Giersberg Mona F, Meijboom Franck L B
Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Front Vet Sci. 2021 Jan 8;7:588214. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.588214. eCollection 2020.
Current pig production systems in Europe are subject to public criticism. At the same time, Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies, which allow for automated animal monitoring are entering commercial pig farms. With their claim of improving animal health and welfare, these innovations may respond to public concerns. However, they may raise problems of societal acceptance themselves. In this review, we investigate whether the available literature allows for an analysis to which extent PLF can mitigate or reinforce societal concerns related to pig production. We first analyze papers on pig husbandry systems in general, and then those on PLF as an innovation in animal production. In general, there is a tension between citizens and farmers. Citizens hold rather negative attitudes whereas farmers evaluate pig production more positively. Literature on attitudes of other actors, such as veterinarians, is missing. Information on the attitudes toward PLF of stakeholders other than farmers is lacking. Possible challenges of societal acceptance of PLF and chances to overcome these are only discussed in theoretical approaches. We conclude that to analyze the role of PLF in addressing societal concerns over pig production, there is a need for further empirical research including attention to underlying values of all stakeholders. This should focus on the attitudes of the currently missing stakeholders toward pig husbandry in general, and on those of the wider society toward PLF. Only by means of additional data, it will be possible to evaluate whether PLF has the potential to address societal concerns related to pig production.
欧洲目前的养猪生产系统受到公众批评。与此同时，允许自动监测动物的精准畜牧养殖（PLF）技术正在进入商业养猪场。这些创新声称能改善动物健康和福利，可能回应了公众关切。然而，它们自身可能引发社会接受度的问题。在本综述中，我们研究现有文献是否能进行分析，以确定PLF在多大程度上可以减轻或强化与养猪生产相关的社会关切。我们首先分析关于一般养猪系统的论文，然后分析关于PLF作为动物生产创新的论文。总体而言，公民和农民之间存在矛盾。公民持相当负面的态度，而农民对养猪生产的评价更为积极。缺少关于其他行为者（如兽医）态度的文献。缺乏关于农民以外的利益相关者对PLF态度的信息。社会对PLF接受度的可能挑战以及克服这些挑战的机会仅在理论方法中进行了讨论。我们得出结论，要分析PLF在解决社会对养猪生产的关切方面的作用，需要进一步的实证研究，包括关注所有利益相关者的潜在价值观。这应侧重于目前缺失的利益相关者对一般养猪业的态度，以及更广泛社会对PLF的态度。只有通过额外的数据，才有可能评估PLF是否有潜力解决与养猪生产相关的社会关切。
