Investigation in Iceland: Blood collection for PMSG production
Worker kicks a pregnant mare in the stomach.
Mare shows clear signos of stress and anxiety during the blood collection.
Mare is trying to escape the blood collection box and gets stuck.
In autumn 2024, we conducted further investigations into the production of the fertility hormone PMSG from the blood of pregnant Icelandic mares. The mares are semi-wild and have little contact with humans other than for blood collection. Recent footage, obtained at six blood farms, shows that the horses endure immense stress and suffering during blood collection. Mares and foals are beaten, whipped, kicked and poked with wooden planks. Foals often get separated from their mothers and search for them in panic. The mares are restrained in narrow boxes with their head tied up high, which causes great stress and fear in flight animals. The inadequate infrastructure and restraining techniques pose numerous risks of injuries, in particular when mares rear back in panic or try to escape. The insertion of the large-bore cannula is painful. The vets sometimes poke around in the veins for several minutes, even on both sides of the neck.
5 litres of blood are taken weekly, for a period of 8 weeks, from mares that are both pregnant and lactating. This is about 15-20 % of the mares’ total blood volume, which far exceeds international standards in terms of the amount and frequency of blood collections from non-pregnant horses. This may cause harm to the mares and their unborn foals.
The footage provides evidence of the systematic cruel treatment of horses on Icelandic blood farms. These are not isolated incidents. Severe animal abuse and the use of force are common practice.
Blood farms no longer exist anywhere in Europe, other than Iceland. The amount and frequency of blood collection and the treatment of the horses during the process are in breach of their welfare. Blood farms are cruel to animals and should be banned by law. We call on the Icelandic Government and the European Commission to end the production, import and use of PMSG.
