Welfare Comparison

1. Welfare Comparison Justine O’Malley

2. Project Introduction • Compilation of 11 associations and their welfare standards • Compares 37 different welfare characteristics • Uses management based versus animal based methods for calculating welfare • Management based (input): American Humane Association & Global Animal Partnership • Animal based (outcome): OIE cattle & EU Welfare Quality

3. Associations Red Tractor Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals OIE (cattle & broilers) EU Welfare Quality PQA Plus • Animal Welfare Institute • Niman Ranch • American Humane Association • Humane Farm Animal Care • Global Animal Partnership • Organic

4. Characteristics Animal Identification Nose ringing Slaughter Space Tail docking Teeth clipping Transport Tusk removal Weaning • Boar housing • Castration • Electric prods • Euthanasia • Farrowing • Genetics • Handling • Health

5. CharacteristicsFacilities • Air quality • Bedding • Emergency system • Environment • Environmental enrichment • Feeding schedule • Food & water • Housing & facilities • Isolation • Lighting • Outdoor access • Prohibited substances • Vermin • Water system

6. CharacteristicsRecords • Certified health status • Certified status • Emergency plans • Health plan • Records • Training program

7. American Humane Association • Developed in 1877 • Protecting children and animals from abuse and neglect • Provide research, education, and training • MISSION: To create a more humane and compassionate world by ending abuse and neglect of children and animals.

8. American Humane Association Certification • American Humane Certified standards which were built upon the Five Freedoms • Five Freedoms: • Freedom from hunger and thirst • Freedom from discomfort • Freedom from pain, injury, or disease • Freedom to express normal behavior • Freedom from fear and distress and a science-based aspect • Promotes a safer and higher quality food supply

9. PQA vs. AHA AHA Lying Area/Floors Space Allowances Farrowing Systems Environmental Enrichment Lighting Outdoor Housing Health Plan & Records Euthanasia & Casualty Animals Slaughter • Managers • Caretakers • Handling & Transport • Identification • Equipment • Daily Inspections • Food • Water • Buildings • Thermal Environment & Ventilation

10. Global Animal Partnership • Founded in 2008 • Brings together farmers, scientists, ranchers, retailers, and animal advocates. • Goal - Improve the welfare of animals in agriculture

11. Global Animal Partnership Staff • Joyce D’Silva – Compassion in World Farming • Mike Baker – World Society for the Protection of Animals • Steven Gross – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals • Wayne Pacelle – Humane Society of the United States • George Siemon – Organic farmer • Dan Probert – Natural beef producer • Paul Willis – Niman Ranch producer • John Mackey – Whole Foods Market • Bernard Rollin – Ethicist at Colorado State University • Miyun Park – Global Animal Partnership • Ian Duncan – Animal welfare professor at University of Guelph

12. Global Animal Partnership 5-Step Program • Developed the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards to promote and facilitate continuous improvement in animal agriculture. • Tiered standards ranging from Step 1-Step5+ with each having its own requirements • Voluntary decision by producers • Step 1 - prohibits cages and crates. • Step 2 - requires environmental enrichment for indoor production systems. • Step 3 - outdoor access. • Step 4 - pasture-based production. • Step 5 - an animal-centered approach with all physical alterations prohibited. • Step 5+ - the entire life of the animal spent on an integrated farm. Standards are available for beef cattle, broiler chickens, and pigs.

13. 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards - Process • 1st working draft – created by advised scientific experts • Council of invited representatives review • Finalized working draft is posted online for public comment • Council addresses public concerns • Draft goes before Board of Directors • Standards are reviewed and revised on a regular basis to incorporate new scientific findings

14. PQA vs. GAP PQA GAP Considers dust in addition to ammonia levels 15 month certification cycle Discusses environmental enrichment Addresses farrowing in Steps 2-4 Includes genetics High priority to herd lameness levels Prohibits crates, stalls, and tethers Specifically requires a cooling system for summer weather Addresses nose ringing and outdoor access More detailed prohibited substances list Physical alterations are prohibited Prohibits ear notching in Step 5 • 3 year certification cycle

