Animal welfare focus of Guelph conference

Friday, August 5, 2011

by SUSAN MANN

More than 300 animal welfare experts from around the world will meet in Guelph next week for the fifth international conference on animal welfare assessment.

The University of Guelph’s Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare is hosting the conference, called Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level. Participants are coming from Europe, Asia, South America, the United States and Canada. This is the first time the conference, held every three years, will be hosted outside of Europe.

The meeting will mainly be made up of scientists and they will discuss existing and emerging welfare assessment methods including ones used in zoos and laboratories. Prof. Tina Widowski, of the University of Guelph’s department of animal and poultry science and co-organizer of the conference, says some topics being covered include how previous assessments were developed and how they’re being refined, cutting edge technology including automated video capture of chicken footpads in a slaughter plant to assess the birds’ housing system based on feet health, and what farmers’ attitudes and expectations are concerning welfare systems. “For producers it’s one more thing in a long list of responsibilities that they have,” she says.

Consumers, food retailers and regulatory agencies want assurances about animal care and that’s resulting in animal welfare audits in agriculture and in other industries using animals. There is an underlying science to welfare and conference participants will explore that. Objective criteria and protocols are being developed around the world.

Widowski says she hopes the conference will help broaden animal welfare assessments to include environmental and social aspects. The impacts and benefits the assessments have for people also need to be taken into account, she says.

The Campbell centre was the first Canadian centre established for conducting research on improving the quality of life for animals. The internationally recognized centre is a hub for research and teaching and for international partnerships with industry and government. BF