The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) released its updated version of science-based animal care guidelines and audit for the meat industry, the Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide: A systemic Approach to Animal Welfare.
Both the guidelines and audit were authored by Dr. Temple Grandin, Colorado State University professor of animal behavior, who worked in collaboration with NAMI’s animal welfare committee.
“It is important to update these guidelines in order to facilitate continuous improvement of animal welfare standards in the meat industry,” said Grandin. Major changes in the revised edition include: how to handle occasions when there is a non-ambulatory or disabled animal on a truck or in the yard; a new definition of “non-ambulatory animal”; and allowing plants to determine when water should be provided to animals in drive alleys.
