Blokhuis H J, Ekkel E D, Korte S M, Hopster H, van Reenen C G
Institute for Animal Science and Health ID-Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Vet Q. 2000 Oct;22(4):217-22. doi: 10.1080/01652176.2000.9695062.
Over the last 30 years concern about farm animal welfare has increased and has become a public issue in the Netherlands. Public discussion has stimulated research in this field, financed by both government and industry. Dutch society in general and consumers of animal products in particular, want to see high standards of welfare for production animals. Good animal welfare has gradually gained more impact in the total quality concept of the product. This will encourage scientists to continue to analyse the welfare status of animals and to come up with innovative solutions for the remaining problems. At ID-Lelystad much effort is put into farm animal welfare research. This research includes for example, the development of behavioural tests for quantifying and interpreting fear in cattle, investigations into the effects of dietary iron supply and a lack of roughage on behaviour, immunology, stress physiology, and pathology in veal calves, studies of the ontogeny of tail biting in finishing pigs and feather pecking in laying hens as well as evaluation of the welfare effects of automatic milking in dairy cows. The results of these projects contribute to concrete improvements in animal husbandry and expertise and support policy making and legislation. The animal industry as well as retailers should aim at the further implementation of this knowledge and to specify welfare standards to guarantee consumer acceptance of animal production.
在过去30年里，人们对农场动物福利的关注有所增加，并在荷兰成为一个公共问题。公众讨论推动了该领域的研究，资金由政府和行业提供。荷兰社会总体上，尤其是动物产品消费者，希望看到生产用动物享有高标准的福利。良好的动物福利在产品的整体质量概念中逐渐产生了更大影响。这将鼓励科学家继续分析动物的福利状况，并为剩余问题提出创新解决方案。在莱利斯塔德动物科学研究所，人们在农场动物福利研究方面投入了大量精力。这项研究包括，例如，开发用于量化和解释牛恐惧情绪的行为测试，研究日粮铁供应和粗饲料缺乏对犊牛行为、免疫学、应激生理学和病理学的影响，研究育肥猪咬尾行为和产蛋鸡啄羽行为的个体发育，以及评估奶牛自动挤奶对福利的影响。这些项目的结果有助于切实改善畜牧业和专业知识，并支持政策制定和立法。动物产业以及零售商应致力于进一步应用这些知识，并明确福利标准，以确保消费者接受动物生产。
