Safeguarding and improving animal welfareSafeguarding and improving animal welfare
Harry Blokhuis
Department of Animal Environment and HealthSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Safeguarding and improving animal welfare
- Why? Who/what are the drivers in the food chain?
- Components in safeguarding and improving welfare
- Points for discussion
Public concerns
Farmers
Retail
Consumers
Legislators
Safeguard and improve
Animal Welfare
’Drivers’ in the food chain
Drivers in the food chain
•Public concerns
Public concerns
•To inform general public
Unni Kjaernes, Mara Miele and Joek Roex (eds) (2007)
How important is farm animal welfare for you?
Many public concerns get scientific support
(c.f. EFSA scientific reports)
E.g. - barren environment- high stocking densities- lighting conditions- air quality- transport- mutilations
Public concerns
Top concerns in Member States (SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER 354 (2010) Food-related risks)
Public concerns
•To inform general publicWould you like to be more informed about the conditions under which animals are farmed in your country? (SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER 354 (2010)
Food-related risks)
Public concerns
Drivers in the food chain
•Public concerns
•Retail
Retail
•In quality food chains and markets, animal welfare is increasingly an important attribute of an overall conception of food quality: business opportunity
A large part of animal products (60% of 300) surveyed in the 10 most popular retailing outlets of each of the six EU countries (UK, Italy, NO, France, NL, SW) were communicating to consumers some aspects of farm animals’ lives or the production methods adopted.
Half of the surveyed products were carrying welfare claims that were not supported by any specific welfare-friendly production standard.
In all cases they were bundled with other quality specifications (e.g. better taste, higher safety, environmental friendliness, and so forth).
Retail
Retail
•In quality food chains and markets, animal welfare is increasingly an important attribute of an overall conception of food quality: business opportunity
•Quality insurance, certification and consumer information
•Harmonisation of welfare assessment
Drivers in the food chain
•Public concerns
•Retail
•Consumers
54% of respondents have difficulties finding proper information on the animal welfare standards applied in producing food
EU special barometer on attitudes of EU citizens (March 2007)
Consumers
Consumersanimal welfare is not at the forefront of consumers when shopping for food
Drivers in the food chain
•Public concerns
•Retail
•Consumers
•Farmers
Farmers
- Farmers want to take good care of their animals
- They recognise the link between good welfare and good economics
- welfare – production costs
- welfare – market demands
Comparison of observed lameness and farmers’ estimation (%)
Šárová et al., 2011
Farmers
Farm managers underestimate lameness prevalence
•Tools to support animal welfare management on farm
FarmersNeeds:
•Tools to support animal welfare management on farm
•Since animal welfare is more and more considered as a quality aspect, farmers need a way to demonstrate this quality
FarmersNeeds:
•Tools to support animal welfare management on farm
•Since animal welfare is more and more considered as a quality aspect, farmers need a way to demonstrate this quality
•Level playing field (in EU and global)
FarmersNeeds:
Drivers in the food chain
•Public concern
•Retail
•Consumers
•Farmers
•Legislators
•’Translate’ public concerns in legislation (’science based’)
Legislators
•’Translate’ public concerns in legislation (’science based’)
•Compliance
Legislators
•’Translate’ public concerns in legislation (’science based’)
•Compliance
•Harmonisation/level playing field (EU)
Legislators
’Drivers’ in the food chain
Public concerns
Farmers
Retail
Consumers
Legislators
Safeguard and improve
Animal Welfare
1. Assess animal welfare
Public concerns
Farmers
Retail
Consumers
Legislators
Safeguard and improve
Animal Welfare
Components in safeguarding and improving welfare
Welfare assessment
Management
Animal welfare
Indicators
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
Until now: Mainly resource based
Resource based
EU Council Directive 1999/74/ECEnriched cages
• From 1 January 2002:
- 750 cm2/hen (600 plus)
- nest
- litter
- 15 cm perch per hen
- 12 cm feedtrough per hen
- 2 nipple drinkers per cage
- claw-shortening devices
Welfare assessment
Management
Animal welfare
Indicators
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
Until now: Mainly resource based
’Conceptual difficulties’
Welfare assessment
Management
Animal welfare
Indicators
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
Until now: Mainly resource based
’Conceptual difficulties’
?
