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Pete Goddard presents Workshop paper 6
In workshop 3: Do extensive production systems provide high animal welfare?
Friday, 12 September 2008 from 14h00-15h45 in the Het Pand chaired by Pete Goddard
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Workshop paper 6
DO EXTENSIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS PROVIDE HIGH WELFARE
FOR THE ANIMALS IN THOSE SYSTEMS? SETTING THE SCENE
P. Goddard 1 , C. Dwyer 2
1 Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, UK
2 Scottish Agricultural College, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, UK
The freedom of extensively-managed animals to express more of their behavioural repertoire than
animals within intensive systems has generated the assumption that animals in extensive systems
enjoy high welfare status. Yet extensively-managed animals may experience a number of
challenges: prolonged periods when food and water are scarce; climatic extremes; untreated disease
or injury; and possibly high levels of fear and stress, during handling. In providing good welfare,
the farmer in extensive systems faces additional challenges: e.g. access to land to inspect animals.
Decisions about whether to gather all the animals to treat a small number at welfare risk is a
significant farming decision with high costs to the farmer, and welfare risk to other animals that are
gathered and handled. Stock inspection can differ in extensive systems; welfare standards are often
vague in terms of requirements and recognised good practice. Trade-offs must be made by the
farmer, depending on his personal, animal welfare and economic goals, and these may differ from
the genuine welfare needs of the animal.
This workshop will challenge different stakeholder perspectives on the welfare of animals in
extensive systems since it is clear that all players, but primarily the consumer, the farmer and the
welfare assessor or lobbyist, might hold differing views on the welfare of animals kept under
extensive conditions.
Consumers may be reluctant to pay more for welfare benefits in a system that they already believe
provides good welfare. This could act as a constraint that might prevent farmers from achieving
welfare objectives, as the expressed consumer behaviour would not reward these efforts.
Reaching a consensus view on the current welfare state of animals in extensive systems will help to
benchmark and assess whether and by what means animal welfare in these systems can be
improved.
Contact information: Pete Goddard or email p.goddard@macaulay.ac.uk
Complete address: Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
Species: General