The Scholarships, established in 1986 as a memorial to the late Dorothy Sidley MBE, support students and industry trainees undertaking scientific research projects that are aimed at improving the welfare of food animals during transport, in markets or at slaughter. Undergraduate and postgraduate students in agricultural, veterinary or meat sciences, or trainees in the livestock, meat and fish industries in the UK, are eligible, as are students registered at universities outside the UK that have a UFAW/HSA University ‘LINK’ person (for details, click here). Each Scholarship is for up to £2,000.

Applicants are encouraged to design research projects in areas they are particularly interested. Previous awards have included, for example: an examination of the responses of sheep to movements experienced during sea transport and their implications for animal welfare on such voyages; relative efficacy of AC and DC waterbath stunning of poultry; and behavioural responses of broiler chickens to thermal and vibrational stressors.

For 2012, the HSA is also making some suggestions for research areas including: studies to assess the benefits for poultry welfare of the different small-scale electrical stunners used on-farm; the effects of fish transport variables on fish welfare; investigation of the constraints in some countries to the adoption of modern methods of stunning prior to slaughter.

Closing date for applications for the 2012 Scholarships is 28 February 2012. Further information and application forms are available at the HSA web site [click here] or by contacting the HSA on +44 (0)1582 831919 or e-mail [email protected].