In December 2022, the investigation group Ongehoord released footage showing pigs being beaten, kicked, and chased with a taser during their final days. The investigators used hidden cameras at Beter Leven certified stables and a livestock collection point. They recorded the loading and unloading of animals for transport. Despite years of criticism and several announced improvements from the sector, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (NVWA) confirms that animal suffering continues as long as animals are transported.

Serious abuse and sick animals at the collection point

In Reusel (North Brabant), the research group Ongehoord set up a camera at the collection point of the C. van Roij Livestock and Pig Trade. Here, animals are gathered from various breeding farms before being sent to the slaughterhouse. Although the organization only filmed at the location for a few days, they documented numerous instances of abuse. Several pigs had to be euthanized at the collection point because they were too sick to be transported any further. A captive bolt pistol was used: a device that fires a metal pin through an animal's skull to damage the brain. Because a captive bolt pistol does not guarantee death, it is legally required to kill the animals immediately after shooting by cutting their throats. ^[1] At C. van Roij, employees allowed shot pigs to convulse for minutes without checking for unconsciousness or performing the throat cut. Although there is also a legal obligation to provide sick animals with first aid (veterinary treatment or euthanasia) “as soon as possible,” a sick mother pig was left to fend for herself for an entire night. ^[2] The next morning, the animal was kicked several times in the head before being shot. Another sow was kicked, tasered on the head, and pulled up by the tail; in other words, at least three violations of the law were committed in a matter of seconds. ^[3] Piglets and mother pigs were seen being kicked and beaten with pieces of garden hose on several occasions.

Clappers and electric skewers for Beter Leven pigs

In the Netherlands, there is only one quality mark that establishes requirements for transport. Interestingly, this is not the organic EKO quality mark, but the much less stringent Beter Leven quality mark. Ongehoord also reveals how pigs at Beter Leven farms are herded into trucks. At Annechien ten Have-Mellema's pig farm (2 Beter Leven stars), pigs are struck by hand and with plastic firecrackers, and heavy driving boards are also used to hit the pigs. It's surprising that Ten Have-Mellema still uses the "clapperboard." Beter Leven slaughterhouse Westfort banned it following earlier research by Ongehoord. ^[4] The footage also shows a pig with a leg defect being transported, which is against the law. Ten Have-Mellema and its Hamletz stables have previously faced controversy in 2011 and 2021. ^[5] At Martin Houben's farm in Ysselstein (1 Beter Leven star), pigs for meat are produced using electric prods, which is prohibited by both law and the quality mark. Recently, Ongehoord demonstrated that Houben did not comply with the Beter Leven quality mark in his stables. ^[6] The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals (Dierenbescherming) has not yet imposed any penalties.

Stress and violence are part of life

Pigs face stressful situations during loading and unloading, including unfamiliar companions, people, new environments, noise, and slippery surfaces on loading ramps and trucks. Naturally, pigs take their time to explore new surroundings. Workers, often under time pressure, sometimes resort to violence to speed up the loading process. Undercover footage from Ongehoord at the Westfort pig slaughterhouse (2020) revealed that unloading pigs was also impossible without striking the animals. ^[7] During transport, the animals encounter even more stressors, such as unrest and aggression from mixing with unfamiliar companions in the vehicles, exposure to an unknown environment, temperature extremes, poor ventilation, lack of space, loud noises, hunger and thirst, frustration, poor health, fatigue, and exhaustion. ^[8]

Millions of sick pigs in the industry

Despite the previously announced “increased supervision” by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), pig farmers continue to transport weak, sick, and injured animals to collection points and slaughterhouses. This situation represents just the tip of the iceberg: 4.5 million pigs become ill and die on pig farms each year. Piglets are often born stillborn or weak because their mothers are overbred to produce unnaturally large litters. Finishing pigs develop joint problems due to infections from pathogens in the barns, or because their cartilage cannot keep up with their accelerated growth rate. ^[9] Tail-biting, where animals bite each other's tails out of stress and boredom, occurs on 50% of pig farms. Tail-biting wounds can become severely infected, leading to death. ^[10] Many pigs suffer from mild to very serious claw disorders. An estimated 10% of sows are lame, a problem that has only worsened since the mandatory introduction of group housing for pregnant sows (for animal welfare reasons). Researchers identify slippery, dirty floors and concrete slats as causes, which can easily lead to claw injuries. These injuries serve as a major entry point for infections, which can also impact higher-lying joints and tissues. ^{[11] [12]} Organic sow farming, which includes pasture access and straw-bedded lying areas, faces its own lameness challenges. Pastures and straw-covered bedding areas may not sufficiently wear down hooves (unlike concrete and slatted floors), which can lead to problems. Wet and dirty straw softens the hooves, increasing the likelihood of injuries. ^[13] The percentage of sows dying on livestock farms has remained around 6% for years. Pathological examinations by the Dutch Animal Health Service (GD) reveal the following major causes of acute death: heart failure and stress, as well as organ torsion. ^{[14] [15]} Sows at the end of pregnancy are particularly at risk for heart failure, as their hearts must pump a large volume of blood through their heavy bodies. In stressful situations, such as moving from the sow stall to the farrowing pen and the high ambient temperature in the farrowing pens, the heart beats even faster. This can lead to heart failure and death. ^[16] Feed management contributes to torsion of the stomach, spleen, and intestines, but stress is also a significant factor that leads to torsion. ^[17]

Animals not helped with control and enforcement

The NVWA supervisory authority is responsible for monitoring and enforcing European and Dutch legislation on animal welfare, animal health, and food safety. However, in recent years, repeated issues have emerged at the NVWA. In 2019, the "2Solve" research report was published, highlighting the functioning and shortcomings of the NVWA in small and medium-sized slaughterhouses in the Northern Netherlands. ^[18] The investigation revealed that sick and infirm animals were frequently delivered for slaughter, and that the NVWA did not consistently intervene in these abuses. Several inspectors ignored a significant amount of mistreatment. Consequently, inspectors who attempted to enforce their responsibilities faced aggression from slaughterhouse staff. It was also reported that slaughterhouses received NVWA's internal planning. This enabled them to schedule the transport of sick animals on days when a less vigilant inspector was conducting inspections. In June 2019, an RTL investigation revealed that NVWA inspectors were issuing export certificates for seriously sick and injured animals. ^[19] Then-Minister of Agriculture Schouten announced stricter inspections and introduced the four-eye principle at the end of 2019, which mandates that inspections be conducted by two inspectors instead of one. ^[20] A year later, Schouten announced further tightening of inspections: NVWA veterinarians would adhere to European guidelines for inspecting cattle starting in April 2021. ^[21] At the end of 2021, Ongehoord released requested inspection documents showing that seriously ill cows were also being exported to Belgian slaughterhouses after April. ^[22] A three-month pilot investigation conducted by the NVWA from June to August 2021 revealed that many livestock farmers were still struggling to comply with EU guidelines for pig transport: during the investigation period, no fewer than 15,000 pigs (approximately 220 to 250 animals per day) were found to be non-compliant with the guidelines, indicating that the transport of these animals violated European legislation that should have been enforced for years. The NVWA investigation was conducted at five slaughterhouses, so the actual number of unsuitable pigs may be higher. ^[23] Ultimately, it was not until October 2021 that the NVWA, after extensive consultation with the sector, began to enforce the EU guidelines for pig transport. ^[24] However, the latest footage from Ongehoord indicates that the issues surrounding livestock transport are far from resolved. Johan Boonstra of Ongehoord concludes: “How often can we tighten supervision, how often can the sector introduce new guidelines, how many violations can livestock farmers commit before we say it's time to end livestock farming?”