Elk handlers are familiar with elk behavior through training, experience or mentorship, and they use low stress elk handling techniques. 8. Electric prods are only used to assist the movement of elk when animal or human safety is at risk; or as a last resort when all other humane alternatives (flags, paddles or rattles) have failed and only when elk have a clear path to move forward. Is this correct? 9. Electric prods are not used on the genitals, face, udder or anal areas. Is this correct? 10. Velvet antler removal is performed by competent personnel. These individuals are trained and certified by the Velvet Antler Removal Course (VARC), as

Page 3 Elk Welfare Risk Assessment required by the Livestock Industry Diversification Act (LIDA). COMMENTS: Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 11. Personnel are instructed to handle animals calmly. 12. Post handling, elk receive ample space, water and feed. 13. If a higher than normal frequency of damaged or broken antlers and bloody noses is seen, is the problem investigated? 14. Is handling avoided at certain times of the year, such as calving when calves are very young, or when the weather is very hot?

COMMENTS: Animal Safety Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 1. Before bringing animals in, does someone walk through the handling system looking for things that might be a problem? (design faults, garbage, etc.) 2. Are all pens periodically checked to make sure that they are intact? (no broken rails, posts, etc.) 3. Are gates checked before each handling session to make sure that they are all operating properly? 4. Are there ways to get agitated animals out of the handling system if they get upset, so they don’t injure other animals? 5. Are there any acute corners or blind alley ends where a smaller animal could get trapped by a larger animal and harmed by other animals? 6. Are there lines of sight into the box pens that allow different height people to check them to make sure that they are empty before letting more animals in? 7. Are there any long alleys where elk could get running and then pile up at the end? 8. Are there any areas where elk consistently slip and footing needs to be changed? 9. Are there any posts, wall pins, etc. standing out from the surface of any areas that the elk move through that they could catch heads, shoulders, hips, etc. on and break bones or rip skin? 10. Are there areas in the handling facilities that tend to get muddy when animals are in there that can’t get any sun to dry out? (causing potential slipping problems, for example). 11. Are there any feed bunks, etc. against fences that might encourage elk to try to climb out? 12. Do all gates swing flat against a fence so that no animal can get behind them and get trapped? 13. If any gates are open rail rather than closed, are the distances between the bars small enough to prevent an elk calf from getting its head through? 14. Are there any overhead ropes, electrical cables, hydraulic cables, etc. that elk could catch their antlers on and drag forward? 15. If portable panels are used, are all connecting pins turned so that the least possible length projects out into the pen? 16. Are all pens checked at the end of a handling session to make sure that no animal has been left behind? 17. Are round corners in your handling facility created wherever possible? Page 4 Elk Welfare Risk Assessment 18. Do you have a humane way of putting an elk down or being able to do an emergency slaughter in the event of a major injury? COMMENTS: Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 19. Do you segregate bulls during rut, to prevent fighting and injury?

COMMENTS: Human Safety Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 1. If handlers are in the pens to move animals, are they able to get out of the pens quickly at several points, or have access to safe places? 2. Do all handlers have experience in handling elk, or have mentorship from an experienced producer? 3. Are new handlers taught about elk safety; walked through the facilities pointing out important features? (including what to do if an elk does get loose)? 4. Are there any blind corners where handlers can’t see elk coming? 5. Are all gates currently in good working order and easily swing open when handlers are using them? 6. Do all gates in box pens secure properly to prevent one from crashing open sideways and hitting a handler? (by being kicked or rammed by an elk, for example). 7. Is there a clear set of signals used by all handlers to make sure that no one is suddenly confronted by an elk while swinging gates, etc.?

FEED AND WATER Select COMMENTS: Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 1. Are there enough water troughs for the number of animals? 2. Is the water flow sufficient so that animals don’t have to wait a long time for the troughs to refill? 3. Is there water and feed available in every pen where animals may have to be kept overnight or longer? 4. Is there a plan of how each group can be provided water for a period each day, when being handled for extended periods of time? 5. Is there a plan in place to provide water to elk being handled or waiting overnight for transport? 6. Elk have access to feed of adequate quality and quantity to fulfill their nutritional needs at all times, and maintain proper body condition, taking into account factors such as age, days on feed, health, competition, weather. 7. Prompt corrective action is taken if elk have a body condition score of 2 or less out of 5. (Information to download is available at end of this document). 8. A back-up water source is provided to elk in the event of an interruption in water supply e.g. power outage and no backup generator.

