This eLearning course should improve participants’ knowledge on:

  • Relevant EU legislation (mainly focusing on Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009).
  • Scientific basis for pre-slaughter handling, stunning, slaughter and culling of animals (basic animal behaviour, physiology and anatomy).
  • Animal keeping and assessment of keeping facilities.
  • Main stunning and killing techniques at slaughterhouses in Europe and in the context of culling for disease control purposes.
  • Animal welfare measures (mainly from Welfare Quality® Protocols).
  • Killing of animals in the context of animal disease epidemics.

The scientific content is mainly focused on the following animal species: cattle, pigs, small ruminants and broiler chickens.

Features

 365 days access
  • Average duration: 8 hours
Online
  • 5 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Animal welfare at slaughter - including killing for disease control - eLearning module

This eLearning course is aimed at allowing participants to improve their knowledge and skills in:

  • Main references to the legislative requirements for poultry.
  • Scientific basis for proper stunning and slaughter of poultry (basic animal behaviour and basic anatomy); Main stunning and slaughter techniques applied in slaughterhouses.
  • Development of standard operating procedures and monitoring of their application.
  • Animal welfare indicators: practical examples in slaughterhouses and problem raised by the risk of electro-immobilisation in poultry and the use of high frequency currents.
  • Main legislative requirements on animal welfare during killing for disease control purposes.
  • Main stunning and killing techniques for poultry.
  • Development of action plans for depopulation.

Features

365 days access
  • Average dedication: 8 hours
Online
  • 6 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Animal welfare at slaughter and killing for disease control for poultry - eLearning module

The eLearning module aims to improve the knowledge and skills of official control staff concerning the welfare of broiler chickens.

The specific objectives of the training are:

  • To improve basic knowledge on welfare of broiler chickens.
  • To present good practices, tools and procedures relating to investigation techniques helping to detect infringements to broiler welfare.
  • To help disseminate good practices - with particular attention to litter management, ventilation and the importance of having this professionally checked.
  • To complement existing BTSF training courses on animal welfare.

Features

 365 days access
  • Average duration: 6 hours
Online
  • 3 Units
  • Self-Paced
  • Multimedia
Available in:

How to Register

Broiler welfare on farms - eLearning module

BTSF Training Programme on Animal welfare at slaughter – cattle, pigs, sheep & goats (advanced).

Organisation and implementation of training activities on animal welfare on the farm, animal welfare at the time of killing of animals (at slaughterhouses and for disease control purposes) and animal welfare during transport under the Better Training for Safer Food initiative.

The overall objectives are:

  • Improving awareness of rules and how to control that these are respected in the areas covered by the EU legislation in force, as concerns poultry and pig productions, slaughtering practices and long distance transportation.
  • Ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union.
  • Promoting the exchange of good and best practices among EU Member States as regards control activities at farm.
  • Improving the welfare conditions of live farmed animals in Europe.
  • Improving awareness of the EU legislation on animal welfare in selected non-EU Countries.
  • Stimulating a constructive dialogue among the interested parties (including business operators, NGOs and their umbrella organisations), and also a collaborative climate among EU and Non-EU National Competent Authorities towards common achievements concerning the most controversial aspects in the interpretation of the relevant pieces of legislation.
Session Title Start Date End Date
1 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare at slaughter of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats (advanced level) - I 04/10/2022 06/10/2022
2 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare at slaughter of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats (advanced level) - II 21/02/2023 23/02/2023
Animal welfare at slaughter – cattle, pigs, sheep & goats (advanced)

BTSF Training Programme on Animal welfare at slaughter - poultry (advanced).

Organisation and implementation of training activities on animal welfare on the farm, animal welfare at the time of killing of animals (at slaughterhouses and for disease control purposes) and animal welfare during transport.

The overall objectives are:

  • Raising awareness and promoting a common understanding of the EU animal welfare rules applicable to poultry and pig productions, slaughtering practices and long distance transportation.
  • Ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union.
  • Promoting the exchange of good and best practices among EU Member States as regards control activities at farm.
  • Improving the welfare conditions of live farmed animals in Europe.
  • Improving awareness of the EU legislation on animal welfare in selected non-EU Countries.
  • Stimulating a constructive dialogue among the interested parties (including business operators, NGOs and their umbrella organisations), and also a collaborative climate among EU and Non-EU National Competent Authorities towards common achievements concerning the most controversial aspects in the interpretation of the relevant pieces of legislation.
Session Title Start Date End Date
1 Animal welfare at slaughter - poultry (advanced) - I 15/11/2022 17/11/2022
2 Animal welfare at slaughter - poultry (advanced) - II 18/04/2023 20/04/2023
Animal welfare at slaughter - poultry (advanced)

BTSF Training Course on Animal Welfare at slaughter and in case of killing for depopulation purposes (basic level).

Organisation and implementation of training activities on animal welfare on the farm, animal welfare at the time of killing of animals (at slaughterhouses and for disease control purposes) and animal welfare during transport under the Better Training for Safer Food initiative.

The overall objectives are:

  • Improving awareness of rules and how to control that these are respected in the areas covered by the EU legislation in force, as concerns poultry and pig productions, slaughtering practices and long distance transportation.
  • Ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union.
  • Promoting the exchange of good and best practices among EU Member States as regards control activities at farm.
  • Improving the welfare conditions of live farmed animals in Europe.
  • Improving awareness of the EU legislation on animal welfare in selected non-EU Countries.
  • Stimulating a constructive dialogue among the interested parties (including business operators, NGOs and their umbrella organisations), and also a collaborative climate among EU and Non-EU National Competent Authorities towards common achievements concerning the most controversial aspects in the interpretation of the relevant pieces of legislation.
Session Title Start Date End Date
1 Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare at slaughter and in case of killing for depopulation purposes (basic level) 21/06/2022 23/06/2022
2 Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare at slaughter (basic level)-I 24/01/2023 26/01/2023
3 Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in case of killing for depopulation purposes (basic level) 16/05/2023 18/05/2023
4 Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare at slaughter (basic level)-II 22/11/2023 24/11/2023
Animal welfare at slaughter and depopulation (basic)

BTSF Training Programme on Animal welfare in pig production.

The overall objectives are:

  • Contributing to improving compliance in the areas covered by the EU legislation in force, as concerns pig production.
  • Ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union.
  • Promoting the exchange of good and best practices among EU Member States as regards control activities at farm.
  • Improving the welfare conditions of live farmed animals in Europe.
  • Improving awareness of the EU legislation on animal welfare in selected non-EU Countries.
  • Stimulating a constructive dialogue among the interested parties (including business operators, NGOs and their umbrella organisations), and also a collaborative climate among EU and Non-EU National Competent Authorities towards common achievements concerning the most controversial aspects in the interpretation of the relevant pieces of legislation.
Session Title Start Date End Date
1 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in pig production - 1 13/09/2021 15/09/2021
2 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in pig production - 2 16/11/2021 18/12/2021
3 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in pig production - 3 08/03/2022 10/03/2022
4 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in pig production - 4 22/11/2023 24/11/2023
Animal welfare in pig production

BTSF Training Programme on Animal welfare in poultry production - broilers

Organisation and implementation of training activities on animal welfare on the farm, animal welfare at the time of killing of animals (at slaughterhouses and for disease control purposes) and animal welfare during transport.

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training Courses on Animal welfare in poultry production - broilers are:

  • Raising awareness and promoting a common understanding of the EU animal welfare rules applicable to poultry and pig productions, slaughtering practices and long distance transportation.
  • Ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union.
  • Promoting the exchange of good and best practices among EU Member States as regards control activities at farm.
  • Improving the welfare conditions of live farmed animals in Europe.
  • Improving awareness of the EU legislation on animal welfare in selected non-EU Countries.
  • Stimulating a constructive dialogue among the interested parties (including business operators, NGOs and their umbrella organisations), and also a collaborative climate among EU and Non-EU National Competent Authorities towards common achievements concerning the most controversial aspects in the interpretation of the relevant pieces of legislation.
Session Title Start Date End Date
1 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in poultry production - I 13/10/2021 15/10/2021
2 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in poultry production - II 29/11/2021 01/12/2021
3 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in poultry production - III 07/06/2022 09/06/2022
4 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare in poultry production - IV 22/11/2023 24/11/2023
Animal welfare in poultry production - broilers

Welcome to the BTSF Training Programme on Animal welfare – livestock vessels.

