Leave No One Behind, Not Even the Animals

2019 ◽  
pp. 297-318
Author(s):  
Alexis J. Nagy ◽  
Dora Marinova
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Use Case ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Ethical Argument ◽  
Policy Frameworks ◽  
Future Policy ◽  
Compare And Contrast

The sustainability agenda is a modern-day exercise in global ethics. Why then is animal welfare an absent policy within the ethical framework? Why do we continue to see farm animals only as food-related commodities? In this chapter, these issues are explored using case studies to support the emotional complexities of animals as well as the recent legal developments in animal personhood rights. The purpose of this chapter is to establish a logical and ethical argument to push the animal welfare agenda forward within the sustainable development conversation and provide a useful tool for future policy frameworks. This chapter is comprised of a comparative research methodology with the objectives to analyze, compare and contrast secondary research, and use case studies to establish an argument for the inclusion of animal welfare as an independent thread of human rights and provide implications for new meat alternatives together with recommendations for government and policymakers.

scholarly journals Farm animals against open borders: uncovering discrepancies between narratives and evidence regarding actors and motives in the animal trade

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Mann ◽  
Silviu Beciu ◽  
Georgiana Armenita Arghiroiu
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Advocacy Groups ◽  
Live Animal ◽  
Animal Advocacy ◽  
Animal Trade ◽  
Animal Transport ◽  
Division Of Work

ABSTRACT: The paper examined dominant discourses in the debate about live animal transport and trade before reviewing trade figures from the UN Comtrade database. Between 1998 and 2015, the trade in cattle increased slightly, the trade in pigs increased by 76%, while the trade in poultry increased more than doubled. It is shown that an increased division of work is the driving force behind animal trade and that not even animal advocacy groups are effective in reducing the amount of trade. Largely independent of the ethical framework applied, in an environment that pays increasingly tribute to animal welfare, this is problematic. The paper concluded that animal trade results in externalities that should be internalized by governments.

scholarly journals Precision Technologies to Address Dairy Cattle Welfare: Focus on Lameness, Mastitis and Body Condition

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2253
Author(s):  
Severiano R. Silva ◽  
José P. Araujo ◽  
Cristina Guedes ◽  
Flávio Silva ◽  
Mariana Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Economic Sustainability ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Technological Tools ◽  
Cow Welfare ◽  
Time Assessment

Specific animal-based indicators that can be used to predict animal welfare have been the core of protocols for assessing the welfare of farm animals, such as those produced by the Welfare Quality project. At the same time, the contribution of technological tools for the accurate and real-time assessment of farm animal welfare is also evident. The solutions based on technological tools fit into the precision livestock farming (PLF) concept, which has improved productivity, economic sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farms. PLF has been adopted recently; nevertheless, the need for technological support on farms is getting more and more attention and has translated into significant scientific contributions in various fields of the dairy industry, but with an emphasis on the health and welfare of the cows. This review aims to present the recent advances of PLF in dairy cow welfare, particularly in the assessment of lameness, mastitis, and body condition, which are among the most relevant animal-based indications for the welfare of cows. Finally, a discussion is presented on the possibility of integrating the information obtained by PLF into a welfare assessment framework.

scholarly journals Farm Animals Are Long Away from Natural Behavior: Open Questions and Operative Consequences on Animal Welfare

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 724
Author(s):  
Alberto Cesarani ◽  
Giuseppe Pulina
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Natural State ◽  
Natural Behavior ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Naive Approach

The concept of welfare applied to farm animals has undergone a remarkable evolution. The growing awareness of citizens pushes farmers to guarantee the highest possible level of welfare to their animals. New perspectives could be opened for animal welfare reasoning around the concept of domestic, especially farm, animals as partial human artifacts. Therefore, it is important to understand how much a particular behavior of a farm animal is far from the natural one of its ancestors. This paper is a contribution to better understand the role of genetics of the farm animals on their behavior. This means that the naïve approach to animal welfare regarding returning animals to their natural state should be challenged and that welfare assessment should be considered.

scholarly journals Road transport of farm animals: effects of journey duration on animal welfare

animal ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.L. Nielsen ◽  
L. Dybkjær ◽  
M.S. Herskin
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Road Transport ◽  
Farm Animals

scholarly journals Costs and Benefits of Improving Farm Animal Welfare

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Jill N. Fernandes ◽  
Paul H. Hemsworth ◽  
Grahame J. Coleman ◽  
Alan J. Tilbrook
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Course Of Action

