animal health and welfare in the uk - the perspective of a practising veterinary surgeon roger scott...
TRANSCRIPT
Animal Health and Welfarein the UK
- the perspective of a Practising Veterinary Surgeon
Roger Scott BVM&S MRCVS
Scott Mitchell Associates
Hexham
Member of XLVets UK Ltd
University of Newcastle - Conference December 2010:
Current issues affecting Animal Health and Welfare in the UK in 2010
Disclaimer!
• Not peer reviewed
• No attempt to back up with referenced research or evidence
• Not necessarily the views of the Profession or XLVets or ScottMitchellAssociates
Two footprintsDifferent sizesEqually important
Local Practice
XLVets
What is “health”?
- the state of being free from illness or injury
Oxford English Dictionary
What is “welfare”?
- the health, happiness and fortunes of an individual or group
Oxford English Dictionary
Do we understand our definitions with respect to animals?
Animal Health• Quite definable and qualitative
especially simple disease• Can be very quantitative
especially (perhaps ironically) in complex disease where performance is used as measure of the problem
What is animal welfare?As said .....in humans it’s.....
1. Health
2. Happiness
3. Fortune (“chance force affecting lives”)
ie “subjective” in true sense
Animals are not subjective
Subjective – based on or influenced by personal feelings
Oxford English Dictionary
Or are they?
Anthropomorphism
- The treating of animals, gods or objects as if they have human feelings
Oxford English Dictionary
Could be true? Unlikely? Why?
In animals welfare could be..........
The Five Freedoms?1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready
access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
2. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
4. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
5. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.
Veterinary Profession promotes good health and welfare
(a) For the primary benefit of the animal
(b) For the secondary benefit of the owner ie “profit”
What form does “profit” take?
Farm Animals = money
Work Animals = performance
Companion animals = pleasure
Vet’s doctrine- Health and Welfare
inextricably linked
- And furthermore linked
to ........................profit- An incentive (as if one should be needed!!)
But are they?
Health, Welfare and Profitlink can be real
Big health and welfare issues in the Animal Industries that lose “profit”(and we know they do) are...........
• Lameness• Mastitis• Respiratory Disease• Enteritis• Skin disease• Dystocia• Malnutrition• Thermoregulation failure
•Lameness• Mastitis
• Respiratory Disease
• Enteritis
• Skin disease
• Dystocia
• Malnutrition
• Thermoregulation failure
Lameness in poultry, sheep, pigs, cattle, horses, dogs.
Lameness determinants
• Nutritional
• Environmental
• Infectious
• Genetic
• Occupational/Sport
• Lameness
•Mastitis• Respiratory Disease
• Enteritis
• Skin disease
• Dystocia
• Malnutrition
• Thermoregulation failure
Mastitis in dairy cows, beef cows and sheep
Mastitis determinants
• Genetic
• Milking machines
• Wet/dirty environment
• Flies
• Lameness
• Mastitis
• Respiratory Disease• Enteritis
• Skin disease
• Dystocia
• Malnutrition
• Thermoregulation failure
Respiratory Disease in cattle, pigs, poultry and horses
RD determinants
• Housing
• Crowding
• Mixing
• Humidity
• Stress
• Cold
• Lameness
• Mastitis
• Respiratory Disease
•Enteritis• Skin disease
• Dystocia
• Malnutrition
• Thermoregulation failure
Enteritis in pigs and calves
Enteritis determinants
• Crowding
• Faecal build up
• Infection
• Lack of immunity (colostrum)
• Lameness
• Mastitis
• Respiratory Disease
• Enteritis
•Skin disease• Dystocia
• Malnutrition
• Thermoregulation failure
Skin disease in sheep, pigs, poultry, dogs and rabbits
Skin disease determinants
• Lack of treatment/prevention
• Mixing
• Crowding (cannibalism)
• Boredom (self mutilation)
• Presence of agent eg scab
• Lameness
• Mastitis
• Respiratory Disease
• Enteritis
• Skin disease
•Dystocia• Malnutrition
• Thermoregulation failure
Dystocia in cattle, sheep and dogs
Dystocia determinants
• Genetic
• Nutritional
• Managemental interference
• Lameness
• Mastitis
• Respiratory Disease
• Enteritis
• Skin disease
• Dystocia
•Malnutrition• Thermoregulation failure
Malnutrition in all species
Malnutrition determinants
• Macronutrient deficiency or excess
• Micronutrient deficiency or excess – major elements and trace elements
• Access
Subtle malnutrition
• Lameness
• Mastitis
• Respiratory Disease
• Enteritis
• Skin disease
• Dystocia
• Malnutrition
• Thermoregulation failure
Hypothermia
Hyperthermia in pigs and poultry
Determinants of failed thermoregulation
• Weather – outdoor lambs, pigs
• Genetics in pigs
• Transport
• Stress
• Faulty housing
Here it is obvious that these diseases impair welfare
Not always that simple?
What about when welfare is impaired but in the absence of obvious disease?
And what about when welfare is impaired and profit does not necessarily suffer
e.g. 1Inappropriate environment, boredom, depression, anxiety, displacement behaviour
e.g.2Some systems of intensification:
Broiler units
Intensive Pig units
Hen Batteries
Feedlots
“Super-Dairies”
or is the welfare actually ok?
Is the welfare of intensification ok?
What’s wrong with it?Are the freedoms satisfied?
Are intensive farms designed for labour force rather than animal?
Can they not actually be excellent?
Things that go wrong
• Lack of space
• Lack of comfort
• Social disruption
• Lack of light
• Lack of air
• Lack of natural habitat
Things that can be right
• Excellent nutrition
• Warm, draught free
• Comfort
Sometimes intensification suits
Genetically manipulated animals may no longer be suited to traditional environments and may need propping up with artificial environments eg high yielding dairy cows, turkeys etc
Does that make it ok?
Neglect, naivety or crueltyon part of owners
Health, Welfare and Profitlink can be political(but real none the less)
• FMD• TB• BTV
....on account of movement restrictions, market collapse, feed supplies, slaughter policy, excessive interference eg repeat handling and testing
Welfare impairment can bemanagemental
• Castration
• Disbudding/Dehorning
• Tail docking
Theoretically better for welfare in long run. True? Is it done correctly?
Ethics
The moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour
or the way in which an activity is conducted.
“Rights”
A moral or legal entitlement to have or do something
Life – quality vs quantity
Is it ok to die young and happy?
Ethics and welfare are probably two different things.
Think... Five Freedoms, welfare, ethics, rights
Think...Five Freedoms, welfare, ethics, rights
Think... Five Freedoms, welfare, ethics, rights
Conclusions
There are good and bad in......
• Genetics
• Environments
• Management
So we should strive to get rid of the bad and promote the good
How?• We as industry partners can continue to strive
to educate animal owners and influence change based on science
• Remember however that the biggest drivers of change are the media, supermarkets and governments and they are driven by public opinion
• Public opinion is driven by ethics and rights more than science
• We shouldn’t ignore that
Acknowledgements to the followingXLVet Members
• Iain Richards – Westmorland Vet Group
• Kat Bazeley, Mark Burnell – Synergy Animal Health
• John McFarlane – Alnorthumbria Vet Group
• Charlie Lambert, Den Leonard, Ian Glover – Lambert Leonard May
• Wendy van Winden - Penbode Veterinary Group
• Roger Serres - Belmont Veterinary Centre
• Laura Smith, Simon Wilson, James Coope - Cain Vets
• Rob Davies - Allen and Partners