Regular and effective farm inspections are essential for enforcing welfare legislation and driving improvement, but resources and rigour vary widely between countries.
Effective inspection regimes create accountability and deter welfare violations. However, announced inspections allow farms to prepare rather than showing normal conditions. Prosecution for welfare offences requires evidence of suffering that is difficult to establish retrospectively. Outcome-based inspection focusing on lameness scores, body condition, and mortality rates provides more objective evidence than input compliance checks. CCTV in slaughterhouses has transformed enforcement effectiveness compared to periodic physical inspection.