The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2007

Regulation 4

SCHEDULE 1 E+W General conditions under which farmed animals must be kept

Staffing E+W

1.  Animals must be cared for by a sufficient number of staff who possess the appropriate ability, knowledge and professional competence.

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 1 para. 1 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Inspection E+W

2.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), animals kept in husbandry systems in which their welfare depends on frequent human attention must be thoroughly inspected at least once a day to check that they are in a state of well-being.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), animals kept in husbandry systems in which their welfare does not depend on frequent human attention must be inspected at intervals sufficient to avoid any suffering.

(3) In the following cases it is sufficient for the purposes of this paragraph to comply with the following provisions—

(a) in the case of laying hens, paragraph 1 of Schedule 5;

(b) in the case of calves, paragraph 2 or 3 of Schedule 6; and

(c) in the case of pigs, paragraph 2 of Schedule 8.

Commencement Information

I2 Sch. 1 para. 2 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

3.  Where animals are kept in a building, adequate lighting (whether fixed or portable) must be available to enable them to be thoroughly inspected at any time.

Commencement Information

I3 Sch. 1 para. 3 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

4.  Where any animals (other than poultry) are kept in a building they must be kept on, or have access at all times to, a lying area which either has well-maintained dry bedding or is well-drained.

Commencement Information

I4 Sch. 1 para. 4 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

5.  Any animals which appear to be ill or injured must be cared for appropriately and without delay; where they do not respond to such care, veterinary advice must be obtained as soon as possible.

Commencement Information

I5 Sch. 1 para. 5 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

6.  Where necessary, sick or injured animals must be isolated in suitable accommodation with, where appropriate, dry comfortable bedding.

Commencement Information

I6 Sch. 1 para. 6 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Record keeping E+W

7.  A record must be maintained of—

(a) any medicinal treatment given to animals; and

(b) the number of mortalities found on each inspection of animals carried out in accordance with any of the following provisions—

(i) in the case of laying hens, paragraph 1 of Schedule 5;

(ii) in the case of calves, paragraph 2 or 3 of Schedule 6; or

(iii) in the case of pigs, paragraph 2 of Schedule 8; or

(iv) in any other case, paragraph 2(1) or (2) of this Schedule.

Commencement Information

I7 Sch. 1 para. 7 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

8.  The record referred to in paragraph 7 must be retained for a period of at least three years from the date on which the medicinal treatment was given, or the date of the inspection, and must be made available to an inspector on request.

Commencement Information

I8 Sch. 1 para. 8 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Freedom of movement E+W

9.  The freedom of movement of animals, having regard to their species and in accordance with good practice and scientific knowledge, must not be restricted in such a way as to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury.

Commencement Information

I9 Sch. 1 para. 9 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

10.  Where animals are continuously or regularly tethered or confined, they must be given the space appropriate to their physiological and ethological needs in accordance with good practice and scientific knowledge.

Commencement Information

I10 Sch. 1 para. 10 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Buildings and accommodation E+W

11.  Materials used for the construction of accommodation, and in particular for the construction of pens, cages, stalls and equipment with which the animals may come into contact, must not be harmful to them and must be capable of being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Commencement Information

I11 Sch. 1 para. 11 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

12.  Accommodation and fittings for securing animals must be constructed and maintained so that there are no sharp edges or protrusions likely to cause injury to them.

Commencement Information

I12 Sch. 1 para. 12 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

13.  Air circulation, dust levels, temperature, relative air humidity and gas concentrations must be kept within limits which are not harmful to the animals.

Commencement Information

I13 Sch. 1 para. 13 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

14.  Animals kept in buildings must not be kept in permanent darkness.

Commencement Information

I14 Sch. 1 para. 14 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

15.  Where the natural light available in a building is insufficient to meet the physiological or ethological needs of any animals being kept in it, appropriate artificial lighting must be provided.

Commencement Information

I15 Sch. 1 para. 15 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

16.  Animals kept in buildings must not be kept without an appropriate period of rest from artificial lighting.

Commencement Information

I16 Sch. 1 para. 16 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Animals not kept in buildings E+W

17.  Animals not kept in buildings must, where necessary and possible, be given protection from adverse weather conditions, predators and risks to their health and must, at all times, have access to a well-drained lying area.

