Prevent animal torture

Aberrant practice: Two European NGOs revealed the cruel business of selling blood from mares to France

Animal rights associations from Germany and Switzerland released a video showing how laboratories in Argentina and Uruguay work.

October 21, 2017

A row of pregnant mares are forced to enter the corridor in which blood will be drawn from the jugular.

Le Monde, a French newspaper, this week released a report by two European NGOs that unveils the business of “bleeding” - as they call it - and the terrible condition to which thousands of pregnant mares are subjected in Argentina and Uruguay to the extraction of blood that they will then export to fertilize females of other species. It was the way of the investigation in the route of the horse meat that took to the protectionists to the secret world of the calls “blood farms” and that, as it is seen in the film material, is usually carried out at night so that nobody listens the cries of pain. But what do they do there?

The images of the video broadcast by its researchers speak for themselves. A row of pregnant mares are forced to enter the corridor in which blood will be drawn from the jugular. They will take out at least 10 liters twice a week (sometimes, every day) and that will not be all. Once weakened they will be hit in the head until falling to the floor and the blows will not finish, perhaps they are replaced by the electric shock of some electric shocks.

Video with sensitive images

How the research was done

The aforementioned European media states in its article “The sad fate of mares raised by their blood 'until exhaustion’” that the research was conducted between March 2015 and April of this year and that “this particular type of trade aims recovering a hormone, equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) in mares in gestation. ” In addition, he believes that this is “widely valued by sheep, goats, pigs and those who want to optimize the productivity and profitability of their livestock.” In summary, it is intended to control the cycle of each animal: programming births, reducing the intervals between fertilization and optimizing reproduction, and therefore the productivity of animals.

Mares are submitted to manual abortions without anesthesia after three and a half months of pregnancy, while gestation in these animals usually lasts eleven months.

“Investigating the horse meat market in Argentina and Uruguay, the associations of Tierschutzbund Zürich (TSB) and Animal Welfarm Foundation (AWF) discovered the existence of mares blood farms,” ​​says the AWF report on its website : “These farms feed a lucrative trade, that of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) also called PMSG.” According to the text, that hormone is present in the blood of mares during the first months of gestation and is imported, especially to France, by veterinary pharmaceutical laboratories. “The ECG is used in pig, sheep, goat and sheep farms to activate and synchronize female estrus. Combined with other synthetic hormones, ECG is used to inseminate all females at the same time, to plan births, to reduce the interval between two pregnancies increase the profitability of farms ”.

Le Monde continues: “Where are the 'blood farms' and with which countries are they trading? They are mainly found in Argentina and Uruguay.” The associations that carried out the survey estimated that 10,000 mares will be exploited in these two countries. an ECG-supplying country, but to a lesser extent, Europe, the United States and Canada are the main importers of this hormone, and its presentation in the form of powder is worth one million dollars per 100 grams. From January to May, the Argentine company Syntex exported to France one kilo of eCG and its Uruguayan subsidiary, 0295 kg ".

The description of the Parisian milieu follows with chilling details: “What happens to the mares that resist this treatment? Once the blood collection campaign is over, the mares are subjected to manual abortions without anesthesia after three and a half months of pregnancy, whereas gestation in these animals usually lasts eleven months, and then they are fertilized again ... until exhaustion.After three or four years, those that have survived those years of abuse or that have become sterile, are carried to the slaughterhouse to feed the horse meat trade, especially to France. ”

Researchers found dead mares in several fields where they would practice.

The associations mentioned were responsible for investigating five blood farms between March 2015 and April 2017 and the testimony they collected revealed serious cases of mistreatment: “Mares, often emaciated, injured or suffering from diseases, will be abandoned on eucalyptus plantations for for 11 consecutive weeks, once or twice a week, they will take samples of up to 10 liters of blood, equivalent to 1.5 liters for a man of 80 kilos.This can cause hypovolemic shock, anemia, The researchers found many dead mares in the fields on the spot. In addition, they say, during blood sampling, employees distribute lashes, punctures or sticks to force them into the boxes. containment where they will insert one into a cannula in their jugular vein. ”

To extract these hormones, the mares must be pregnant and contain it in their blood during the first 4 months of gestation. “Once this time has passed, the mares are aborted manually and without anesthesia to allow a new gestation. Immediately after this heavy and painful act, the mares are returned to the field,” the researchers reported. That process will be repeated for 3 or 4 years, except that the animal will die before, when they will be exhausted and sterile. “Then, they will be taken to the slaughterhouse to feed the horse meat trade that is especially exported to France.”

In the same note that the abuse is spread, Le Monde asks: “What is the position of the European authorities in relation to these practices?” And argues that the procedures used “are contrary to animal welfare laws in force in Europe ”. “In March 2016, the European Parliament considered in an amendment that the production of eCG in third countries is not in line with Union standards, which does not prevent French and other laboratories from the continent from feeding on less scrupulous countries in terms of animal welfare (...) In addition, more than 1.7 million people in Europe have already signed a petition calling for a ban on the importation of eCG from Argentina and Uruguay.”

The “bleeding” is made in Argentina and Uruguay to sell to France blood of pregnant mares.

Meanwhile, on this side of the map little and nothing is known about these practices that seem to be practiced far from the eyes of those who would argue against such practice. Activists from these organizations and the Uruguayan For the Animals Uruguay (FTA) said that “bleeding” has been carried out in Argentina and Uruguay for thirty years “because the laws do not allow it to be done in Europe”.

On the other hand, the newspaper Deutsche Welle when echoing the news that impacted Europe tried to get in touch with executives of the company Syntex SA, indicated as the one that realizes these practices. “The technical director of Syntex SA Argentina, Ignacio Videla Dorna, issued a statement acknowledging the existence of a filming of animals allegedly owned by Syntex SA Argentina in” remember that the company’s products are approved in many countries that have audited our facilities and practices, having been certified by the corresponding public and private bodies. '"

SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION