July 2011

Dear Friend,

Castration – it’s a common practice known to cause pain, but pain relief measures have yet to take root for many farmers.

Farm animals are usually castrated at a young age using either the surgical (knife) or rubber ring methods with no local anesthetic or post-operative pain killers provided.  Animal welfare organizations, ethologists (researchers of animal behaviour), veterinarians and some farmers have actively encouraged the use of pain control during and after castration, but perceptions about the practicalities of pain control (“Won’t this take more time and money?”) have limited its uptake.

This month’s FarmSense focuses on castration of beef cattle; from the regulatory aspects, to the science of pain, to producer perspectives. You are sure to find the discussion stimulating.

In other news… A big thank you to FarmSense subscribers for making our e-newsletter more popular by the month!  Subscriptions are now approaching 2,500 which is nearly double last year’s subscriptions!  We welcome and appreciate your feedback. It helps us to determine topics of interest and relevance to you!

Sincerely,

Alyssa, Geoff and Brandy
The BC SPCA Farm Animal Welfare Team 

PS. You can help spread awareness about the BC SPCA Farm Animal Welfare department and our many programs. Forward this email to friends and colleagues.

Feature Story

Canadian Codes of Practice for Castration of Farm Animals

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) is currently working on updating the Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle, Pigs and Sheep, among other farmed animals. 

The updates are part of a $3.4 million animal welfare project funded by Agriculture Canada.  The methods and age for performance of painful procedures, such as castration, are among the priority welfare issues being addressed as revisions proceed.

Download the full article "Canadian Codes of Practice for Castration of Farm Animals".

Other useful links:

  Canadian Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals
(NFACC website)

CVMA positions on:

Castration, Tail Docking, Dehorning of Farm Animals (1996)

Castration of Piglets
(2010)

Castration of Horses, Donkeys, and Mules (2006)

 
AVMA policies on:

Castration and dehorning of cattle (2008)

Reducing pain during cattle dehorning (2011)

Research in Focus

Effects of castration on mature bull behaviour and weight gain

Castration of beef cattle takes place any time between one day of age to past sexual maturity using a variety of tools and techniques; often without pain control. 

Despite the knowledge that younger animals heal faster and have less memory of painful events, several equipment manufacturers have advocated delaying castration until the bull is older, stating it allows for optimized growth. 

This month’s Research in Focus explores the most common tools and methods used for mature bull castration. 

Using the bull’s behavioural response, healing time and weight gain after castration as indicators, the study concludes that castration is best performed at a young age, regardless of the method used. 

Read more about the “Effects of Castration Technique and Anesthesia on Behaviour and Weight Gain in the Feedlot” by Dr. Joe Stookey et al., University of Saskatchewan.

Other useful links:

BC SPCA castration factsheet

"Welfare Implications of Castration of Cattle" American Veterinary Medical Association Backgrounder (2011)

Applied Knowledge

Two SPCA Certified farmers share their experiences with using pain control during castration

The use of pain control during castration may not be as difficult as many believe and depending on the type of pain medication used, it can be quite inexpensive. 

SPCA Certified farmers have begun using pain control during castration on their farms and have proven that the process can go quite smoothly.  They have also found that their animals were far less stressed and exhibited fewer pain-related behaviours after castration than when the procedure was performed without the use of pain medication.

The following articles were written by two SPCA Certified farmers who documented their experiences with using pain control during castration of their beef cattle.

•    Read about the experiences on Celista Springs Ranch (Celista, BC) in “The use of local anaesthetics in routine castrations of older beef animals”.

•    Read about the experiences on Vale Farms Grassroots (Lumby, BC) in “Castrating Bulls Using Local Anaesthesia – A First-Hand Account”.

Other useful links:

  Celista Springs Ranch
(Celista, B.C.)

Vale Farms Grassroots
(Lumby, B.C.)

"Managing animals' pain is the 'right thing to do'"
The Western Producer (June 2, 2011)

"Producers must take heed of welfare expectations"
The Western Producer (June 2, 2011)

SPCA Certified Updates 

SPCA Certified standards for castration

The SPCA Certified food labeling program has specific standards in place for certified farmers who need to castrate their beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep or pigs.

To request full copies of SPCA Certified Standards for the Raising and Handling of Beef Cattle, Dairy Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Laying Hens, Broiler Chickens or Turkeys, please fill out our brief SPCA Certified Standards request form.

Celista Springs Ranch is now raising SPCA Certified sheep!

New this year! Celista Springs Ranch has begun raising sheep under the SPCA Certified label.  Celista has been a member of the SPCA Certified program since 2006; raising beef cattle and pigs in previous years. 

For more information, farm location and how to buy SPCA Certified meat, visit the Celista Springs Ranch website.

What do farmers think about SPCA Certified Standards?

Quote from a farmer who reviewed the beef cattle standard: “…they are very well done, and very realistic, and consider both sides of the issue, the practicality of the farm operations and animal welfare concerns. At the end of the day; healthy, stress free cattle make the most profitable product for the farmers, so it is in all parties’ best interests. The SPCA document captures this very well.“

SPCA Certified and Farmers’ Markets: A perfect match!

Farmers’ Markets are a perfect way to give your direct support to SPCA Certified farmers.

Throughout the summer and fall, Farmers’ Markets feature SPCA Certified chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb, cheeses and cage-free eggs. It’s the perfect time to meet the farmers, ask questions and purchase products all in one go! 

The BC SPCA online events calendar includes all the information you need to find a Farmers’ Market near you.

The SPCA Certified red barn label is your assurance that a product meets the BC SPCA’s high standards for farm animal welfare.

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