Commencement Information

I17 Sch. 1 para. 17 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Automatic or mechanical equipment E+W

18.  All automated or mechanical equipment essential for the health and well-being of the animals must be inspected at least once a day to check that there is no defect in it.

Commencement Information

I18 Sch. 1 para. 18 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

19.  Where defects in automated or mechanical equipment of the type referred to in paragraph 18 are discovered, these must be rectified immediately or, if this is impossible, appropriate steps must be taken to safeguard the health and well-being of the animals pending the rectification of those defects including the use of alternative methods of feeding and watering and alternative methods of providing and maintaining a satisfactory environment.

Commencement Information

I19 Sch. 1 para. 19 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

20.  Where the health and well-being of the animals is dependent on an artificial ventilation system—

(a) provision must be made for an appropriate back-up system to guarantee sufficient air renewal to preserve the health and well-being of the animals in the event of failure of the system; and

(b) an alarm system (which will operate even if the principal electricity supply to it has failed) must be provided to give warning of any failure of the system.

Commencement Information

I20 Sch. 1 para. 20 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

21.  The back-up system referred to in paragraph 20(a) must be thoroughly inspected and the alarm system referred to in paragraph 20(b) tested at least once every seven days in order to check that there is no defect, and, if any defect is found at any time, it must be rectified immediately.

Commencement Information

I21 Sch. 1 para. 21 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Feed, water and other substances E+W

22.  Animals must be fed a wholesome diet which is appropriate to their age and species and which is fed to them in sufficient quantity to maintain them in good health, to satisfy their nutritional needs and to promote a positive state of well-being.

Commencement Information

I22 Sch. 1 para. 22 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

23.  Animals must not be provided with food or liquid that contains any substance that may cause them unnecessary suffering or injury and must be provided with food and liquid in a manner that does not cause them unnecessary suffering or injury.

Commencement Information

I23 Sch. 1 para. 23 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

24.  All animals must have access to feed at intervals appropriate to their physiological needs (and, in any case, at least once a day), except where a veterinary surgeon acting in the exercise of his or her profession otherwise directs.

Commencement Information

I24 Sch. 1 para. 24 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

25.  All animals must either have access to a suitable water supply and be provided with an adequate supply of fresh drinking water each day, or be able to satisfy their fluid intake needs by other means.

Commencement Information

I25 Sch. 1 para. 25 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

26.  Feeding and watering equipment must be designed, constructed, placed and maintained so that contamination of food or water and the harmful effects of competition between animals are minimised.

Commencement Information

I26 Sch. 1 para. 26 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

27.—(1) No other substance, with the exception of those given for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes or for the purpose of zootechnical treatment, may be administered to animals unless it has been demonstrated by scientific studies of animal welfare or established practice that the effect of that substance is not detrimental to the health or welfare of the animals.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1), “zootechnical treatment” (“triniaeth söotechnegol”) has the meaning given in Article 1(2)(c) of Directive 96/22/EEC(1) concerning the prohibition on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and of beta-agonists.

Commencement Information

I27 Sch. 1 para. 27 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Breeding procedures E+W

28.—(1) Natural or artificial breeding or breeding procedures which cause, or are likely to cause, suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned, must not be practised.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not preclude the use of natural or artificial breeding procedures that are likely to cause minimal or momentary suffering or injury or that might necessitate interventions which would not cause lasting injury.

Commencement Information

I28 Sch. 1 para. 28 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

29.  Animals may only be kept for farming purposes if it can reasonably be expected, on the basis of their genotype or phenotype, that they can be kept without any detrimental effect on their health or welfare.

Commencement Information

I29 Sch. 1 para. 29 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

Electrical immobilisation E+W

30.  An electrical current must not be applied to an animal for the purpose of immobilisation.

Commencement Information

I30 Sch. 1 para. 30 in force at 24.10.2007, see reg. 1

(1)

OJ No L125, 23.5.96, p.3.