Philosophical Aspects of the Debate
Welfare and rights can be opposing concepts in a variety of ethical, legal, and political controversies. The utilitarian strategy considers an action or a policy justified in light of its cumulative consequences to all affected parties whereas the rights strategy states that certain traits (rights) must be protected and the morality of an act judged according to whether it respects the rights of other individuals. From: The Well-Being of Agricultural Animals, CAST

SWINE BEHAVIOR RESEARCH: NPPC POSITION STATEMENT
The key to good swine care rests more on the producer's ability to properly manage the housing than it does on the specific type of housing provided. Simply changing to other systems that appear more beneficial, without appropriate research could be counterproductive. Integrated, multidisciplinary research designed to study how swine facility ventilation, waste handling, herd health and facility maintenance affects animals and producers, is needed. Research on animal behavior, production equipment, and management systems is necessary to enhance animal well being, production efficiency and product quality. NPPC has sponsored, as part of its Animal Welfare Committee activities, a roundtable discussion involving leading international animal welfare researchers.
Scientific assessment of welfare is not a simple matter.
http://www.porkscience.org/documents/Other/positionswinebehaviorresearch.pdf

Statement of Principles -
Cattle producers are united in their commitment to the proper and humane care of animals, and have reaffirmed that commitment through a Statement of Principles adopted by members of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Through their statement, cattle producers declare:
http://www.beef.org/library/handbook/welfare.htm

2001 YEAR-END ANIMAL RESEARCH POLICY SUMMARY -
Attached is a copy of NABR's 2001 Year-End Animal Research Policy Summary. This report summarizes information on regulations, legislation, and legal issues governing the use of animals in biomedical research, testing and education.
http://www.fass.org/fasscience/policysummaryYearEnd20011.pdf


RESEARCH:

Transgenesis may affect farm animal welfare: A case for systematic risk assessment - C. G. Van Reenen, T. H. E. Meuwissen, H. Hopster, K. Oldenbroek, Th. A. M. Kruip, and H. J. Blokhuis, Institute for Animal Science and Health (ID-Lelystad), Division of Animal Sciences, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands J. Anim. Sci. 2001. 79:1763-1779.

This paper considers (potentially) harmful consequences of transgenesis for farm animal welfare and examines the strategy of studying health and welfare of transgenic farm animals. Evidence is discussed showing that treatments imposed in the context of farm animal transgenesis are by no means biologically neutral and may compromise animal health and welfare. Factors posing a risk for the welfare of transgenic farm animals include integration of a transgene within an endogenous gene with possible loss of host gene function (insertional mutations), inappropriate transgene expression and exposure of the host to biologically active transgene-derived proteins, and in vitro reproductive technologies employed in the process of generating transgenic farm animals that may result in an increased incidence of difficult parturition and fetal and neonatal losses and the development of unusually large or otherwise abnormal offspring (large offspring syndrome). Critical components of a scheme for evaluating welfare of transgenic farm animals are identified, related to specific characteristics of transgenic animals and to factors that may interact with the effects of transgenesis. The feasibility of an evaluation of welfare of transgenic farm animals in practice is addressed against the background of the objectives and conditions of three successive stages in a long-term transgenic program. Concrete steps with regard to breeding and testing of transgenic farm animals are presented, considering three technologies to generate transgenic founders: microinjection, electroporation and nuclear transfer, and gene targeting including gene knockout. The proposed steps allow for unbiased estimations of the essential treatment effects, including hemi- and homozygous transgene effects as well as effects of in vitro reproductive technologies. It is suggested that the implementation of appropriate breeding and testing procedures should be accompanied by the use of a comprehensive welfare protocol, specifying which parameters to monitor, at which stages of the life of a farm animal, and in how many animals. Some prerequisites and ideas for such a protocol are given. It is anticipated that systematic research into the welfare of farm animals involved in transgenesis will facilitate the use of the safest experimental protocols as well as the selection and propagation of the healthiest animals and, thereby, enable technological progress that could be ethically justified.
http://www.asas.org/jas/papers/2001/a0171763.pdf


THE EVALUATION OF WELFARE IN EARLY WEANED PIGS AS MEASURED BY ADAPTABILITY - Dr. Donald C. Lay Jr., Iowa State University, Department of Animal Science. NPPC Final Research Grant Report

