Argentina | Ayacucho | Farm of Syntex | Blood farms for hormone production

A camera installed inside the lairage area of Syntex has recorded five hours of the blood drawing process, from 8:00 to 13:00. The video footage shows that the blood is taken from the mares during 10 minutes. Approx. 8 to 10 litres of blood can be taken in 10 minutes. When the extraction is finished, the workers pull out the drain tube forcefully and swing it through the air. The handling by the workers is violent; the horses are systematically abused and mistreated. They are being hit with different tools including sticks, whips and wooden boards, also on their heads. The workers hit the mares up to 15 times in a row to force them to enter the stall. Electric prods are also used frequently. The mares are very much frightened of the workers and many show complete panic. Several horses try to turn around in the alley leading towards the stall and one mare even tries to jump over the sidewall of the stall. Some horses fall down as their trembling legs give in. One mare collapses when she walks out of the stall after the blood drawing. She gets back up immediately. Instead of walking out of the building, she walks back to the mares in the alley and supports her head on the railing, trembling. A worker climbs the railing and kicks her three times in the face with his foot, what makes the mare collapse again. She disappears from the screen and is not seen getting up again. The worker just walks away. Nobody cares about her.