15. World Organization for Animal Health • January 25th 1924 • Recognized by WTO • Past - fight animal disease at a global level • Present - intergovernmental organization responsible for improving animal health worldwide. • MISSIONS: • Ensure transparency in the global animal disease situation • Collect, analyze, and disseminate veterinary scientific information • Encourage international solidarity in the control of animal diseases • Safeguard world trade by publishing health standards for international trade in animals and animal products • Improve the legal framework and resources of national Veterinary Services • To provide a better guarantee of food of animal origin and to promote animal welfare through a science-based approach

16. The transport of animals by land • The transport of animals by sea • The transport of animals by air • The slaughter of animals for human consumption • The killing of animals for disease control purposes • The control of stray dog populations • The use of animals in research and education Terrestrial Code

17. OIE – Areas of Focus • Biosecurity • Lighting • Acoustic environment • Social environment • Outdoor areas • Protections from predators • Genetic selection • Weaning • Painful husbandry procedures

18. PQA vs. OIE PQA OIE(cattle) Animal based measures Morbidity rates Mortality rate Reproductive rates Physical appearance Rate of post-procedure complications Post-mortem pathology Survivability • Mandates specific ammonia levels • Requires certification every 3 years • Demands a health plan • Recommendations for isolation

19. EU Welfare Quality • A research project funded by the European Commission. • Involved forty-four institutes and universities which represented thirteen European countries and four Latin American countries. • The project started in May 2004 and took over five years • The project took an animal-based approach addressing the actual welfare state of the animal in terms of behavior, fearfulness, health, or physical condition. • Goals– • Develop a standardized system for the assessment of animal welfare • Develop a standardized way to convey measures into animal welfare information • Develop practical strategies/measures to improve animal welfare • Use a wide range of specialists in the field of animal welfare in Europe

20. PQA vs. EU Welfare Quality PQA EU Welfare Quality • Considers air quality • Addresses certified status, emergency plans, emergency systems, euthanasia, training program, and transport • Possesses a health plan

21. PAACO • Good breadth & valid measurable areas of welfare • Inspection of animal conditions & performance, including measures of injury & morbidity • Documentation of mortality &/or euthanasia • Housing conditions & capabilities to provide day-to-day care as well as respond to contingencies of disease & injury • Caregiver and standard operating procedure capabilities to provide day-to-day care as well as respond to contingencies of disease and injury through euthanasia and treatment if appropriate • Existence of methods to reduce the likelihood & effects of catastrophic events • Methodology to minimize errors & bias in measurement • Criteria measures to fall w/in a range of standards from know research & application • Presents a good standard for the industry • Demonstrates a commitment to ongoing reinforcement of & attention to animal welfare criteria b/w official third party audits • Program qualification criteria clearly separated from animal welfare criteria in the audit tool & information • Audit instrument is written in a clear, concise format & information provides auditors instructions on how to audit each criterion & standard

22. How PQA Meets PAACO standards • Good breadth & valid measurable areas of welfare • Different aspects of records, facilities, and animals • Inspection of animal conditions & performance, including measures of injury & morbidity • Daily observation of animals, BCS, space, thermal behavior, medication/treatment records • Evaluation of injury, lameness, abscesses, prolapses, and hernias • Documentation of mortality &/or euthanasia • Written euthanasia plan and evaluation of timely euthanasia • Lack documentation of mortality • Housing conditions & capabilities to provide day-to-day care as well as respond to contingencies of disease & injury • Inspection of facilities, emergency plans, VCPR, air quality • Treatment pen • Caregiver and standard operating procedure capabilities to provide day-to-day care as well as respond to contingencies of disease and injury through euthanasia and treatment if appropriate • Employee training, emergency plans, euthanasia plan, VCPR • Handling and movement of animals • Existence of methods to reduce the likelihood & effects of catastrophic events • Documentation of employee training, emergency action plan, medication/treatment records, VCPR, euthanasia plan, emergency back-up system for ventilation, daily observation of animals

23. Possible additional animal based measures for PQA • Lameness • Morbidity rates • Mortality rates • Reproductive rates • Lesion scoring • Rectal prolapse • Ruptures and hernias • Fear of humans • Tail biting