When is an animal content? When its enclosure is big enough? When it is not too hot or too cold? When it has enough food? Research has shown that one animal may feel more content than another, even in the same conditions. How can we quantify animal welfare?
There is growing public concern for animal welfare. In the past, the livestock industry was primarily interested in prices and production. Today, it devotes increasing attention to the quality of its products and to ethical aspects, including animal welfare.
It is difficult to quantify animal welfare in any objective manner. Producing a set of guidelines is therefore a complex undertaking. The STOA (Scientific Technology Options Assessment) Animal Welfare project was launched to inform the European Parliament about certain technological advances which make it possible to monitor the welfare of each individual animal on a farm.
STOA contracted the project out to the Animal Sciences Group of Wageningen University. The Group produced a full account of the progress made to date in identifying indicators of farm animal welfare.
The project’s final report can be downloaded here.
| Department: | Technology Assessment |
| Time-span: | January 2007 - March 2009 |
| Status: | Closed |
Researchers
| Job title: | Senior Researcher |
| Department: | Technology Assessment |