IATP Hog Report - Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Section 6
compatible alternatives to factory farming at institutions working
in collaboration with animal welfare and sustainable agriculture
organizations.
6. Help establish markets for farmers rearing their animals according
to welfare protocols prepared and verified by legitimate animal
welfare organizations, publicize and promote those markets, and
help farmers network to solve problems adjusting to new
production practices.
7. Enact legislation that would ban the use of gestation crates and
require hog factories to provide sufficient pen space for gilts and
pregnant sows to move freely, preferably in stable groups, that
would require bedding for all animals, and that would prohibit
mutilations such as taildocking of pigs and dairy cattle and
debeaking of chickens that are performed solely to make animals
fit into an industrial system.
8. Prohibit the use of antibiotic feed additives for growth promotion
and disease prevention because such use promotes resistance and
makes animal and human bacterial diseases harder to treat.
9. Prohibit the use of somatotrophins and other technologies that are
applied to promote growth or enhance performance at the expense
of animal well-being.
10. Work with organic groups to help keep organic standards strong
with respect to raising animals with access to the outdoors and
bedding, and without restrictive confinement, alterations,
mutilations or drugs.
11. Support farmer information programs that are designed to
overcome the negative and inaccurate impressions farm media and
farmer advisory services have conveyed concerning animal
welfare and its implications for their livelihoods.
Back to Top of Page | Next Section | Table of Contents
References
1 Broom, D. (1988). The scientific assessment of animal welfare, in
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 20, 5-19.
2 Halverson, M. (1991). Farm animal welfare: Crisis or opportunity for
http://www.iatp.org/hogreport/sec6.html (20 of 30)2/27/2006 3:50:16 AM