Livestock welfare product claims: the emerging social context

An increasing number of product claims about food animal welfare or well-being have appeared in the global food industry and global market in recent years. These claims have significant consequences for producers, processors, transporters, retailers, consumers, and the animals themselves. Furthermore, recent restructuring of the global food industry has altered the power relationships of various actors. Regulation of the industry is moving toward greater private control, and the power of retailers has dramatically increased. The changing structure of the industry carries implications both in terms of how standards are created and in terms of the types of standards themselves. The purpose of this article is to provide a greater understanding of how these product claims are made, their implications, and the challenges they present.     

"Concepts in animal welfare": a syllabus in animal welfare science and ethics for veterinary schools

Public attitudes toward animal welfare have improved with growing social affluence, and veterinarians are increasingly expected to be informed about animal welfare in a broader sense than health alone. However, animal welfare has not been a traditional component of the veterinary curriculum. To help address this lack, the World Society for the Protection of Animals(WSPA) and the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Science launched the 'Concepts in Animal Welfare' syllabus in 2003. This comprehensive syllabus comprises seven core and 23 elective modules and covers a range of animal welfare issues, including farm and companion animal welfare, wildlife, and the use of animals in experiments. There are also modules on ethics and animal legislation. The syllabus is interactive, promotes critical analysis of issues from different angles, and may be adapted for use in any veterinary curriculum. WSPA provides training and workshops in developing countries and assists with the implementation of the syllabus.     

动物福利及GAP对生猪养殖的福利要求

主要从主观感受式、生物学功能式、自然生活式三个方面介绍了动物福利的定义、动物福利相关法律及国内外发展现状;并结合良好农业规范(GAP)标准中生猪饲养过程控制,重点阐述了影响生猪福利的环节和采取的相应措施,即地面和垫料;畜禽群体结构和混群;气侯、光照和噪音;畜舍空间;气流与空气质量;微生物环境;饲养人员与畜禽的互作;生长促进剂;畜舍环境富集。