The overall objective of this programme is to provide the European Union (EU) Member States (MS) and neighbouring non-EU countries with high-level effective training to ensure better organisation, implementation and enforcement of the EU rules on the welfare of animals on sea vessels.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • Pre-loading control to livestock vessel – Procedures and items to be checked – Veterinary control.
  • Livestock vessel controls prior to loading- Collaboration with the PSC.
  • Thetis-EMSA ship inspection module.
  • Main critical points of the loading operation.
  • Journey planning- A journey log model adapted to the livestock vessel transport.
  • Contingency and planning of the journeys.
  • The OIE perspective- Outcomes of the long journey scenarios involving sea transport.
  • The transporter perspective- good practices during sea transport.
  • The CA at destination perspective- Main critical points on arrival.

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • Competent authority officials organizing and carrying out controls on vessels at the port (from all levels of the authorities local, regional, central).
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 27/09/2022 29/09/2022 Lisbon Portugal
Animal welfare – livestock vessels

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training Programme/Course on Animal Welfare- Retrospective checks on transport of animals are:

  • to identify and know where to find all the information they need to perform effective retrospective checks on animal transport;
  • to cross-check the information with the appropriate legal requirements;
  • to reach the correct conclusion regarding the degree of compliance of a consignment, gain an understanding of good practices in the EU and how these may be adopted in their own control systems.
Animal welfare- Retrospective checks on transport of animals

BTSF Training Programme on Animal Welfare during transport (basic)

Organisation and implementation of training activities on animal welfare on the farm, animal welfare at the time of killing of animals (at slaughterhouses and for disease control purposes) and animal welfare during transport.

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training Courses on Animal Welfare during transport (basic) are:

  • Improving awareness of rules and how to control that these are respected in the areas covered by the EU legislation in force, as concerns poultry and pig productions, slaughtering practices and long distance transportation.
  • Ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union.
  • Promoting the exchange of good and best practices among EU Member States as regards control activities at farm.
  • Improving the welfare conditions of live farmed animals in Europe.
  • Improving awareness of the EU legislation on animal welfare in selected non-EU Countries.
  • Stimulating a constructive dialogue among the interested parties (including business operators, NGOs and their umbrella organisations), and also a collaborative climate among EU and Non-EU National Competent Authorities towards common achievements concerning the most controversial aspects in the interpretation of the relevant pieces of legislation.
Session Title Start Date End Date
1 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare during transport (basic level)- 1 17/05/2022 19/05/2022
2 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare during transport (basic level) - 2 29/11/2022 01/12/2022
3 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare during transport (basic level) - 3 13/06/2023 15/06/2023
Animal welfare during transport (basic)

BTSF Training Programme on Animal welfare during transport (advanced).

The overall objectives of the course are:

Organisation and implementation of training activities on animal welfare on the farm, animal welfare at the time of killing of animals (at slaughterhouses and for disease control purposes) and animal welfare during transport.

  • Improving awareness of rules and how to control that these are respected in the areas covered by the EU legislation in force, as concerns poultry and pig productions, slaughtering practices and long distance transportation.
  • Ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union.
  • Promoting the exchange of good and best practices among EU Member States as regards control activities at farm.
  • Improving the welfare conditions of live farmed animals in Europe.
  • Improving awareness of the EU legislation on animal welfare in selected non-EU Countries.
  • Stimulating a constructive dialogue among the interested parties (including business operators, NGOs and their umbrella organisations), and also a collaborative climate among EU and Non-EU National Competent Authorities towards common achievements concerning the most controversial aspects in the interpretation of the relevant pieces of legislation.
Session Title Start Date End Date
1 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare during transport (advanced level) - 1 29/03/2022 31/03/2022
2 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare during transport (advanced level) - 2 25/10/2022 27/10/2022
3 BTSF Virtual Classroom on Animal Welfare during transport (advanced level) - 3 21/03/2023 23/03/2023
Animal welfare during transport (advanced)

