Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
www.rspca.org.uksciencegroupfarmanimalsSciencegroupreviewof201213ThefiveyearAssureWelprojectacollaborativeprogrammebetweentheRSPCAtheSoilAssociationandtheUniversityofBristolcontinuedintoitsthirdyear.TheprojecthasaprimaryaimofimplementingwelfareassessmentsintofarmassuranceschemeswiththeRSPCAFreedomFoodandtheSoilAssociationFarmAssuranceSchemesleadingtheway.WelfareassessmentsforlayinghenshavebeendevelopedandnowforoverayearallFreedomFoodapprovedlayinghenfarmshavebeenreceivingawelfareassessmentbybothFreedomFoodassessorsandRSPCAfarmlivestockofficers.Theresultsarebeingusedtoprovideusefulfeedbackandbenchmarkingtoproducerstohelpidentifyanyproblemareasanddrivewelfareimprovement.Foreachwelfaremeasurethereisatargetforproducerstoaimforaswellasacautionleveltohighlightwhereactionneedstobetaken.Settingthesethresholdlevelshelpsproducersbetterunderstandwheretheyshouldbeandalsosupportsassessorsdecision-makingoncompliance.TheAssureWelprojecthasalsoledtothepublicationofanindustry-wideadviceguidetohelptackleoneofthemostwidespreadwelfareissuesfacingthelayinghenindustryfeatherloss.Thisistypicallycausedbyinjuriousfeatherpeckingandsometimesaggression.TheadvicedocumentwasdevelopedwithinputfromtheUniversityofBristolFeatherWelprojectandBritishEggIndustryCouncil.AssureWeladvancesassessmentofwelfareonfarmsFordairycattlewelfaremeasuresincludinglamenessbodyconditionandlyingcomforthavebeendevelopedandintroducedintoallFreedomFoodfarmassessments.AssureWelhasbeenworkingwithRedTractorDairywhichassures95percentofthemilkproducedinGreatBritaintohelpintroducethesemeasuresintotheirscheme.RedTractorDairyiscurrentlyconsideringtheinclusionofsomeofthewelfaremeasuresintotheirdairyassessmentssubjecttofinalconsultation.Thisindustry-wideapproachwillhelpgenerateresultsthatcouldbeusedtomeasureandimprovewelfareacrossthedairyindustry.AssureWelisalsoworkingwithotherstakeholdersincludingmajorretailerstoachieveharmonisationofwelfaremeasuresandmethodologiesacrossthedairyindustry.DevelopmentofwelfaremeasuresforpigshasbegunandtheirintroductionintoFreedomFoodschemeassessmentsisplannedfor2013.AssureWelisbeginningtopromotetheuseoftheAssureWelmeasuresmorebroadlyandwillbeapproachingorganisationsintheUKandinternationallytodiscusswelfareassessmentsandtheirimplementationinmoredetail.FromproducergroupsintheUKtotheEuropeanFoodSafetyAuthorityandstandardsdevelopersintheUSAinterestisgrowinginourpracticalandfield-testedapproachtoanimalwelfareassessment.Dairy2020TheRSPCAwasinvitedtoparticipateasthesoleanimalwelfarerepresentativeintheDairy2020initiativebytheForumfortheFuturealeadingglobalsustainabledevelopmentnon-profitorganisationtoconsiderhowasustainabledairyindustryintheUKwouldlookinthefutureandwhatwouldbethekeydriverstocontributetofuturesustainability.TherewasalsoconsiderationofhowtofeedintoothermajorindustryinitiativessuchastheDairyRoadmap.Someofthekeyguidingprinciplesidentifiedbytheinitiativeincludedimprovinganimalwelfareinparticularcowcomfortwhenanimalsarehousedandalsoincentivisingoutcome-basedsystemswhicharefocussedondeliveringapositiveimpactonanimalwelfare.Minimisingenvironmentalimpactandstewardingnaturethroughimprovingbiodiversitysoilfertilityandnutrientavailabilitywerealsohighlightedasimportantissues.