Table 5.

Summary of reasons divided by species and based on expert opinion, for sending pregnant animals to slaughter

	Dairy cows	Beef Cattle	Pigs	Sheep	Goat	Horses
Economic reasons	Economic crises and low milk prices Low productivity during lactation Anabolic effect of pregnancy (more muscles) Low calf price	Economic crises Anabolic effect of pregnancy (more muscles) Reducing risk of poor meat quality due to oestrus (dark cutting beef)	Economic crises Anabolic effect of pregnancy (more muscles)	Economic crises Low productivity during lactation (dairy sheep) Low lamb price (dairy sheep) Seasonal marketing opportunities giving higher values to ewe sales (e.g. around Easter, end of Ramadan)	Economic crises Low productivity during lactation (dairy goats) Low kid price (dairy goats) Seasonal marketing opportunities giving higher values to doe sales (e.g. around Easter, end of Ramadan)	Economic crises Declaration for meat consumption or illegal slaughtering to reduce killing costs of leisure horses
Management reasons	Pregnancy not recognised Non‐awareness of pregnancy: (i) keeping cows with bulls, especially in pasture based farming systems with less observation, (ii) lack or failure of pregnancy tests, (iii) poor record keeping on insemination and pregnancy checks Lack of information on insemination and pregnancy checks or loss of respective information during trading Calmer and more easily manageable cows, reduced mounting and risk of injury	Pregnancy not recognised Non‐awareness of pregnancy: (i) keeping cows with bulls, especially in pasture based farming systems with less observation, (ii) lack or failure of pregnancy tests, (iii) poor record keeping on insemination and pregnancy checks Lack of information on insemination and pregnancy checks or loss of respective information during trading Calmer and more easily manageable cows, reduced mounting and risk of injury	Pregnancy not recognised Non‐awareness of pregnancy: (i) keeping sows with boars, especially in outdoor systems with less observation, (ii) contact with wild boars in extensive systems (iii) lack or failure of pregnancy tests, (iv) poor record keeping on insemination and pregnancy checks Lack of information on insemination and pregnancy checks or loss of respective information during trading Insemination of a higher number to ensure batch sizes are maintained, giving rise to surplus pregnant animals Fattening pigs in mixed sex groups with entire males	Pregnancy not recognised (pregnancy diagnosis in sheep is less practiced) Non‐awareness of pregnancy: (i) keeping ewes with rams, especially in pasture based farming systems with less observation, (ii) lack or failure of pregnancy tests, (iii) poor record keeping on insemination and pregnancy checks Lack of information on insemination and pregnancy checks or loss of respective information during trading	Pregnancy not recognised (pregnancy diagnosis in goats is less practiced) Non‐awareness of pregnancy: (i) keeping does with bucks, especially in pasture based farming systems with less observation, (ii) lack or failure of pregnancy tests, (iii) poor record keeping on insemination and pregnancy checks Lack of information on insemination and pregnancy checks or loss of respective information during trading	Pregnancy not recognised Non‐awareness of pregnancy: (i) keeping mares with stallions, especially in free‐roaming/feral systems, (ii) lack or failure of pregnancy tests, (iii) poor record keeping on insemination and pregnancy checks Lack of information on insemination and pregnancy checks or loss of respective information during trading
Health and welfare reasons	Problems necessitating slaughter for welfare reasons or leading to increased costs for keeping the cows (e.g. lameness, mastitis or claw problems) Culling of reactors in disease eradication control programmes, e.g. TB, brucellosis	Problems necessitating slaughter for welfare reasons or leading to increased costs for keeping the cows (e.g. lameness, mastitis or claw problems) Culling of reactors in disease eradication control programmes, e.g. TB, brucellosis	Problems necessitating slaughter for welfare reasons or leading to increased costs for keeping the sows (e.g. lameness, mastitis or claw problems) Depopulation of herds for disease eradication control programmes, e.g. PRRS	Problems necessitating slaughter for welfare reasons or leading to increased costs for keeping the ewes (e.g. lameness, mastitis or claw problems) Culling of reactors in disease eradication control programmes, e.g. blue‐tongue	Problems necessitating slaughter for welfare reasons or leading to increased costs for keeping the does (e.g. lameness, mastitis or claw problems) Culling of reactors in disease eradication control programmes, e.g. blue‐tongue	Problems necessitating slaughter for welfare reasons or leading to increased costs for keeping the horses (e.g. injuries from accidents)