Livestock Welfare Research

Research Extension Articles

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Farm Animal Welfare & Research Projects in Canada (to Jan 2008)
A list of current Canadian animal welfare research projects under the themes: transportation, pain, production methods, housing and general.

Sept/05 Media Release
Mar/04 Media Release
AFAC - A Commitment to Caring Spring 04 (pdf)

uofc One of the goals of AFAC is to 'encourage research relevant to animal care'. AFAC's Research Vision is:

To support the science of animal welfare;
To ensure livestock production practices are humane;
To expand the knowledge-base that will aid adoption by industry of livestock welfare standard; acceptable to the marketplace (domestic and international);
while
Maintaining or improving economic competitiveness of the livestock industry.

Responsible animal care practices are a key component to long-term sustainability of Alberta's growing livestock industry. As our industry expands our job is to ensure animal welfare improvements evolve. The industry recognizes the need to base change on valid livestock welfare research and data linked to economic returns. Livestock welfare research results must also be communicated for positive change to occur. AFAC is expanding it's communication efforts to ensure effective technology transfer to producers and the public on animal welfare research developments.

AFAC has been provided funds from the Minister of Alberta Agriculture & Food and the Alberta Canada Livestock Welfare Research Partnership to support research programs. (Media Release - pdf).

PRIORITY AREAS:

AFAC’s first priority will be to respond and work with specific industries facing immediate dilemmas. The second will be to address overarching issues of an applied nature and thirdly, to encourage basic or developmental research. The key areas of focus will be:

pain assessment and mitigation of painful procedures;
reducing distress and quality losses due to transportation;
humane handling and euthanasia related to disease control - AFAC’s FAD and Animal Welfare Impact Report (pdf);
science-based welfare codes/standards and the audit process and assessment of indicators - see AFAC’s Animal Welfare Verification in Canada Report;
animal welfare as it relates to animal health, food safety and quality assurance - Livestock Welfare INSIGHTS Issue 4;
alternative housing systems for improved gain, air quality, mobility, ability of animal to express natural behaviors, feed management - EU Animal Welfare Concerns Report;
husbandry and stockmanship practices/skills.

APPLIED RESEARCH	AFAC is a partner in the Alberta-Canada Livestock Welfare Research Partnership (LWRP Media Release), click here to view projects list. Projects supported by AFAC involve a team approach, address industry’s needs and address economic consequences for the industry. They are focused on the five tenets of the livestock welfare research program: Husbandry Practices - transportation, handling, capture, euthanasia Livestock Health - early detection of sick animals, reduced use of antibiotics Painful Procedures - dehorning, beak trimming, tail docking, velveting Livestock Housing - air quality, enrichment, space and animal mobility Developmental - discovery and application of new methods of assessing animal welfare.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER	The Alberta Livestock Industry Development Fund supported AFAC expanded communications to deliver the message that high quality animal care is crucial to the future of Alberta's livestock industry. Along with practical information for addressing animal care on their operations... more >>

	Research, veterinarian and education group links.