[Ethics in veterinary medicine. Welfare, production and profit].

The welfare of animals does not invariably coincide with efficient agricultural production. Lack of welfare is the result of maladjustment of the animal to its environment. Maladjustment causing lack of welfare relates to physiology, veterinary medicine and/or ethology. Physiological and veterinary maladjustment may be, but does not necessarily have to be, associated with diminished welfare. Ethological maladjustment resulting in diminshed welfare prevents an action from being performed or being performed satisfactorily, although the animal is prompted to do so. Failure to perform an action or to perform it satisfactorily is due to: (1) absence of specific stimuli (deprivation), (2) obstruction of a particular activity (frustration), (3) absence of satisfaction when the action has been performed. Welfare is a relative concept. Profit is a matter related to welfare. Determining the relationship between welfare and profit is a scientific matter. The choice between welfare and profit is an ethical matter.