Swanson J C
Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506, USA.
J Anim Sci. 1995 Sep;73(9):2744-51. doi: 10.2527/1995.7392744x.
Animal welfare, or well-being, is a social issue with ethical, scientific, political, and aesthetic properties. Answering questions about the welfare of animals requires scientific definition, assessment, solutions, and public acceptance. With respect to the actual well-being of the animal, most issues are centered on how the animal "feels" when managed within a specific level of confinement, during special agricultural practices (e.g., tail docking, beak trimming, etc.) and handling. Questions of this nature may require exploration of animal cognition, motivation, perception, and emotional states in addition to more commonly recognized indicators of well-being. Several general approaches have emerged for solving problems concerning animal well-being in intensive production systems: environmental, genetic, and therapeutic. Environmental approaches involve modifying existing systems to accommodate specific welfare concerns or development of alternative systems. Genetic approaches involve changing the behavioral and (or) physiological nature of the animal to reduce or eliminate behaviors that are undesirable within intensive system. Therapeutic approaches of a physical (tail docking, beak trimming) and physiological (drug and nutritional therapy) nature bring both concern and promise with regard to the reduction of confinement stress. Finally, the recent focus on commodity quality assurance programs may indirectly provide benefits for animal well-being. Although research in the area of animal well-being will provide important information for better animal management, handling, care, and the physical design of intensive production systems there is still some uncertainty regarding public acceptance. The aesthetics of modern intensive production systems may have as much to do with public acceptance as with science.
动物福利，即动物的健康状况，是一个具有伦理、科学、政治和美学属性的社会问题。回答有关动物福利的问题需要科学的定义、评估、解决方案以及公众的接受。就动物的实际健康状况而言，大多数问题集中在动物在特定限制水平下饲养、在特殊农业实践（如断尾、断喙等）及处理过程中的“感受”。这类问题除了需要探究更普遍认可的健康指标外，可能还需要探索动物的认知、动机、感知和情绪状态。针对集约化生产系统中有关动物健康的问题，已出现了几种通用的解决方法：环境、基因和治疗方法。环境方法包括改造现有系统以适应特定的福利问题或开发替代系统。基因方法涉及改变动物的行为和（或）生理特性，以减少或消除集约化系统中不良的行为。物理（断尾、断喙）和生理（药物及营养治疗）性质的治疗方法在减轻圈禁应激方面既引发了关注，也带来了希望。最后，近期对商品质量保证计划的关注可能会间接为动物福利带来益处。尽管动物福利领域的研究将为更好地管理、处理、照顾动物以及集约化生产系统的物理设计提供重要信息，但公众接受度仍存在一些不确定性。现代集约化生产系统的美学与公众接受度的关系可能与科学同样重要。
