Investigations by Topics:

22. June 2016

Meeting with EU Commission about blood farming

[Translate to English:] Sitzung zum Thema Blutfarmen in Südamerika, Import von PMSG und Blutserum

 

 

Today we meet in Brussels with Vytenis Andriukaitis, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. Members of his Cabinet and representatives of DG SANTE (Directorate General for Health and Food Safety) and DG TRADE also attend the meeting. We present the findings of our investigations about the production of blood serum in Uruguay and…

16. April 2015

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

[Translate to English:] Eine Stute versucht in Panik, aus der Fixierbox zu springen.

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…

15. April 2015

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

[Translate to English:] Einzelboxen, in denen die Stuten für die Blutentnahme fixiert werden.

When we arrive at the Syntex farm at 21:30, it is already pitch-black. There are a lot of lights on, but all is quiet. The lairage area, where the blood is taken from the mares, is empty. There are approx. 14 individual stalls made of wood and alleys leading up to them. In the covered passageway between the stalls and the office/laboratory…

22. March 2015

Uruguay | Maldonado | Estancia “Las Marquesas” | Blood farms for hormone production

[Translate to English:] Erschöpft liegt eine Stute regungslos am Boden.

We drive to the new blood farm of Fernando Perdigón in the Department Maldonado. On the way there, we find groups of mares in forest clearings. They are dull, abused, their bodies covered in scars from the beatings. Some have identification tags around their necks. Their tails are not trimmed, indicating they are not yet in the production. Others…

22. March 2015

Uruguay | Maldonado | Estancia “Las Marquesas” | Blood farms for hormone production

[Translate to English:] Erschöpft liegt eine Stute regungslos am Boden.

We drive to the new blood farm of Fernando Perdigón in the Department Maldonado. On the way there, we find groups of mares in forest clearings. They are dull, abused, their bodies covered in scars from the beatings. Some have identification tags around their necks. Their tails are not trimmed, indicating they are not yet in the production. Others…

20. March 2015

Uruguay | Montevideo | Interview with Dr. Cabanas | Blood farms for hormone production

[Translate to English:] Interview mit Dr. Homero Cabanas, Präsident der nationalen Tierschutzkommission.

We want to ask a government official who is responsible for the control of the blood business and arrange a meeting with Dr. Homero Cabanas, President of the national Animal Welfare Committee. We would like to know how many companies are involved in the blood business, who is inspecting them and where the blood serum is exported to.

Dr. Cabanas…

17. March 2015

Uruguay | Treinta y Tres | Farm of Syntex | Blood farms for hormone production

[Translate to English:] Eine dünne Stute und ihr Fohlen auf einer Waldlichtung.

At 15:15, we arrive in the small village Valentines in the Department of Treinta y Tres and ask around for the farm of Syntex. People have never heard of this company, but say that this must be the farm of Rubio where they take blood from mares (Federico Rubio is indeed the owner of Syntex Uruguay SA). People say that the estancia is called “El…