Higher Biology Unit 3 3 4 Animal Welfare

Higher Biology Unit 3 3. 4 - Animal Welfare

Wellbeing • The wellbeing of domesticated animals was traditionally based upon their physical health • This took into account their ability to grow, to reproduces and raise offspring successfully and resist disease. • Animal welfare now takes into account the physical wellbeing as well as taking into account an animal’s opportunities to express normal, natural behaviours

Farm Animal Welfare Council • The FAWC is an independent body set up to review the welfare of farm animals • The Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that the needs of an animal must be met • These needs are based on the five freedoms for animal welfare

Five Freedoms Freedom : Met by: From Hunger and thirst Providing access to water and a diet that maintains full health From Discomfort Providing an appropriate environment that includes shelter and a rest area From Pain, injury and disease Use of preventative measures and where necessary diagnosis and treatment of any problems To express normal behaviours Providing adequate space, facilities and company of other animals of same kind From fear and distress Providing conditions and treatment that avoid causing mental suffering

Costs and benefits • By ensuring that all domestic animals are able to access the five freedoms incurs additional costs initially • This initial cost will result in long term benefits • Animals who experience a high level of welfare grow better, breed more successfully and generate products of a higher quality

Ethics • Ethics refers to the moral values and rules that should govern behaviours • It is not ethical to subject animals to a series of negative experiences such as pain and distress simply for cheap eggs and meat

Battery hens are kept in crowded conditions in cages. They have little opportunity to express natural behaviours such as foraging. Compare this to free range hens who have the opportunity to move around freely and exhibit natural behaviours.

Indicators of poor welfare • Animals kept in conditions where their welfare is not being adequately met will often express unnatural behaviours

Stereotypy • A stereotypy is a behaviour pattern that takes the form of a repetitive movement without an apparent function • They are often displayed by animals in confined quarters without opportunities to participate in natural behaviours • Examples can include animals pacing back and forth in zoos, and cattle rolling their tongues continuously

Stereotypy Video

Stereotypy • It can be argued that the purpose of a stereotypic behaviour is to allow an animal to express frustration or expend energy it would normally use in a manner it is currently unable to

Misdirected behaviour • A misdirected behaviour is one where a normal pattern of behaviour is directed inappropriately towards the animal itself, another animal or its surroundings • It is a common occurrence in animals kept in confinement or isolation • Examples of misdirected behaviour include excessive licking, plucking or chewing of feathers

Enrichment • Stereotypic behaviours and misdirected behaviours can be overcome by enriching an animal’s environment • Zoos and safari parks use enrichment techniques to keep animals stimulated and avoid mental stress

Failure in sexual or parental behaviour • Poor welfare can result in the failure of successful reproduction and failure to raise young • Some animals may produce young but then reject them and fail to act as effective parents • Animals such as mammals and birds need social contact with members of their own species to develop into healthy adults capable of successful reproduction • Given these conditions reproductive failure is normally overcome

Activity Levels • Hyper aggression and excessive sleeping can be indicators that an animal is suffering as a result of poor welfare