Welfare assessment
Management
Animal welfare
Indicators
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
Until now: Mainly resource based
’Conceptual difficulties’
?
Welfare assessment
Management
Animal welfare
Indicators
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
Until now: Mainly resource based
’Conceptual difficulties’
?/
Welfare assessment
Management
Animal welfare
Indicators
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
Animal basedindicators
Welfare assessment
Management
Animal welfare
Indicators
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
Animal basedindicators
The Welfare Quality® System
Expressing social behaviour
Good human-animal relationship
Expressing other behaviour
Thirst
Thermalcomfort
Comfort around resting
Ease of movement
No disease
Positive emotional state
Hunger
No injuries
No painful management procedures
Four principles and 12 criteria
Absence of prolonged thirst
Absence of prolonged hunger
Animal based measures
Good housing
Good
feeding
Appropriate
behaviourGood
health
Expressing social behaviour
Good human-animal relationship
Expressing other behaviour
Thirst
Thermalcomfort
Comfort around resting
Ease of movement
No disease
Positive emotional state
Hunger
No injuries
No painful management proceduresPhotos: Butterworth and de Jong
Broiler feet
1 20 3 4
Good housing
Good
feeding
Appropriate
behaviourGood
health
Expressing social behaviour
Good human-animal relationship
Expressing other behaviour
Thirst
Thermalcomfort
Comfort around resting
Ease of movement
No disease
Positive emotional state
Hunger
No injuries
No painful management procedures
• Wounds• Scratches• Location
Animal based measures
Good housing
Good
feeding
Appropriate
behaviourGood
health
Expressing social behaviour
Good human-animal relationship
Expressing other behaviour
Thirst
Thermalcomfort
Comfort around resting
Ease of movement
No disease
Positive emotional state
Hunger
No injuries
No painful management procedures
• Wounds• Scratches• Location
0 21
Photos: University of Newcastle
Ears
Animal based measures
Welfare Quality assessment protocols
www.welfarequalitynetwork.net
Resource based or outcome based???
Welfare assessment
Resource based or outcome based???
A clever combination but outcome parameters should be included
Welfare assessment
1. Assess animal welfare2. Feedback and improve
Public concerns
Farmers
Retail
Consumers
Legislators
Safeguard and improve
Animal Welfare
Components in safeguarding and improving welfare
Feedback and improve
Management
Animal welfare
Measures
Resources
Farmer
Society
Product information
Trade
Assessment information
Legislative control
1. Assess animal welfare2. Feedback and improve
3. Legislate
Public concerns
Farmers
Retail
Consumers
Legislators
Safeguard and improve
Animal Welfare
Components in safeguarding and improving welfare
–Some problems:• Too many details complicated and inflexible
• May have different effects under different conditions
• Compliance
–Possible improvements• Ban systems/practices clearly detrimental to welfare
• Harmonise assessment measures and control practices
• Require on-farm welfare management systems
• Include role of private schemes
Legislation
Legislate
Management
Animal welfare
Measures
Resources
Farmer
Product certification
Assessment information
Legislative control
1. Assess animal welfare2. Feedback and improve
3. Legislate4. Communicate
Public concerns
Farmers
Retail
Consumers
Legislators
Safeguard and improve
Animal Welfare
Components in safeguarding and improving welfare
Communicate
Management
Animal welfare
Measures
Resources
Farmer
Product certification
Assessment information
Legislative control
Society Trade
Points for discussion
– Welfare assessment measures and information need to be harmonised
– Legislation and private schemes should complement each other
– Certification schemes should include a welfare improvement component
Thank you for your attention!