The overall objective of the BTSF Training Programme/Course on Enforcement of animal welfare during transport is to provide the European Union (EU) Member States (MS) and neighbouring non-EU countries with high-level effective training to ensure better organisation, implementation and enforcement of the EU rules on the welfare of animals during transport:

  • to achieve a uniform and correct implementation of EU rules on animal welfare during road transport in the Union by having national authorities performing controls in a uniform manner and of consistentlyhigh quality leading, where necessary, to taking relevant enforcement action to rectify and/or sanction non-compliances.
  • To identify and know where to find all the information they need to perform effective retrospectivechecks on animal transport.
  • To cross-check the information with the appropriate legal requirement
  • To obtain the correct conclusion regarding the degree of compliance of a consignment and gain an understanding of good practices in the EU and how these may be adopted in their own control systems
  • To reinforce networking between EU and certain non-EU countries’ staff involved in prioritisation and implementation of official controls by bringing together participants from different Member States and certain non-EU countries.
  • To allow the exchange of experience and disseminate best practices for risk targeting of control activities, implementing official controls, and effective enforcement and follow-up activities relating to EU rules on animal welfare during road transport in the Union and beyond.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • Overview of main issues regarding animal welfare during road transport
  • Checks on journey planning, journey implementation and enforcement of animal welfare requirements
  • Use of TRACES to collect necessary information for official controls on animal welfare during transport
  • Risk-based selection of transporters/consignments for retrospective checks
  • Retrospective checks on journey logs using SNS data and temperature records, and enforcement
  • Auditing transport companies
  • Auditing/supervising Local Veterinary Units’ activities
  • Common constraints, challenges, weaknesses and good practices.

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • Competent authority officials organising, implementing and enforcing legislation on animal welfare during road transport from all levels of the authorities (local, regional, central).
  • EU transport companies specialised in live animals
  • Local NGOs committed to disseminating EU animal welfare provisions
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 06/06/2022 10/06/2022 Tilburg Netherlands
CANCELLED 12/09/2022 16/09/2022 Linz Austria
2 17/10/2022 21/10/2022 Budapest Hungary
3 13/03/2023 17/03/2023 Marbella Spain
4 08/05/2023 12/05/2023 Linz
Austria
5 12/06/2023 16/06/2023 Kapitan Andreevo Bulgaria
6 18/09/2023 22/09/2023 Kapitan Andreevo
Bulgaria
7 09/10/2023 13/10/2023 Budapest Hungary
8 27/11/2023 01/12/2023 Warsaw Polond
9 11/03/2024 15/03/2023 Warsaw Poland
10 08/04/2024 12/04/2024 Algeciras  Spain
11 13/05/2024 17/05/2024 TBD  Czech Republic
Enforcement of animal welfare during transport

The overall objective of the BTSF Training Programme/Course on Beef carcass classification is to provide the control bodies of the Member States with an opportunity to verify the compliance of the standards applied in their own countries with the standard Union Scale for the classification of beef carcasses and to calibrate them in case of over or underscoring.

As the process of carcass classification is a visual method, it is necessary to ensure that the Union Scale is applied in a consistent way in all Member States. To reach this aim, the training course will be focused on practical exercises, where participants will be called to classify some carcasses, working both in groups and individually. The exercises will be carried out at a slaughterhouse and beef processing plant.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • Beef carcass classification and legal background.
  • General conditions and the application of the carcass classification
  • Minimum requirements of classification, weighing and identification of carcasses; Community scale for the classification of carcasses of bovine animals aged eight months or more.
  • On-the-spot check, inspection reports
  • The authorisation method of automated beef grading techniques
  • Practical demonstration on the classification: determination of conformation and fat cover, marking and classification of carcasses, presentation of carcasses

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • experience in the supervision of the classification and control of slaughterhouses
  • worked in functional areas of carcass classification and control of slaughterhouses
  • experience in carcass classification within a Competent Authority in areas of food/feed safety, animal health or animal welfare, in particular in areas such as control of the slaughterhouses
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 02/11/2022 04/11/2022 Tullamore Ireland
2 30/11/2022 02/12/2022 Ghent Belgium
Beef carcass classification