UK farmers, who are part of farm assurance schemes including Red Tractor, could face fewer animal welfare inspections under new Government plans put out for consultation by Defra on 15 June 2011 (Consultation on reforming the GB Animal Welfare Inspection Regime).

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he supports the "general principle" of sending live animal exports to countries that treat them properly. Meat and Livestock Australia on Monday recommended that cattle only be exported to the 25 Indonesian abattoirs that meet World Organisation for Animal Health standards.

The operator of one of the Indonesian slaughterhouses where Australian cattle have been mistreated is quick to apologise and willing to admit what happened is ''cruel''. Asked to spell out why the brutality occurred at the Gondrong abattoir outside Jakarta, Muhammad Nur Hendri struggles. ''It's about culture but I don't know how to explain,'' he says.

Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has ordered an inquiry into the claims of mistreatment of Australian cattle exported to Indonesia. Senator Ludwig said he was shocked by TV footage of mistreatment of these animals, shown on the ABC Four Corners program on Monday night.

Australia's livestock industry has suspended cattle exports to three Indonesian abattoirs because of animal cruelty. LiveCorp said it was handed "graphic and distressing" video footage on Tuesday which showed the beasts being mistreated.

Congralations to Dr. Tina Widowski on being chosen the first-ever research chair in laying-hen welfare – a total of $770,000 over seven years from Egg Farmers of Canada. Widowski has earned a reputation as an outstanding welfare researcher and is director of the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare at the University of Guelph.

MAPLE HEIGHTS -- Boss Pet Products, Inc. announced that it is recalling its Diggers Natural Treat Pig Ear pet treats because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Boss Pet has been notified by one of its suppliers, Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc., that a batch of Keys' pig ear treats tested positive for Salmonella.

The contentious question of how comfortable Canada’s egg-laying hens should be has rattled the industry and now hatched its own university chair. Consumers have become increasingly concerned over farm conditions, and some retailers have responded by releasing welfare rankings that are forcing suppliers to clean up or disclose their practices.

Dr. Tina Widowski has been granted $770,000 to research welfare issues related to different types of housing for laying hens. The money comes from the Egg Farmers of Canada, the national agency for supply management, and is one of three research chairs it intends to fund. It has yet to announce the other two.

Getting caught is a drag. Just ask Kirt Espenson, whose employees at E6 Cattle Company in Southwest Texas were videotaped bashing cows’ heads in with pickaxes and hammers and performing other acts of unspeakably sickening cruelty. Yet if some state legislators have their way, horrific but valuable videos like that one will never be made.