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ISO/TS 34700

ISO/TS 34700 animal welfare management in the food supply chain

ISO/TS 34700 consulting helps livestock production, transport and slaughter organisations define animal welfare responsibilities, assess gaps and plan improvements for customer or supply chain requirements. Vosurein reviews the scope, existing processes and evidence to assign work, implement changes and conduct internal reviews.

Discuss ISO/TS 34700 animal welfare management consulting

For Your Business

Who this service is for and when to start

For organisations involved in livestock production, transport and slaughter responding to customer requirements or improving their supply chains. Start with gaps and priorities when responsibilities are unclear, training and observation records are scattered, or reported problems lack follow-up.

The Challenge

Common challenges faced by businesses

Different organisations handle husbandry, transport and subsequent processing. Handovers focused only on quantities can break the flow of welfare observations and incident information. Welfare plans need to reflect the species and activities rather than applying one checklist to all livestock.

Our Approach

Methods and applicable requirements

The adopted version is ISO/TS 34700:2016 (Technical Specification).

This technical specification provides requirements and guidelines for animal welfare management, applicable to terrestrial animals used in food or feed production, and is limited by the species and process scope referenced. It can be used for welfare gap analysis and planning, and does not directly extend to pets, research, or aquatic animals.

The following consulting tasks can be arranged to suit your needs.

Analysis of welfare gaps

Organize applicable principles, current status, and improvement checklists.

Supply chain responsibility

Define responsibilities for husbandry, transport and subsequent handling.

Competence and records

Planning personnel training, observation reporting, and evidence management.

Welfare improvement plan

Assign responsible people, review methods and procedures for addressing problems.

Process

Consulting scope and process

  1. Species, activities and welfare scope

    Define the scope by terrestrial species and activities such as husbandry and transport. Check welfare requirements against existing procedures rather than applying them unchanged across species.

  2. Welfare gaps and partner responsibilities

    Assign responsibility for welfare gaps across the supply chain. Identify decisions requiring a veterinarian or another qualified professional, and plan improvements.

  3. Training, observation, and reporting trial

    Have staff observe and report according to the species and activities. Check that information carries through handovers, and clarify recording methods where needed.

  4. Welfare plans and improvement reviews

    Review anomalies and the completion of action plans, check whether welfare measures are being continuously managed, and update follow-up training and cooperation requirements.

Preparation

What documents do companies need to prepare?

  • Scope of application: Terrestrial species, food and feed uses, and activities.
  • Partner division of labor: Responsibilities for care, transportation, and subsequent handling.
  • Welfare measures: Procedures, observations, training and reporting.
  • Evidence of improvement: Incidents, action plans and review records.

For the initial discussion, you can provide a summary. Handle customer, personal and confidential business information within the necessary scope and agreed access permissions.

Project Planning

Estimating time and cost

The scope of work is determined according to species, activities, and partners. When crossing interfaces such as husbandry and transportation, interviews and record reviews should be jointly arranged.

Services include welfare management and improvement plans; veterinary care, husbandry techniques, and third-party assessments are arranged separately, with requirements applicable to the actual species and activities.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Does this apply to all animals?

No. This item focuses on terrestrial animals used for food or feed production. Species, activities, and applicable animal welfare requirements must be confirmed; it does not directly extend to pets, aquatic animals, or research animals.

Can existing systems and records be reused?

Existing species and process summaries, transportation and supplier information, welfare procedures, training, and improvement records can first be reviewed to confirm the period of applicability, scope, and quality of evidence, and gaps can then be filled; rewriting all documents is not a prerequisite for implementation.

What information should be transferred during transportation handover?

According to species, activities, and agreed welfare requirements, necessary observations and abnormality information must be confirmed so that the receiving personnel can continue the management; specific welfare judgments should be confirmed by competent professionals.

How are consulting and third-party certification responsibilities divided?

Vosurein supports system implementation and preparation but does not issue third-party certificates. Confirm the applicable certification scheme, accreditation scope, fees and schedule separately. A certificate does not constitute product approval or proof of compliance with every regulation.

Can different species use the same checklist?

Management fields can be shared, but observation and judgment items should be confirmed according to species and activities to avoid using a single form that masks differences in welfare needs.

Which version should be confirmed before implementation?

This service uses ISO/TS 34700:2016, a technical specification. When implementing or changing editions, check customer and assessment scheme requirements and transition arrangements. A publication date is not the deadline for an organisation to transition.

Related

Related services and enquiries

Please provide the industry, activities, locations, main requirements, and expected completion time.Contact Vosurein

Content checked: . Applicable versions and requirements depend on the company’s circumstances.

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