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Caring For The Animals
The health and welfare of animals is a primary concern for all
farmers. Livestock producers understand and believe that raising
animals ethically is the right thing to do. Consumers today are
concerned about animal welfare and demand that the products they
purchase are from farms that operate humanely. A livestock farm
will not succeed without healthy, strong animals. Thus, it is in
the livestock producer’s best interest to raise their animals in a
stress-free, environmentally-controlled, clean environment.
The concern that Indiana’s livestock producers have for animals goes
beyond business. In general, individuals who enter the field do
so because they want to work with animals. Many of Indiana’s
livestock producers have lived around animals their entire lives and
are experts in animal care.
Indiana’s livestock producers go to great lengths to ensure that their
animals are treated humanely and follow strict national and local
regulations when it comes to animal welfare. In addition, the
state’s livestock producers set and implement their own stringent
regulations. Many have adopted zero tolerance policies for
mistreatment of animals and participate in regular training sessions
and seminars to learn more about ways to care for livestock.
Thanks to science and technology, improvements have been made in the ways in which
animals are treated in modern livestock operations. These
developments include improving ventilation of facilities, providing
animals with specially formulated diets to decrease illness, and
improving the methods in which animals are transported.
There Is a Difference Between Animal Rights and Animal Welfare
Animal rights activists believe that sentient (the ability to
experience pain or pleasure) beings all deserve the same rights. Based
on these principles, people who share the mindset of animal rights
activists oppose the use of animals for food, clothing, medical
research, product testing, education, recreation, entertainment and
companionship.
The animal welfare viewpoint believes that we must be responsible in
our utilization of animals. The definition of animal welfare is the
human responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal well-being,
including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and
treatment, responsible care, human handling and, when necessary, humane
euthanasia.
Livestock Regulations Are Based on Sound Science
Because of the sensitivity of animal welfare, regulations are based
solely on sound science. What is sound science? Research that is
conducted properly from accredited institutions and is peer reviewed
and published in scientific journals. Everything from housing, to space
requirements, handling and transportation, to production management
practices are researched and analyzed by experts before they are
implemented. And the animal agriculture industry is more serious than
ever about the responsible management of animal welfare and care.
Animal Welfare Is Based On Five Key Freedoms
There are five internationally known and accepted freedoms that must be met for animal welfare.
- Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition.
- Freedom from discomfort due to environment.
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease.
- Freedom to express normal behavior for the species.
- Freedom from fear and distress.
Animal Welfare Is Enforced
The animal welfare rules for management practices among livestock
producers are enforced. Operations found to be noncompliant face stiff
fines, the removal of their livestock and the removal of their permits
to house a livestock operation.
To learn more about the steps livestock farmers take to care for their animals, visit these web sites...
Position Statement by American Veterinary Medical Association on Pregnant Sow Housing
Biosecurity on Livestock Farms...Keeping our Nation's Food Supply Safe
National Biosecurity Resource Center for Animal Health Emergencies
Indiana State Board of Animal Health
Sorting out cage-free dilemma
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