This study was designed to determine if early weaning of pigs: 1) altered the pigs' ability to respond to stress; and 2) affects the piglets well being. Pigs were weaned at approximately 10 or 30 days of age. Behavior was quantified during the week post-weaning and during the remainder of the study. Pigs were also challenged with an isolation stress in which vocalizations, heart rate, blood cortisol concentrations, and differential leukocytes were quantified. Growth, immune cell populations, and organs responsible for the animal's ability to combat stress were examined to determine if early weaning altered the pig's growth and responsiveness to its environment. The data gathered here provide evidence for Objective 1, indicating that early weaning does alter the pig's response to stress by causing greater concentration of plasma cortisol in response to isolation stress. However, none of the other physiological measures that we measured appear to be significantly altered by the weaning process. Therefore, the implications of the elevated cortisol are not presently clear. These data also suggest that the piglet's well being (Objective 2) is not impaired by early weaning; although we did find a greater incidence of rooting and fighting by early-weaned pigs. Rooting was greater for early-weaned pigs at a young age and treatment differences disappeared as they grew. We did not see injuries or any direct negative implications from these behaviors.
http://www.porkscience.org/documents/Research/theevaluationofwelfare.pdf

Detecting Stress in Animals -

When people get stressed, they seek relief in many ways. Some exercise, some practice specific breathing techniques, and some eat chocolate. Farm animals become stressed, too. In domesticated food animals, stress can affect meat quality, milk production, and general health. But animal stress must often be intuited from clues such as lower-than-anticipated weights and increased illness.
Certain stressful events can be anticipated, for example, birth and weaning. But how do you know if an animal is stressed for some other reason? Ted H. Elsasser of ARS' Growth Biology Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, is investigating nitrated protein as a biomarker of stress. Nitrated proteins may serve as an early-warning system to point out an animal that may yield unsafe products or flag a need for therapeutic or intervention strategies to promote recovery from illness.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan02/animal0102.htm



APPLICATIONS:

International Society for Applied Ethology - ISAE Online Home Page
Aims of the Society, Congress Announcements, Applied Animal Behaviour Science
http://www.sh.plym.ac.uk/isae/index.htm

Alternative Sow Housing Systems: Driven by legislation, regulation, free trade and free market systems (but not science) - John J. McGlone, Pork Industry Institute, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
Sow housing in the broadest sense refers to how sows are kept. Sows may be kept indoors or outdoors in a variety of systems. Penning with indoor or outdoor systems differ substantially. Outdoors, sows are almost never kept in crates or stalls but rather in pens or pastures of various sizes that allow social grouping. Indoors, sows may be kept in individual crates, stalls or tethers or in pens of various sizes.
Reasons for choice of a sow housing or penning system include the preferences of the pork producer, economics, legal requirements, geographic location and welfare of the sows. The leading reason for choice of a housing and penning system is the economic pressures on the pork producer. This report attempts to objectively summarize forces that might change current production practices, the current status of housing and penning systems for gestating sows (and gilts). Because economic forces play so heavily on decisions about housing and penning systems, and because the percentage of sows in crates has increased significantly over the last half of the 20 th century, this report provides a summary of recent USA swine industry restructuring. Then, common housing and penning systems for sows are discussed.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/pork/swine/pdf/bab13s03.pdf

Using Science to Care for Livestock -
Consumers, producers, researchers and veterinarians share the goal of providing the animals that supply our food with the best environment possible. Notwithstanding the ethical reasons for attaining such a goal, it makes good economic sense. To the extent that well-being correlates with health, livestock producers benefit directly when their animals thrive. The methods for meeting this goal are less clear.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/ha/han3.htm

The Well-Being of Agricultural Animals -
The purposes of this report are to outline philosophical, policy, and legal aspects of the public issues concerning the well-being of agricultural animals, to describe scientific approaches to assessing their well-being, and to identify areas in which additional scientific insight would help ensure that they experience well-being. Most of the U.S. public supports the agricultural use of animals and believes that they generally are treated humanely. But many citizens also support governmental regulation as a safeguard. The essential role of animals in the world food enterprise and the global catastrophe that would ensue if it were to cease, oblige stakeholders to continue seeking a thorough understanding of the well-being of agricultural animals and an inclusive resolution to farm animal welfare issues.
http://www.cast-science.org/anwb_is.htm

SMITHFIELD FOODS RESOPNDS TO CHARGES OF BEING LABELED THE LEADING ANIMAL ABUSER - BRYAN SALVAGE
"Scientific facts tell us our current systems provide our animals with the best welfare environment," the spokesman added. "However, we are always looking at alternatives and better ways based on sound science-based information. We take great pride in providing safe, wholesome, and nutritious food, and we are committed to produce what our customers want in the best environment for our animals."
http://www.meatingplace.com/meatingplace/DailyNews/Index.asp?nocache=1%2F22%2F02+12%3A54%3A57+PM

Taking the Animal Rights Perspective in the Animal Welfare Committee - Richard T. Fosse, Dr. Vet. Sci. MRCVS, Associate Director LAR, Rhone Poulenc Rorer Dagenham Research Centre, UK. LAWTE ' 98 MEETING, PA GE 21
http://www.lawte.org/meetngs/Program2001_web.pdf