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ANIMAL HEALTH Select COMMENTS: Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 1. Does the farm have an ongoing working relationship (valid veterinary client-patient relationship) with a licensed practicing veterinarian? 2. Is the health of elk monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure prompt treatment or care? 3. Is appropriate care, recovery period and treatment provided to sick, injured or lame elk without delay? 4. Are sick or injured animal responses to treatment monitored, and if initial treatment fails, treatment options are reassessed and veterinary advice is sought? 5. Are new elk monitored, to facilitate the early detection of disease? 6. Are elk transitioned from a high-forage to a high- energy ration gradually, to avoid abrupt dietary changes? 7. Is an emergency response plan in place, to provide feed, water, and care for elk in case of emergencies? 8. Elk are euthanized without delay if they are: a) unlikely to recover b) have chronic, severe and debilitating pain/ distress d) show continuous drastic weight loss or emaciation 9. Do you have a plan for emergency euthanasia? 10. Is an acceptable method for euthanizing elk used? Acceptable methods are laid out in the NFACC Code of Practice for Farmed Deer (Cervidae) on page 20, or by your veterinarian. 11. Euthanasia is performed by competent personnel (through training, experience, or mentorship), as per LIDA requirements. 12. Do you have a parasite prevention plan in place? 13. Do you have a vaccination plan, mineral program and overall feeding program in place? 14. Do you communicate with experienced producers with regards to management?

PASTURES PENS & FENCES Select COMMENTS: Yes NO AREAS FOR WELFARE IMPROVEMENT 1. Is there suitable fencing around all pastures that ensure containment of elk? 2. Are elk provided with well drained pens and pastures with some natural or artificial shelter? 3. Are pastures and fences inspected to ensure sufficient feed is present and that fence integrity is maintained? 4. Are elk kept off of natural water sources or dugouts during periods when the ice is not thick enough to be considered safe? 5. Are water troughs placed so that they are “open”- not in a corner where an animal can be trapped by another one?

Page 6 Elk Welfare Risk Assessment 6. In a pen setting, are elk segregated by size and sex, so that they can all get a fair chance at the food, and have less chance of being harmed by the other animals? 7. Are the fences surrounding sorting/ handling pens suitable to ensure containment (with increased density of animals typical in pens)?

Date Assessment was completed: ______(Assessment is valid for 1 year upon completion)

This risk assessment was completed by:  Owner/Operator  Veterinarian

Name: ______Farm License #______Date: ______

Signature: ______Contact: ______

Page 7 Elk Welfare Risk Assessment Literature Cited

Thorleifson, I., Pearse, T. and Friedel, B. 2000. Elk Farming Handbook. Abbott Richards Graphic Design Inc. Saint John, New Brunswick. 291 pp.

Other Resources

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) Publication:

The guide “What’s the Score: Elk” can be accessed for free through http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/webdoc13011 or directly at http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex9622/$FILE/bcs-elk.pdf

Livestock Industry Diversification Act and Regulations: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/acts6136

Velvet Antler Removal Course (VARC) information: http://albertaelk.com/Producers/Reference/Eva/varc.shtml

Transport Regulations:

The official web-site of the CFIA with links to regulations regarding transport: http://www.cfia-acia.agr.ca

The following provincial and federal regulations apply to the transportation of livestock:

1. Canada Health of Animals Regulations - Sections 136 - 151 2. Criminal Code of Canada - Section 446 3. Canada Meat Inspection Regulations - Section 28 & 61-66 4. Alberta Animal Protection Act Regulations 5. Alberta Motor Transportation Act Regulations 6. Alberta Livestock Diseases Act Regulations 7. Alberta Livestock and Livestock Products Act Regulations 8. Alberta Meat Inspection Act Regulations 9. Alberta Livestock Identification and Brand Inspection Act Regulations

National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC)

Code of Practice for the care and handling of Farmed Deer (Cervidae) https://www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/farmed-deer

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Industry groups

For more information contact the Alberta Elk Commission www.albertaelk.com 48 Campbell Road, Leduc, AB, T9E 8C8 780-980-7582, Fax 780-980-7591 Email: [email protected]

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