The Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994

Regulation 3(4)

SCHEDULE 4

PART IGENERAL CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH LIVESTOCK MUST BE KEPT

1.  Where livestock are kept in a building adequate lighting (whether fixed or portable) shall be available to enable them to be thoroughly inspected at any time.

2.  The interior of any building (including the floor) to which livestock have access shall be so constructed and maintained that there are no sharp edges or protrusions likely to cause injury or distress to the livestock.

3.  No inadequately constructed or insecure fittings shall be used for restraining the livestock.

4.  Livestock shall be fed a wholesome diet which is appropriate to their species and which is fed to them in sufficient quantity to maintain them in good health and to satisfy their nutritional needs.

5.  Livestock shall be provided with an adequate supply of fresh drinking water each day and shall have access to food each day, except where a veterinary surgeon acting in the exercise of his profession otherwise directs.

6.  Where any livestock, other than poultry, are kept in a building—

(a)they shall be kept on, or have access at all times to, a lying area which is well-drained or well maintained with dry bedding; and

(b)suitable accommodation shall be available so as to enable any sick or injured livestock to be separated from other livestock and, when such accommodation is used by any sick or injured livestock, it shall have a suitably bedded floor.

7.  Where any poultry (except laying hens kept in battery cages) are kept in a building, they shall be kept on, or have access at all times to, well maintained litter or to a well-drained area for resting.

8.  Where any lactating dairy cows or any cows which are calving are kept in any roofed accommodation they shall have access at all times to a well-drained and bedded lying area.

9.  Where any cows which are calving are kept in a building, they shall be kept—

(a)in a pen or a yard which is of such a size as to permit a person to attend the cows; and

(b)separate from other livestock other than calving cows.

10.  Any hutches or cages in which any rabbits are kept shall be—

(a)of sufficient size to allow the rabbits to move around and to feed and drink without difficulty and to enable all the rabbits kept in them to lie on their sides at the same time; and

(b)of sufficient height to allow the rabbits to sit upright on all four feet without their ears touching the top of the hutch or cage.

11.  Where any rabbits are kept in any accommodation which is exposed to the weather, suitable steps shall be taken so as to ensure that the rabbits have access to shelter from the action of the weather (including direct sunlight).

12.  No person shall apply an electrical current to livestock for the purposes of immobilisation.

PART IIADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR INTENSIVE SYSTEMS

1.  The livestock shall be thoroughly inspected by a stock-keeper not less than once each day to check that they are in a state of well-being.

2.  Where livestock are found not to be in a state of well-being (whether on inspection of the livestock in accordance with the preceding paragraph or at any other time), such measures shall immediately be taken as are required to safeguard the livestock from suffering unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress.

3.—(1) All automatic equipment shall be thoroughly inspected by a stock-keeper, or other competent person, not less than once each day to check that there is no defect in it.

(2) Where a defect is found in the automatic equipment (whether on inspection of the equipment in accordance with this paragraph or at any other time)—

(a)the defect shall be rectified forthwith, or

(b)if this is impracticable, such measures shall immediately be taken and shall be maintained until the defect is rectified, as are required to safeguard the livestock from suffering unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress as a result of the defect.

(3) Where the automatic equipment includes a ventilation system the system shall contain—

(a)an alarm which will give adequate warning of the failure of that system to function properly (which alarm will operate even if the principal electricity supply to it has failed), and

(b)additional equipment or means of ventilation (whether automatic or not) which, in the event of such a failure of the ventilation system, will provide adequate ventilation so as to prevent the livestock from suffering unnecessary distress as a result of the failure.

(4) The alarm system mentioned in the preceding sub-paragraph shall be tested and the additional equipment mentioned there shall be thoroughly inspected, in each case, by a stock-keeper or other competent person not less than once every seven days in order to check that there is no defect in it and, if any defect is found in such alarm or equipment (whether or not on it being tested or inspected in accordance with this paragraph) it shall be rectified forthwith.