Animal welfare: Research and Development Programme
Animal Welfare Research Programme
Defra relies on research to inform its policies and influence its decision making. The animal welfare research and development (R&D) programme contributes to the Defra aim of ensuring the protection of farm animals by high welfare standards. The R&D programme helps provide a sound scientific basis on which to consider possible improvements to welfare legislation and codes of practice.
The overall objectives of the R&D programme are to:
- resolve uncertainties as to the exact nature of welfare requirements;
- identify ways in which these requirements can be met under commercial conditions - projects involving collaboration between research providers and industry are encouraged; and to
- provide scientific data to help ensure that decisions are not taken on the basis of subjective or emotional considerations.
The Defra budget, in 2004/2005, for R&D work on animal welfare is approximately £3.38 million.
The main objectives addressed by Defra's animal welfare R&D programme are given below.
The Science Directorate manages research programmes for all Policy Groups in Defra. Further details on R&D can be found in the Research pages of the Defra website, including a list of our current research projects. This information should provide an indication of the comprehensive scope of our R&D programme.
On-Farm Welfare: Pigs
Following a review of 'on farm' pig welfare research, it was decided that more resources should be directed towards the welfare of pigs from weaning to finishing. This includes work on early life programming of stress responses in the farrowing sow; and the welfare of finishing pigs under different management systems.
On-Farm Welfare: Poultry
Following a review of 'on farm' poultry welfare research, it was decided that future research should focus on meat (broiler) chicken leg health and laying hen bone strength, behaviour and cage design. A key objective is to investigate and develop acceptable alternatives to the conventional battery cage, which satisfy the welfare requirements of the hen and the viability of the commercial system.
On-Farm Welfare: Ruminants
Following a review of 'on farm' ruminant welfare research, it was decided that future research should include work on disease aspects (including parasitism and infection); the effects of husbandry systems (including management of intensive and extensive systems), and further work on lameness in cattle and sheep. This last area has also been identified by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) as requiring further study.
Welfare during Handling; Transport and Slaughter
We support research intended to provide a better understanding of the effects of transport on farmed livestock and poultry, including water and rest requirements for long distance journeys and factors such as vehicle design, handling and stocking densities, which directly or indirectly affect animals on vehicles. The programme seeks to identify actual and potential stressors during the handling and transport of livestock, and to develop solutions for their elimination or reduction.
With regard to research into animal welfare at slaughter and killing, the R&D programme includes work to assess the pre-slaughter handling, stunning, slaughter and killing of farmed livestock, fish and poultry to determine the efficacy of existing and novel practices, and the development of alternative or novel systems for use both inside and outside of slaughterhouses.
THE LINK PROGRAMME
LINK aims to 'bridge the gap' between the research base and industry for the benefit of the UK economy.
The objectives of LINK are to:
- provide a framework for collaborative research programmes and projects in key areas of science, technology and engineering;
- enable and accelerate the commercial exploitation of science and technology, leading to new products, processes, systems and services;
- promote a close interaction between industry and the research base, so that nationally supported programmes of basic research are influenced by awareness of the needs of industry;
- use the research base effectively, and use it to increase UK industrial competitiveness; and
- stimulate industry to increase its own investment in R&D.
One example of a current LINK project is;
- a three year project entitled 'Selecting for reduced aggression in pigs' is set to conclude in August 2002. This work is looking into environmental factors affecting responses to aggression and heritability of aggressiveness. This is the first stage in research towards developing selection indices that will for first time in modern animal production include preferred behavioural response in addition to production traits.
Page last modified:
22 May, 2008