The influence of land transport on animal welfare in extensive farming systems

The land transport of animals can have 3 types of influence on their welfare. First, the handling, loading, and novelty of the transport environment and experience can induce a psychological stress response in animals. Second, the withdrawal of feed and water and the need to stand and maintain balance for transport periods can cause a physiological and fatigue challenge to the animals. Finally, the thermal and physical conditions of the vehicle and journey can present a risk to the physical integrity of the transported animals.The key determinant of animal welfare is the way in which transport is conducted. The stress response during loading and the initial stages of transport may be minimized by careful handling, good design of facilities, and appropriate stocking densities and driving techniques. Where animals are not fed and watered during land transport, they vary in their ability to cope with periods of feed and water withdrawal, depending on their species, age, physiological state, and pre-transport access to feed and water. Journey conditions can also be an influence, with cold conditions exacerbating the effects of feed withdrawal and hot conditions increasing the risk of dehydration. The facilities containing the animals on the vehicle should minimize the risks of physical injury caused by falls, knocks, bruising, and the protrusion of body parts. Stocking density can also be managed to lessen the influences on animal welfare caused by hot conditions. In a well-ventilated vehicle, it is the stationary periods rather than periods in motion that present the greatest risk of heat stress. The opposite is true for very cold conditions. The land transport of livestock is neither inherently good nor inherently bad for their welfare. Rather, it is the way that it is done, and the management of the risks involved, that determine the level of welfare of the animals involved.     

在经济效益与动物福利之间寻找平衡点

动物福利在养猪生产中占据着越来越重要的地位。通过对动物福利进行立法以对养猪生产者进行更多限制是一种不能永远持续的趋势。荷兰Wageningen大学从事家畜研究的Hans Spoolder博士解释了结果将如何满足。     

Teaching and advanced training in the field of animal welfare and behavioral science

Since 1986 the regulations for receiving the veterinary surgeon medical licence include the subjects animal protection and ethology, thus causing demand for appropriate fields of teaching to be offered by the faculties of veterinary medicine. It is explained why the partially fluid boundaries between this new subject and animal hygiene have lead to corresponding combinations of subjects in Hannover and München. The fields of subjects offered in München for example illustrate important questions, especially in connection with practical application and definition towards other subjects. Difficulties within this subject are caused by the varying conditions of the particular university departments of veterinary medicine in the respect of teaching, research and services on the one hand and in the lack of appropriate to-be-scientists despite of excellent professional prospects on the other hand. The aspect of the professional standing is also mentioned, pointing out the fact that the professional stand of veterinary surgeons cannot afford to neglect further fields of occupation.     

Teaching animal welfare at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science

Animal welfare is part of the Mission Statement of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney and is taught throughout the undergraduate curriculum. Two units of study have a particular focus on animal welfare: Professional Practice in years 1, 2, and 3 and Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science in year 3. There is an emphasis on the refinement and development of alternatives to the use of animals in teaching. With a conscientious objection policy in place, these elements of our approach demonstrate the increasing importance of ethical teaching in the faculty. Undergraduate students have recently founded a vibrant special interest group called Veterinary Students for Animal Welfare. The faculty is advised on matters relating to animal welfare by its Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, chaired by the Sub-Dean for Animal Welfare. With the development of a Faculty Animal Welfare Policy, the faculty is progressing to a more proactive and public profile on animal welfare issues.     

Quality management in animal welfare

In the EC since Jan. 1st 2006 the Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 requires also in the field of animal welfare uniform official controls of a consistently high quality on the basis of documented procedures. Rised demands for the administration necessitate nowadays an all-embracing conception and controlling of the system. Therefore the land of Lower Saxony developed an uniform process-oriented conception for all involved official authorities based on ISO 9001 (EQUINO -Uniform Quality Management in Official Organisations for Consumer Protection in Lower Saxony) and implemented it including a system of internal audits.