Welfare of cattle: code of practice

Equipment

The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (S.S.I. 2010 No. 388) (Schedule 1, Paragraphs 18-21), state that:

• all automated or mechanical equipment essential for the health and well-being of the animals must be inspected at least once a day to check there is no defect in it
• where any defect in automated or mechanical equipment of the type specified in paragraph 18 is discovered, it must be rectified immediately, or if that is impossible, appropriate steps must be taken to safeguard the health and well-being of the animals pending the rectification of such defects including the use of alternative methods of feeding and watering and methods of providing and maintaining a satisfactory environment
• where the health and well-being of animals is dependent on an artificial ventilation system:

(a) provision must be made for an appropriate back-up system to guarantee sufficient air renewal to preserve the health and well-being of the animals in the event of failure of the system; and

(b) an alarm system (which will operate even if the principal electricity supply to it has failed) must be provided to give warning of any failure of the system.

• the back-up system referred to in paragraph 20(a) must be thoroughly inspected, and the alarm system referred to in paragraph 20(b) tested, in each case not less than once every 7 days in order to check that there is no defect in it, and, if any defect is found in such system or alarm (whether or not on it being inspected or tested in accordance with this paragraph), it must be rectified forthwith

78 All mains electrical equipment should meet relevant standards and be properly earthed, safeguarded from rodents and out of the animals' reach.