[Implementation of cross-compliance in the area of animal welfare]. / Umsetzung von Cross Compliance im Bereich Tierschutz.

From 1 January 2007, requirements concerning animal welfare were introduced with effect to cross-compliance. Farmers receiving single payment as well as agri-environmental payments (payments of second pillar) shall respect the statutory management requirements of the following 3 directives in the area of animal welfare: Council Directive 91/629/EEC laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves; Council Directive 91/630/EEC laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs; Council Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. The competent authority shall carry out annual systematic inspections on at least 1% of all farmers submitting payments on the basis of a risk analysis and partly at random. In case of non-compliance with the conditions due to specific rules, there will be a reduction or cancellation of the payments to be granted in the calendar year in which non-compliance occurs. Cross-compliance controls should take place on the basis of documented procedures so as to ensure that these controls are carried out uniformly and are of a consistently high quality. For this purpose, a working group composed of representatives from the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection and from the Lander developed uniform control reports in order to monitor compliance and a guidance booklet for control execution of animal welfare requirements. In the control report (Level 1), the outcomes of inspections of all systematic testable animal welfare requirements are summarized in 6 items. Furthermore, the non-systematically testable requirements are integrated in the control report as a independent item. The guidance booklet (Level 2) with a matrix of validation serves as a specification for on-the-spot checks. Where appropriate, on-the-spot checks provided for cross-compliance and any other checks in animal welfare rules as well as requirements to animal identification and registration shall be carried out at the same time in Baden-Württemberg (integrated control system). Farmers subjected to on-the-spot checks shall be selected on the basis of a centralized common risk analysis and partly at random. This is the best way of safeguarding that the control rate will not be much higher than the established 1% with a minimum administrative burden and costs for farmers and competent control authorities. Integrated check lists for on-the-spot checks were established which take into account systematic cross compliance inspections to improve compliance with 3 existing standards in the area of animal welfare and official controls as proved in Council Directives concerning animal welfare and Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. All staff of the competent authorities performing controls received, for their area of competence, appropriate training enabling them to make their duties competently and to carry out controls in a consistent manner. Integrated systematic controls are very time-consuming and a burden for farmers and the competent authorities. For the beginning of this year, we will expect a discharge by Decision (EC) 2006/778. A controlling system was installed to ensure that cross compliance rules are applied consistently, for example by making subsequent controls by controlling institutions.

[Sonographic diagnosis of early pregnancy in horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, dogs and cats. Standard values and limitations]. / Die sonographische Frühträchtigkeitsdiagnose bei Pferd, Rind, Schaf, Ziege, Schwein, Hund und Katze. Richtwerte und Grenzen.

Ultrasonography allows early and reliable pregnancy detection in several domestic animals. Transrectal sonography can be recommended in horses and cattle, transrectal or transcutaneous procedures in sheep, goats and pigs while transcutaneous ultrasound scanning is appropriate in dogs and cats. Three periods of time can be distinguished in the diagnosis of early pregnancy by ultrasound: the earliest phase, where signs of pregnancy can be found in some cases, but accuracy of diagnosis is very low; the succeeding period, where reliable diagnosis is possible, but results are often difficult to achieve and examination can be time consuming; the third phase in which ultrasound diagnosis is very accurate even under practice conditions and can be efficiently carried out on a large scale basis in breeding management. To achieve high accuracy in determining pregnancies a suitable ultrasound scanner with a good image quality and considerable expertise are required. Under field conditions ultrasonic pregnancy diagnosis should be possible: from Day 14 in the horse, from Day 25-28 in cattle, from Day 25 (transrectal), resp. 35 (transcutaneous) in sheep, goats and swine and from Day 24-25 (transcutaneous) in the dog and cat. Before this period of time reliable diagnosis is sometimes possible: between Day 11 and 13 in the horse, between Day 20 and 25 in cattle, between Day 20 and 25 (transrectal), resp. between Day 30 and 35 (transcutaneous) in sheep and goats, between Day 20 and 25 (transrectal) and Day 22 and 35 (transcutaneous) in swine and between Day 19-20 and 24-25 in the dog and cat. Earlier sonographic indications of pregnancy are not sufficiently reliable for large scale accurate pregnancy diagnosis.