Livestock and Poultry Care and Welfare Janice C. Swanson Kansas State University 2003 Reciprocal Meats Conference
Consumers don t care! Won t pay more! Food safety more important! Quality more important! Environment more important do they?
Gallup Poll May 21, 2003 Telephone poll 1,005 Adults (18+) + 3% sampling error 71 % 25 % 3 % Deserve same rights as people Deserve some protection Don t need much protection
Support Oppose 62 % 61 % 64 % 76 % 35 % 38 % 35 % 22 % Passing strict laws concerning the treatment of farm animals Banning all product testing on laboratory animals Banning all medical research on laboratory animals Banning all types Of hunting Gallup, 2003
Men Women 69 % 17 % 33 % 55 % 28 % 47 % 28 % 42 % 18 % 28 % Same rights for animals as people Passing strict laws concerning the treatment of farm animals Banning all product testing on laboratory animals Banning all medical research on laboratory animals Banning all types of hunting Gallup, 2003
Recent National Initiatives.! Florida Constitution! Banned sow gestation stalls! California Bill! Veal crates! Sow gestation crates! Food retailer audits! Processing plants! On-farm! Producer/ Commodity! Guideline development and review! Animal care assessment programs
International Initiatives United Nations
World Organization for Animal Health (http://www.oie.int/eng)! Office of International Epizooties! Established in 1924 by 28 countries (2003, 162 countries)! Mission! Report and share information on animal disease! Collect, analyze and disseminate veterinary medical information! Coordinate control of animal disease! Guarantee safety of world trade! Sanitary rules for trade in animals and animal products
OIE Working Groups! Appointees! Experts from member nations! Conduct international surveys, publish papers, organize scientific meetings, etc.! October 2002! Established an Animal Welfare (AW) Working Group (http://www.oie.int/eng)
OIE AW Working Group Mandate! Address public demand for animal welfare! Develop greater knowledge! Propose recommendations for the international level! Integrate ethical, scientific, economic and political dimensions! Achieve appropriate balance (http://www.oie.int/eng)
OIE AW Working Group.! Animal Welfare not currently recognized by WTO SPS Agreement! Difficult for WTO to handle disputes! Need for expert advice on AW issues! Members of OIE requested! Guidelines and recommendations! Good animal welfare practices! Bilateral negotiation of animal welfare disputes (http://www.oie.int/eng)
OIE AW Working Group.! Priority issues! Animals used in agriculture and aquaculture! Transport! Slaughter! Killing for disease control! Housing! Management! Provide expertise to! Stakeholders, international organization, animal production sectors and consumer groups! Working Group! Canada, New Zealand, Belgium (EU), Kenya, India, Egypt
Social Justice! Use of social pressure to drive change when conventional government based routes fail! Food production: GMO, hormone,antibiotic use! Social awareness investing strategies! Clothing manufacture (Nike, K-Mart, Old Navy)! Stockholder resolutions: ex. PETA and McDonald s! International campaigns: ex. Medical research! Multinational corporations! Sensitive to social issues! Consistency test
Issues! Procedures involving pain and distress! Includes transport and slaughter! Animal confinement and density! Pollution issues (animal waste, gas)! Resource sustainablity and competition! Water! Land! Disease control! Application of technologies! bioengineering
Veterinarians Animal Scientists Why do standards of care differ?! Animal Welfare! Differing views! 1. Biological function! Health, Growth and Reproduction! Production oriented! 2. Quality of Life (plus biological function) Applied Ethologists Public! Biological function + reasonable accommodation of the animal s nature + minimizing pain and distress! 3. Natural life (plus biological function) Safe Efficient Economic Cheap Abundant Telos! Animal should be allowed to satisfy most aspects of its nature! All views are based on a system of values (D. Fraser, in press)
Quality of Life (Animal Welfare)! Definition?! What is our obligation?! Will science provide all the answers?! What is the impact of different value systems?! Can this be accomplished without legislation?