The welfare implications of animal breeding and breeding technologies in commercial agriculture

The commercial applications in agriculture of new breeding technologies, as well as conventional breeding strategies, have the potential to influence animal welfare in both positive and negative ways. For example, the sexing of cattle semen might be used to reduce the number of unwanted male dairy calves provided that the technique had not been shown to produce adverse effects. On the other hand, inappropriate use of some breeding technologies may create new problems, or exacerbate welfare problems that may already have arisen within conventional livestock breeding.

It is the impact of any breeding technology or strategy that is important to welfare, whether it is the quality of life of the offspring that is compromised, or whether it is the application of the technology itself that causes pain, distress or lasting harm to the subject animal.

The aim of this paper is to provide clear and practical advice on the establishment of an appropriate framework within which developments in animal breeding and breeding technologies, and the outcome of such processes, may be considered, monitored and, where necessary, regulated. It builds on recommendations recently made by the FAWC to UK Government, and considers the wider public interest in these technologies.

Finally, the response from stakeholders is considered in attempting to ensure that such controls do not render production systems non-competitive in a global livestock industry.     

The veterinarian and animal welfare

At no important point does the Animals Protection Statute mention the competence of Veterinarians, but the "competent Authority". Also, the Animal Epidemics Statute and the Federal Hunting Statute provide for the cooperation of the veterinarian, but not for his competence to make decisions. This situation is even being overlooked by the investigating authorities, when in the case of using animals for "sport" or other problematic events, questions of the animals psychology and ethology have to be dealt with. In the courts the remarks of non-specialist qualified persons can lead to wrong decisions as can either unsuitable or wrong evidence.     

动物福利立法的困境与思路

一动物福利概述 1动物福利的概念 现代的动物保护运动是从西方开始的。英国1822年“马丁法令”首次以法律条文的形式规定动物的利益,保护动物免受虐待,成为世界上第一部反对虐待家畜动物的法案,也被认为是动物保护史上的一座里程碑。2002年,德国修改了宪法,写上保障动物权利,并在国家尊重和保护人的尊严的条款上,加上了“以及动物”的字眼,     

Foreign animal disease outbreaks, the animal welfare implications for Canada: risks apparent from international experience

Any outbreak of an Office International des Epizooties List A disease, such as classical swine fever or foot and mouth disease, has severe consequences for animal welfare, livestock production, exports of animals and animal products, and the environment. The public concern with the animal welfare effects of methods of disease eradication that result in the destruction of large numbers of uninfected animals has initiated a reconsideration of disease eradication policy in Europe. In many recent List A disease epizootics, the financial cost of addressing animal welfare concerns in healthy animals has greatly exceeded the cost of stamping out disease in infected herds. In the event of a similar incursion in Canada, the number of animals subject to welfare slaughter will be far greater than the number of infected animals killed. Current national disease eradication plans in Canada do not address the animal welfare component of disease control methods.     

动物福利对动物保健业的影响

1　动物福利理念的提出与发展　　动物福利理念的提出 ,已有 2 0多年历史。1 976年 ,Hughes将饲养于农场的动物福利定义为“动物与它的环境协调一致的精神和生理完全健康的状态”。 1 990年 ,我国台湾学者夏良宙提出 ,就对待动物而言 ,动物福利可以简述为“善待活着的动物 ,减少死亡的痛苦”。自 1 980年以来 ,欧盟及美国、加拿大、澳大利亚等国都进行了动物福利方面的立法 ,在畜禽饲养、运输和屠宰过程中实施。瑞士政府近年来通过立法禁止出售和进口由笼养系统生产的鸡蛋。1 998年 6月 ,丹麦议会通过了一项关于妊娠母猪和青年母猪室内装置…