Report and Recommendations Metro's Oregon Zoo Animal Welfare Taskforce - Animal Legal Defense Fund
Metro is the elected regional government for the three-county, 24-city metropolitan area in and around Portland, Oregon. The Oregon Zoo (the Zoo) is a Metro department. On April 17, 2000, an animal keeper at the Zoo abusively beat Rose-Tu, a juvenile elephant. The keeper was fired and later convicted of the crime of Animal Abuse in the Second Degree. As a result of the incident, the regionally elected Metro Executive Officer, Mike Burton, appointed an independent task force to make recommendations to help the Zoo be a world leader in the humane and enriching care of animals under its stewardship.
On February 22, 2001, Mr. Burton issued a charter (attached as Exhibit A) asking the Animal Welfare Task Force (AWTF) to review the relevant polices and practices at the Zoo and to report back within 6 months with recommendations on the following subjects:
http://www.aldf.org/

Pregnant pig protection makes headway - January 21, 2002
TALLAHASSEE - Animal rights groups have won a victory when the Florida Supreme Court cleared the way for a statewide vote on whether pregnant pigs can be kept in close confinement.
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/14120/story.htm

Halt Hog Factories: An Overview of the US Hog Industry - Humane Society of the U.S.
The traditional storybook farm, where animals can interact and move freely in the barnyard and where independent family farmers care for them is virtually a thing of the past. The vast majority of animals raised for food are subjected to intensive-confinement systems (factory farms), where the greatest number of animals are raised in the smallest possible space and at the lowest possible cost, to maximize productivity and profits for huge corporations. The hogs and the farmers who raise them have become victims of the factory farming industry. Detriment to the environment, human health and rural communities are other hidden costs to raising animals this way.
This report provides a snapshot of the inhumane way hogs are currently raised by the main-stream corporate farming industry and the way America's independent family farmers are losing out to corporate greed.
http://www.hsus.org/programs/farm/halthogfactories/hf_report.pdf

Harvard Prof Claims Misuse of Data To Push Anti-Milk Agenda - John Rossomando, CNSNews.com Staff Writer
A Harvard professor is denouncing efforts by an animal rights group to show a link between milk and cancer, accusing it of misrepresenting his research.
The group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is using the research of Dr. Daniel Cramer, M.D. to support a recent ad campaign that claims milk and dairy products contribute to "obesity, ear infections, constipation, respiratory problems, heart disease, and some cancers."
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200201/CUL20020123b.html

TRAINING FUTURE SCIENTISTS:

An Appropriate Role for Ethics in Teaching Contemporary Issues - Keith K. Schillo, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington AM Symp. 154-162.
There seems to be general agreement among animal scientists that training in contemporary issues is an appropriate goal of animal science curricula. One approach is based on the view that public policy issues embody moral dilemmas that arise when the moral perspectives (values) of opposing groups are incompatible. Based on this view, an understanding of such issues requires some training in ethics. More specifically, knowledge of major moral theories and the nature of values is necessary to identify and analyze the moral components of issues. An appreciation for ethics also provides insight into addressing issues in a morally responsible manner. The plurality of values and the contextual nature of policy issues precludes solutions based on application of universal moral principles. Nevertheless, informed judgments, based on the collective wisdom of individuals, frequently offer solutions that address opposing values. Such judgments can be attained when those affected by issues form communities, attempt to achieve a collective understanding of the problem, and, if possible, construct a common set of values that facilitates consensus. Based on this analysis, issues courses should facilitate the development of learning communities wherein students and teachers critically analyze (i.e., deconstruct) and reconstruct issues in ways that enhance understanding and instill a respect for diverse moral perspectives. An expression of such understanding and respect is the ability to distinguish between situations when consensus offers fair solutions and when it subjects minority groups to the tyranny of the majority.

On-line Databases: What is available? What is missing?
Tim Allen, M.S., United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library, Animal Welfare Information Center, Beltsville, Maryland, USA. LAWTE ' 98 MEETING, PA GE 23
It has been the Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) staff's experience that many
researchers looking for alternatives to painful procedures or the use of animals search only Medline and ignore other databases that index biomedical, biological, and bioengineering literature, computer hardware and software, or audiovisuals. However, as will be seen, there are many comprehensive and specialty databases that should be examined. This discussion will review a number of commercially available databases highlighting the strength and weaknesses of each as they pertain to the use of animals or alternatives in research. It will also briefly look at a multi-database searching technique and terminology used by AWIC staff to find alternatives.
While these sources will provide the user with a wealth of information, they can not provide information that is not made available by the scientific community. The publication of negative scientific results and/or specific conditions affecting animals used in experiments, use of alternatives terminology when abstracting journal articles or assigning keywords, and standardization of indexing terms for alternatives are several areas that would greatly benefit the search for alternatives.
http://www.lawte.org/meetngs/Program2001_web.pdf