One Welfare Animal Health and Welfare, Food Security and Sustainability

This thought-provoking book explores the link between animals, people and their social and physical environments in relation to livestock farming, food safety, food security and sustainability. Providing an overview of livestock farming and animal related food production systems in a one welfare context, One Welfare: Animal Health and Welfare, Food Security and Sustainability begins by considering the interconnections of animals, humans and their environment. It then expands into the food production system, and considers the integration of positive welfare, stress, use of welfare indicators and the economic perspective. Written by a team of international experts, it connects theory with best practice examples and case studies from both organizations and individuals that have successfully implemented a one welfare approach. Essential reading for academics and practitioners who work within farming, food systems and international development, this ground-breaking text is also an important read for veterinary and animal welfare professionals. Cover One Welfare: Animal Health and Welfare, Food Security Copyright Dedication Contents Contributors Preface – I – Rebeca García Pinillos Preface – II – Stella Maris Huertas Foreword Notes Acknowledgements Image Credits Animal Health and Welfare, Food Security and Sustainability – Introduction The Global Interconnections Climate change Pollution Biodiversity loss Aquatic animals Education, research, policy and NGO interventions. The PPILOW project (PPILOW, 2022) References 1 The Interconnection Between Animal and Human Welfare and their Environment 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Understanding ‘Animal Welfare’ 1.3 The Importance of Human–Animal Relationships to Farm Animal Welfare 1.4 Farmers Under Pressure 1.5 What Is ‘Animal Neglect’? 1.5.1 When farmers are under pressure there is a risk of animal neglect and animal cruelty 1.6 The Role of Veterinary Inspections in Driving Animal Welfare Improvements 1.7 The Potential for an Early Warning System to Mitigate Farm Risk 1.8 Supporting Farmers to Enhance Animal Welfare 1.9 Conclusion Note References 2 Food Production Systems and How They Relate to Animal Welfare 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Whose Welfare? 2.3 Which Food Production Systems Affect Welfare? 2.4 Obtaining Non-farmed Food and Welfare 2.5 Plant Production and the Welfare and Mortality of Animals 2.6 The Welfare of Animals Kept for Food Production 2.6.1 Farmed animal welfare studies 2.6.2 Bees and other insects 2.6.3 Farmed fish and other aquatic animals 2.6.4 Dairy cows 2.6.5 Broiler chickens 2.6.6 Pigs 2.7 Cell-cultured Food Production References 3 Integrating Animal Welfare as a Component of Sustainable Farming Systems 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Linking Animal Welfare to Sustainable Farming Systems 3.2.1 Animal welfare and environmental health 3.2.2 Animal welfare and economic growth 3.2.3 Animal welfare and social equity 3.3 The Provision of Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation 3.4 Conclusion References 4 Animal Welfare, Stress and Food Safety 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Stress and Animal Welfare 4.3 Influence of Host Homeostasis Disturbance (Stress) on the Intestinal Microbiota 4.4 Animal Welfare and Food Safety 4.5 Slaughter-chain Hazards 4.6 Housing Systems 4.7 Environmental Contaminants 4.8 Genetics References 5 Livestock Production: Physical and Social Environment 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Long and Complex History of Human–Animal Relationships 5.3 Livestock Production Systems 5.3.1 Modelling the dynamics of beef cattle production system components within the One Welfare framework 5.3.2 Finishing stage 5.3.3 Conceptual model of a high-density feedlot system 5.3.4 Slaughter stage 5.4 Conceptual Model of One Welfare Applied to a Beef Cattle Production System 5.5 Conclusions Note References 6 Animal Welfare Indicators and their Relation to Workers’ Wellbeing and their Environment 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Animal Welfare Indicators: Animal-based versus Resource-based Indicators 6.3 Validity, Reliability and Feasibility 6.4 New Developments: Precision Livestock Farming, Precision Slaughter, Indicators of Good Welfare and Extensive Systems 6.5 Welfare Indicators I: On-farm Welfare Assessment 6.5.1 Indicators related to feeding 6.5.1.1 Body condition 6.5.1.2 Water 6.5.2 Indicators related to the environment 6.5.2.1 Injuries related to the environment 6.5.2.2 Animal-based indicators related to the environment 6.5.2.3 Indicators related to thermal stress 6.5.3 Indicators related to health 6.5.3.1 Mortality 6.5.3.2 Multifactorial disease 6.5.3.3 Pain 6.5.4 Indicators related to behaviour 6.5.4.1 Variations in normal behavioural patterns 6.5.4.2 Occurrence of abnormal behaviours 6.5.4.3 Behavioural indicators of emotions or affective states 6.6 Welfare Indicators II: Welfare Assessment During Transport 6.7 Welfare Indicators III: Welfare Assessment at Slaughter 6.8 Animal Welfare Indicators and Workers’ Wellbeing References 7 The Economics of Animal Welfare Improvements within Livestock Production Systems, State Aid and Trade 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The Use of Public Funding to Support Agriculture 7.3 Investments in Agriculture – a Path to Support Animal Welfare, Human Health and the Environment 7.4 The Cost Implications of Improving Animal Welfare 7.5 Negative Externalities of Food Systems 7.6 Mending our Price System 7.7 Provision of Incentives and Disincentives 7.7.1 Measures that affect farmers 7.7.1.1 ‘Feebates’ 7.7.2 Measures that affect consumers 7.8 A Fresh Approach to Economics 7.9 International Trade 7.9.1 Rules and guidelines for international trade 7.9.2 Private standards 7.9.3 Development policies 7.9.4 Public education 7.10 One Welfare in the Trade Environment Notes References Index Back Cover