JUNE 2017 Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines & Audit Guide: A Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare Published by Wri en by Temple Grandin, Ph.D. Professor of Animal Science Department of Animal Science Colorado State University With North American Meat Ins tute Animal Welfare Commi ee Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization Inc. Cer fi ed and Accredited by the Professional Animal Auditor Cer fi ca on Organiza on ACCREDITED PROGRAM TABLE OF CONTENTS Execu ve Summary and Historical Perspec ve ........................................................................................................... 1 Changes to this Edi on .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Chapter One: Transporta on Prac ces ........................................................................................................................ 5 Sec on 1: Temperature Management......................................................................................... ..................... 8 Sec on 2: Pen Space and Facility Layout.................................................................................. ...................... 11 Chapter Two: Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines............................................................. ........................... 14 Sec on 1: Recommended Livestock Handling Principles......................................................... ..................... 14 Sec on 2: Livestock Driving Tools............................................................................................ ........................ 19 Sec on 3: Proper Design and Use of Restraint.......................................................................... ..................... 21 Sec on 4: Recommended Stunning Prac ces........................................................................... ..................... 23 Sec on 5: Religious Slaughter (Kosher and Halal)................................................................... ....................... 35 Sec on 6: Recommended Handling of Disabled or Crippled Livestock................................... ..................... 39 Chapter Three: Transporta on Audit Guidelines............................................................................... .......................... 41 Sec on 1: Auditor Instruc ons and Informa on......................................................................... .....................41 Sec on 2: Scoring............................................................................................................................................... 42 Core Criteria 1: Plant Transporta on Policy and Preparedness for Receiving Animals............. ................... 43 Core Criteria 2: Set-up and Loading of Trailer............................................................................ ...................... 45 Core Criteria 3: Timeliness of Arrival of the Truck and Trailer and Animal Unloading............ ..................... 47 Core Criteria 4: Falls.............................................................................................................................................48 Core Criteria 5: Electric Prod Use.................................................................................................................... .. 48 Core Criteria 6: Condi on of Animal............................................................................................... .................. 49 Core Criteria 7: Willful Acts of Abuse.......................................................................................... ..................... 52 Chapter Four: Audi ng Animal Handling and Stunning................................................................... ............................ 53 Core Criteria 1: Eff ec ve Stunning............................................................................................ ....................... 53 Core Criteria 2: Bleed Rail Insensibility.................................................................................... ........................ 56 Core Criteria 3: Falling.............................................................................................................. ........................ 57 Core Criteria 4: Vocaliza on...................................................................................................... ....................... 58 Core Criteria 5: Electric Prod Use.......................................................................................................................60 Core Criteria 6: Willful Acts of Abuse....................................................................................... ....................... 61 Core Criteria 7: Access to Water................................................................................................ ...................... 61 Scoring of Very Small Plants....................................................................................................... ........................ 62 Chapter Five: Offi cial Audit Forms....................................................................... ......................................................... 63 Transporta on Audit Form ............................................................................................................................ 64 Ca le Slaughter Audit Form .......................................................................................................................... 85 Pig Slaughter Audit Form ............................................................................................................................... 95 Sheep Slaughter Audit Form...............................................................................................................................107 Chapter Six: Troubleshoo ng Guide................................................................................................... ..........................117 Chapter Seven: Worker Safety Tips for Animal Handlers and Stunners........................................ ......................... 122 References................................................................................................................................................ ........................ 124 Appendix..................................................................................................................................................................... 130 INTRO | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Th e Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958 was the fi rst federal law governing the handling of livestock in meat plants. Th e 1958 law applied only to livestock slaughtered for sale to the government. In 1978, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act was reauthorized and covered all livestock slaughtered in federally inspected meat plants. As a result of the Act, federal veterinarians are in meat packing plants continuously, monitoring compliance with humane slaughter regulations. Additional guidance is found in the Code of Federal Regulations and in specifi c USDA regulations , directives and notices. Th e North American Meat Institute (NAMI) has a demonstrated commitment to voluntary animal handling programs that go above and beyond regulatory requirements. In 1991, the Institute published Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines for Meat Packers, the fi rst voluntary animal welfare guidelines for meat packing operations. Authored by Temple Grandin, Ph.D., of Colorado State University, the illustrated guidelines off ered detailed information about optimal handling of animals, how to troubleshoot animal handling problems in packing plants, how to stun animals eff ectively and maintain equipment thoroughly and how to move non-ambulatory animals while minimizing stress. Th e guidelines were implemented widely by members of the meat packing industry. In 1997, Dr. Grandin developed a new document called Good Management Practices (GMPs) for Animal Handling and Stunning. Th e document detailed measurable, objective criteria that could be used to evaluate the well-being of livestock in meat packing plants. Self-audits using the criteria were recommended in an eff ort to identify and address any problems and sustain continuous improvement. When the GMPs were developed and implemented, they were envisioned as a tool for use voluntarily by meat companies. In the years that followed, major restaurant chains began developing animal welfare committees and conducting audits of their meat suppliers. Th ey utilized the AMIF Good Management Practices as their audit tool. Beginning in 1999, compliance with the GMPs became part of many customer purchasing specifi cations. In 2004, the Institute’s Animal Welfare Committee determined that the two animal welfare documents should be merged into a single, updated document that included offi cial audits for pig, cattle and sheep slaughter. Offi cial forms can be recognized by the use of the offi cial NAMI logo. Th e forms can be reformatted to suit corporate needs, but any change to the numerical criteria on the forms would make the audit inconsistent with the offi cial audit. Th e merged document was released in 2005. In 2007, the document was updat ed based upon feedback from the fi eld and key clarifi cations were added. Since that time, three new editions of the guidelines have been released. Relative to other areas of scholarly research, only limited basic research