It costs money to improve the welfare of farm animals. For people with animals under their care, there are many factors to consider regarding changes in practice to improve welfare, and the optimal course of action is not always obvious. Decision support systems for animal welfare, such as economic cost–benefit analyses, are lacking. This review attempts to provide clarity around the costs and benefits of improving farm animal welfare, thereby enabling the people with animals under their care to make informed decisions. Many of the costs are obvious. For example, training of stockpeople, reconfiguration of pens, and administration of pain relief can improve welfare, and all incur costs. Other costs are less obvious. For instance, there may be substantial risks to market protection, consumer acceptance, and social licence to farm associated with not ensuring good animal welfare. The benefits of improving farm animal welfare are also difficult to evaluate from a purely economic perspective. Although it is widely recognised that animals with poor welfare are unlikely to produce at optimal levels, there may be benefits of improving animal welfare that extend beyond production gains. These include benefits to the animal, positive effects on the workforce, competitive advantage for businesses, mitigation of risk, and positive social consequences. We summarise these considerations into a decision tool that can assist people with farm animals under their care, and we highlight the need for further empirical evidence to improve decision-making in animal welfare.

scholarly journals Sheep Farmers’ Perception of Welfare and Pain Associated with Routine Husbandry Practices in Chile

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Larrondo ◽  
Hedie Bustamante ◽  
Carmen Gallo
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Numerical Rating Scale ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Flock Size ◽  
Husbandry Practices ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Considering the public concern about the welfare of farm animals during routine husbandry practices, this study aimed to determine how husbandry practices are carried out in Chilean farms, sheep farmers’ perceptions of animal welfare and pain, and factors that affect them, as well as the level of agreement among farmers in the recognition of pain associated with these practices. Using a self-administered survey, participants were asked about their sociodemographic information, how husbandry practices are carried out in their farms, and their pain perception for seven of these common husbandry procedures using a numerical rating scale (0 to 10). A total of 165 farmers completed the survey and perceived castration and tail docking as the most painful practices in lambs (median pain score 10 vs. 8, p < 0.05). Pain perception was associated with the method used for the specific husbandry practices, the farmers’ educational level, the farm size, and flock size (p < 0.05). There was a fair to good level of agreement beyond chance (p < 0.05) in the recognition of pain associated with the most painful practices. In general, husbandry practices are not carried out in young animals, use painful methods, without using analgesics, which may have a negative impact on animal welfare.

scholarly journals How Epigenetics Can Enhance Pig Welfare?

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Arthur Nery da Silva ◽  
Michelle Silva Araujo ◽  
Fábio Pértille ◽  
Adroaldo José Zanella
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Enrichment Analysis ◽  
Functional Enrichment Analysis ◽  
Functional Enrichment ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Swine Production ◽  
Production Chain ◽  
Stress Related Genes ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Current Guidelines

Epigenetics works as an interface between the individual and its environment to provide phenotypic plasticity to increase individual adaptation capabilities. Recently, a wide variety of epi-genetic findings have indicated evidence for its application in the development of putative epi-biomarkers of stress in farm animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate previously reported stress epi-biomarkers in swine and encourage researchers to investigate potential paths for the development of a robust molecular tool for animal welfare certification. In this literature review, we report on the scientific concerns in the swine production chain, the management carried out on the farms, and the potential implications of these practices for the animals’ welfare and their epigenome. To assess reported epi-biomarkers, we identified, from previous studies, potentially stress-related genes surrounding epi-biomarkers. With those genes, we carried out a functional enrichment analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of the DNA of swine subjected to different stress-related conditions (e.g., heat stress, intrauterine insult, and sanitary challenges). We identified potential epi-biomarkers for target analysis, which could be added to the current guidelines and certification schemes to guarantee and certify animal welfare on farms. We believe that this technology may have the power to increase consumers’ trust in animal welfare.

scholarly journals A Framework for Assessing the Social and Economic Impact of Sustainable Investments

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minna Räikkönen ◽  
Susanna Kunttu ◽  
Teuvo Uusitalo ◽  
Josu Takala ◽  
Shah Rukh Shakeel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
The Social ◽  
New Construction ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Sustainable Investments

Abstract Investments towards sustainable development are vital for the future and they must be carefully planned to deliver immediate and long-term benefits. Hence, the ability to communicate the forms of impact of sustainable investments to local societies, people, investors and other stakeholders can provide a competitive advantage. However, the assessments are often under pressure to demonstrate short-term effects rather than emphasise the long-term impact. In addition, indirect and intangible forms of impacts should not be measured solely in economic terms. This paper proposes an assessment framework to support the integrated economic and social impact assessment of sustainable investments aimed at improving physical and socio-economic wellbeing. The framework is demonstrated in two case studies: new construction and renovation investments in affordable housing and social impact investment in sustainable development. The investments in the case studies are evaluated, selected and prioritized not only in terms of money but also with regard to sustainability, social acceptability and their overall impact on society, as a whole. The results indicate that a systematic integrated assessment of monetary and non-monetary factors can be successfully combined with the sustainable development decisions.

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