HSA symposium to focus on animal transportation welfare

The Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) is to hold an International Symposium on recent advances in food animal welfare during transport, marketing and slaughter on the 16th and 17th July 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Around the world, over 100 billion animals are transported, marketed and slaughtered annually in order to provide food. Growing meat consumption and an increasingly globalised food supply chain add to the need to develop improvements in animal welfare during transport, marketing and slaughter. These challenges, combined with increased consumer concern, are stimulating new developments and the adoption of higher welfare standards in many parts of the world.

The HSA is holding a second International Symposium, in Zagreb, Croatia, to present and discuss recent scientific and technological advances in this field, and the application and uptake of advances around the world. The event will also be an opportunity to help identify future priorities and to provide a forum for sharing information and experiences.

Keynote speakers will include:

Prof Yvonne Thaxton, Professor and Director of the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing at the University of Arkansas on The Development of Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning;
Dr Mara Miele, Reader at the Cardiff School of Planning and Geography on Consumer attitudes to food animal welfare;
Mr Tozie Zokufa, Program Manager for Africa at Humane Society International and Chairman of the Pan African Animal Welfare Alliance on Efforts to improve food animal welfare at slaughter across Africa;
and Dr Andrea Gavinelli, Head of Animal Welfare Unit at the European Commission on The European Commission’s work to improve food animal welfare at slaughter.

The HSA would like to hear from anyone interested in making a contribution to the Symposium and is now inviting submission of abstracts for presentations and posters on subjects related to the theme of recent advances in food animal welfare during transport, marketing and slaughter. The deadline for the submission of abstracts is 26th November 2014.

For further details and to register visit www.hsa.org.uk.