Safeguarding and improving animal welfare Harry Blokhuis Department

Safeguarding and improving animal welfare Harry Blokhuis Department of Animal Environment and Health Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Safeguarding and improving animal welfare - Why? Who/what are the drivers in the food chain? - Components in safeguarding and improving welfare - Points for discussion

’Drivers’ in the food chain Consumers Public concerns Retail Legislators Safeguard and improve Animal Welfare Farmers

Drivers in the food chain • Public concerns

Public concerns • To inform general public How important is farm animal welfare for you? Unni Kjaernes, Mara Miele and Joek Roex (eds) (2007)

Public concerns Many public concerns get scientific support (c. f. EFSA scientific reports) E. g. - barren environment - high stocking densities - lighting conditions - air quality - transport - mutilations

Public concerns Top concerns in Member States (SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER 354 (2010) Food-related risks)

Public concerns Would you like to be public more informed about the conditions under • To inform general which animals are farmed in your country? (SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER 354 (2010) Food-related risks)

Drivers in the food chain • Public concerns • Retail

Retail • In quality food chains and markets, animal welfare is increasingly an important attribute of an overall conception of food quality: business opportunity

Retail A large part of animal products (60% of 300) surveyed in the 10 most popular retailing outlets of each of the six EU countries (UK, Italy, NO, France, NL, SW) were communicating to consumers some aspects of farm animals’ lives or the production methods adopted. Half of the surveyed products were carrying welfare claims that were not supported by any specific welfare-friendly production standard. In all cases they were bundled with other quality specifications (e. g. better taste, higher safety, environmental friendliness, and so forth).

Retail • In quality food chains and markets, animal welfare is increasingly an important attribute of an overall conception of food quality: business opportunity • Quality insurance, certification and consumer information • Harmonisation of welfare assessment

Drivers in the food chain • Public concerns • Retail • Consumers

Consumers 54% of respondents have difficulties finding proper information on the animal welfare standards applied in producing food EU special barometer on attitudes of EU citizens (March 2007)

Consumers animal welfare is not at the forefront of consumers when shopping for food

Drivers in the food chain • • Public concerns Retail Consumers Farmers

Farmers - Farmers want to take good care of their animals - They recognise the link between good welfare and good economics - welfare – production costs - welfare – market demands

Farmers Farm managers underestimate lameness prevalence Šárová et al. , 2011 Comparison of observed lameness and farmers’ estimation (%)

Farmers Needs: • Tools to support animal welfare management on farm

Farmers Needs: • Tools to support animal welfare management on farm • Since animal welfare is more and more considered as a quality aspect, farmers need a way to demonstrate this quality

Farmers Needs: • Tools to support animal welfare management on farm • Since animal welfare is more and more considered as a quality aspect, farmers need a way to demonstrate this quality • Level playing field (in EU and global)

Drivers in the food chain • • • Public concern Retail Consumers Farmers Legislators

Legislators • ’Translate’ public concerns in legislation (’science based’)

Legislators • ’Translate’ public concerns in legislation (’science based’) • Compliance

Legislators • ’Translate’ public concerns in legislation (’science based’) • Compliance • Harmonisation/level playing field (EU)

’Drivers’ in the food chain

Components in safeguarding and improving welfare 1. Assess animal welfare

Welfare assessment Until now: Mainly resource based

Resource based EU Council Directive 1999/74/EC Enriched cages • From 1 January 2002: - 750 cm 2/hen (600 plus) - nest - litter - 15 cm perch per hen - 12 cm feedtrough per hen - 2 nipple drinkers per cage - claw-shortening devices

Welfare assessment Until now: Mainly resource based ’Conceptual difficulties’

Welfare assessment ? Until now: Mainly resource based ’Conceptual difficulties’

Welfare assessment / ? Until now: Mainly resource based ’Conceptual difficulties’

Welfare assessment Animal based indicators

The Welfare Quality® System

Animal based measures

Welfare Quality assessment protocols www. welfarequalitynetwork. net

Welfare assessment Resource based or outcome based? ? ?

Welfare assessment Resource based or outcome based? ? ? A clever combination but outcome parameters should be included

Components in safeguarding and improving welfare 1. Assess animal welfare 2. Feedback and improve

Feedback and improve

Components in safeguarding and improving welfare 1. Assess animal welfare 2. Feedback and improve 3. Legislate

Legislation – Some problems: • Too many details complicated and inflexible • May have different effects under different conditions • Compliance – Possible improvements • • Ban systems/practices clearly detrimental to welfare Harmonise assessment measures and control practices Require on-farm welfare management systems Include role of private schemes

Legislate

Components in safeguarding and improving welfare 1. Assess animal welfare 2. Feedback and improve 3. Legislate 4. Communicate

Communicate

Points for discussion – Welfare assessment measures and information need to be harmonised – Legislation and private schemes should complement each other – Certification schemes should include a welfare improvement component

Thank you for your attention!