The use of animal‐based measures at slaughter for assessing the welfare of beef cattle on farm: EFSA AHAW Network exercise

The EFSA Animal Health and Animal Welfare (AHAW) Network includes nationally appointed representatives of Member States, including EFTA countries, with expertise in the fields of animal health and animal welfare. During the annual meeting held in May 2023, an exercise was performed to collect information from Network members on animal‐based measures (ABMs) potentially used at slaughter to assess the welfare of beef cattle on farm. Prior to the meeting, a questionnaire was sent to the Network members requesting information on ABMs currently recorded during ante‐ and post‐mortem inspections of beef cattle at the slaughterhouses in their countries, the existence of a database for the electronic recording of these ABMs, their feasibility, and any automated systems for their assessment. A structured discussion on the information provided took place during the meeting. Members were asked to score the criteria for the provided ante‐mortem and post‐mortem ABMs. As a result of this exercise, a list of ABMs deemed useful to be recorded and monitored in the slaughterhouses for assessing the welfare of beef cattle on farm was produced. The information included in this report will be used for the development of the relevant scientific opinion on the welfare of beef cattle on farm, expected to be delivered in 2025.