Animal welfare in production systems: general principles and their scientific basis

摘要

The interdisciplinary watermark field of animal welfare science brings together animal behaviour, stress physiology, pathology, veterinary epidemiology and other fields to help provide a comprehensive scientific basis for animal husbandry. Drawing onhalf a century of research related to animal welfare, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) adopted the following ten 'General Principles' for the welfare of animals in production systems:1. Genetic selection should always take into account the health and welfare of animals.2. The physical environment, including the substrate (walking surface, resting surface, etc.), should be suited to the species and breed so as to minimise risk of injury and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals.3. The physical environment should allow comfortable resting, safe and comfortable movement including normal postural changes, and the opportunity to perform types of natural behaviour that animals are motivated to perform.4. Social grouping of animals should be managed to allow positive social behaviour and minimise injury, distress and chronic fear.5. Air quality, temperature and humidity in confined spaces should support good animal health and not be aversive to animals. Where extreme conditions occur, animals should not be prevented from using their natural methods of thermoregulation.6. Animals should have access to sufficient feed and water, suited to the animals'age and needs, to maintain normal health and productivity and to prevent prolonged hunger, thirst, malnutrition or dehydration.7. Diseases and parasites should be prevented and controlled as much as possible through good management practices. Animals with serious health problems should be isolated and treated promptly or killed humanely if treatment is not feasible or recovery is unlikely.8. Where painful procedures cannot be avoided, the resulting pain should be managed to the extent that available methods allow.9. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear or avoidable stress.10. Owners and handlers should have sufficient skill and knowledge to ensure that animals are treated in accordance with these principles.The principles are intended as a guide for good animal welfare practices and for the future development of animal welfare standards.