THE ROLES OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE, INCLUDING GENETIC SELECTION, IN IMPROVING ANIMAL WELFARE
Keywords:
animal producers, animal breeders, genetic selection, animal welfareAbstract
Animal producers have to predict future situations and be aware of changing public
views. At present, those in the animal industry are often trying to fight off change
rather than preparing for and pre-empting it. As a consequence, many animal
producers have bad public images. It is better to be proactive than reactive.
Producer groups should be aware of new developments in knowledge and in public
attitudes to animal-related activities. They should inform their members about how
to manage animals in such a way that the welfare of the animals is good and the
people involved in animal care are well-respected in society. This is especially
important also for those who design and manufacture housing and equipment and
those who breed animals for they can have substantial effects on animal welfare. It
is important for animal welfare scientists to provide objective information about the
welfare of animals, so that decisions can be taken about how animals should be
bred, housed and treated. Animals use a wide range of coping mechanisms and
these involve high-level brain function, with associated good and bad feelings.
Where welfare is poor, the best overall assessment of welfare is a function of how
bad is the effect on the individual and the duration of that effect. Conventional
breeding, cloning and transgenesis can all have effects on the welfare of the animals
produced. Selection for fast growth and high feed conversion efficiency in broiler
chickens and other meat producing animals leads to too high an incidence of leg
and other disorders. Selection for high milk yield in dairy cows leads to poor
welfare associated with leg disorders, mastitis and reproductive disorders. These
effects should be evaluated using a range of animal welfare measures and if there
are adverse effects of genetic engineering, the usage of the animals should not be
permitted except for research. In the case of genetically modified or cloned animals,
any effects on function or welfare should be fully specified in documentation that
should accompany the animal.
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