Branding, Topic on Fire in Germany

Thu, 03/17/2011 - 09:29
Editorial

The topic of abolishing branding is a hot, literally on fire, in Germany. The question of animal welfare shot straight into consumer awareness with the recent massive dioxin-contaminated egg scandal in Germany.

Agricultural Minister Ilse Aigner (CSU) has put the question squarely on the political table in an attempt to abolish the practise, which is glorified by the German breed societies as a tradition to be upheld.

In a conversation with one of Germany's biggest print publications Die Welt, Aigner said that, "we must discuss what consumers expect and what best serves nature and the welfare of the animals." She proposed no less than a "Charter for Agriculture and Consumers" and an end to practices such as caging of laying chickens, branding of horses and cattle, and castration of piglets without anesthesia."

With the launch of the mandatory EU-regulated microchip as official identification device, the need for a brand has become superfluous. "It's completely non-sensical and unnecessary to continue the practise of branding to mark animals," said Wolfgang Apel, the president of the German Animal Welfare Society. "The chipping of horses guarantees a secure identification without hurting the animal. The torture to have a brand because of trandition has to end!"

Branding has already been forbidden in The Netherlands, Denmark and Scotland. In October 2010 the first successful legal step was taken when the abolishment was supported regionally in Rhineland but still needed federal approval to go into effect. Between October and February 2011 the strength of the debate wavered as the topic was being discussed behind closed doors and both activists and detractors were lobbying at their utmost potential. The German Animal Welfare Society started a commercial crusade to raise awareness to the cruelty of branding by printing a poster in their house style with as caption "Feel Like a Horse".

The British Equine Veterinary Association explained that hot branding was no longer justifiable on welfare grounds. "The production of a hot brand requires the efficient destruction by burning of the superficial skin layers, leaving essentially a distinct scar. One of the problems with horses and ponies identified by hot brand is the great variation in the degree of this scarring," it said. "The procedure is undoubtedly painful and reactions to branding vary from the apparently stoic to quite violent."

The German Trakehner society retalliated by stipulating that hot branding on the hindquarters of foals was quick, and "little more ... than a simple insect bite," as reported by Horsetalk.co.nz. The society stated that ,"the hindquarter is the most muscled body region in foals and thus largely insensitive. Immediately after branding the foals are back to normal. The many years of practical experience shows that foals being hot branded show no 'substantial pain, suffering and damage', for it is relatively stress-free and gentle."

In a weak attempt to debunk the micro-chip, the Trakehner society said that "after the first year of using the microchip, we find that this method is much more stressful for the foal. As a tool for identification of the horse ... (it is) questionable. The small scar at the point of identification is a natural reaction of the tissue, however, the transponder is a foreign body, which is a long-term risk to the health of the horse."

Horsetalk referred to a study in Denmark in 2009 which proved that hot-iron branding was more painful than inserting a microchip. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen, headed by Dr Casper Lindegaard, compared the behavioural and physiological responses of seven horses that were subjected to both hot-iron branding and microchip insertion, and concluded that hot-iron branding should be abandoned wherever possible.

While Aigner attempts to abolish branding through a political campaign in support of the German Animal Welfare Society, the breed societies have started major petitions and a campaign on their own to keep the "tradition" going. The Hanoverian society sent out a newsletter informing its members of the joint effort to keep branding alive.

"In co-operation with the Holsteiner and the Trakehner Verband and the German FN, the Hanoveranian Verband has produced a film to inform about the issue hot branding. The film shows the uncomplicated way of branding foals, and it approaches horse enthusiasts as well as people who prefer objective information instead of an emotionally loaded campaign."

"Associations backing branding have declared the third-degree burns are like a designer label, and cannot be substituted by microchips," Treehugger.com reported. "A Trakehner without the traditional elk horns is like a Mercedes without a star on its grill," said Hans-Michael Goldmann (FDP), Congressman from Lower Saxony, when describing the Trakehner Association's position.

The hot branding debate escalated this week at the 2011 Equitana horse fair in Essen where local activists rallyed against the taking place of an information session on branding. "Unfortunately, local authorities are obviously also influenced by the nasty, invidious campaigns. The official veterinarian, responsible for the EQUITANA in Essen, has prohibited an information session on the issue hot branding at the Equitana," the Hanoverian society reported. "He prevented a foal that was to be branded during this information session from entering the hall. Animal welfare activists are obviously afraid that non-participants may realize how little foals are influenced by the brand. There is no other explanation actions like this."

The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe took a firm stand against hot branding, labelling the practise as "mutilation" adding that "hot branding should not be considered until all alternatives have been exhausted."

by Astrid Appels
info@eurodressage.com