Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 12:31:23 GMT

Well done Micheal

Wynne

Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 14:39:08 GMT

Farmers Weekly removed story and published:

http://www.fwi.co.uk/machinery/cow-pacifiers-illegal-defra-confirms.htm

They did email me to thank them for bringing it to their attention

Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:39:22 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Dennison"]

Link no longer working apparently.

[/quote]

Good. I emailed FWI

Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Anthony Dennison — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 10:01:06 GMT

Link no longer working apparently.

Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 01:53:37 GMT

Finally found the letter in the Vet Record:

Illegality of electrical
cattle immobilisers
THIS letter is intended to remind veterinary
colleagues about the illegality of electrical
cattle immobilisers. It would be appreciated
if they could inform farmers and colleagues
of this. UK internet forums have alluded to
their use within the UK and adverts for these
devices, including UK suppliers, have been
identified.
Electroimmobilisation is the use of an
electrical current (frequencies applied will
vary) using low voltage to produce tetanic
contractions in skeletal muscle, which means
that voluntary movement is prevented. Cattle
immobilisers most recently marketed in the
UK work by insertion of the device into the
anus. The strength of electric current applied
is increased until immobilisation is achieved.
Electrical cattle immobilisers are
prohibited under paragraph 30 of Schedule 1
to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England)
Regulations 2007, which states: ‘An
electrical current must not be applied to an

animal for the purpose of immobilisation’.
Equivalent legislation for Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland also prohibits the use
of electroimmobilisation. These devices are
not the same as electric ‘goads’, which may
be used on occasion to move animals and
operate by application of a rod to the skin of
the animals, which results in a momentary
electric shock.
Research and review of animals subjected
to electroimmobilisation demonstrated that
animals are aversive to this procedure (Carter
and others 1983, Rushen 1987, Grandin
1988) and that no analgesic effect is produced.
Even in countries where this procedure has
been used in the past, for example Australia,
national guidelines on welfare have been in
place since 1994, and were reaffirmed in 2008,
maintaining that electroimmobilisation is not
an acceptable form of restraint (DAFF 2008).
Anyone found to have used
electroimmobilisation as a method of
restraining animals risks enforcement action,
including prosecution and a penalty reduction
for those clients subject to cross compliance
inspections under the single payment and
other agrienvironment schemes.
Sophia Hepple, Animal Welfare Team,
Defra, Area 5D, Nobel House, Smith Square,

London SW1P 3 JR
e-mail: sophia.hepple@ahvla.gsi.gov.uk
References
CARTER, P. D., JOHNSTON, N. E., CORNER, L. A.
& JARRETT, R. G. (1983) Observations on the effect
of electro-immobilisation on the dehorning of cattle.
Australian Veterinary Journal 60, 17-19
DAFF (2008) National guidelines for animal welfare.
www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/welfare/nccaw/
guidelines/livestock/electro-immobilisation. Accessed
January 7, 2013
GRANDIN, T. (1988) Electro-immobilisation. Australian
Veterinary Journal 65, 36
RUSHEN, J. (1987) Electro-immobilisation. Australian
Veterinary Journal 64, 194-195

Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Sammy82 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:50:50 GMT

It looks as nasty as the probes used for tup/bull semen testing. A practice I think shouldn't be legal.

Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Virginia Campbell — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 15:26:09 GMT

"If you put your hand on it, you get an electrical pulse about a tenth that of an electric fence"

How nice. It does not say whether the manufacturers have tried it on themselves via the route they recommend it be used in cattle...

Re: Electronic cow 'pacifiers'

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 15:20:56 GMT

How sickening

Wynne