Animal health & welfare
Health and
welfare are two close related, sometimes overlapping, subjects. Breeding
organisations must ensure the health
and welfare of their animals. Animal welfare has become increasingly
important and is in a process of defining its traits. New
biological insights into function, genetics of behaviour and physiological
indicators of stress and well-being will provide new tools that allow welfare
traits to be treated more objectively than at present.
Breeding may contribute to robust and healthy animals by selection for more general and specific disease resistance and consequently less use of medicines. Optimization of use of medicines and vaccines, given the genetic make-up of the animal, is a significant opportunity for development. Breeders must keep a balance between the intrinsic characteristics of domesticated species, welfare and improved production levels.
Animal welfare became a significant priority in the livestock sector. However, in domestic aquaculture there is still a lot of development and need for more knowledge.
The development of efficient information management systems for health monitoring, health detection, etc. can contribute to animal breeding.
Animal integrity is defined as “the wholeness and completeness of the species-specific balance of the creature, as well as the animal’s capacity to maintain itself independently in an environment suitable to the species”. Harmony between intrinsic characteristics of domesticated species, their welfare, and improved production are a concern of breeders.
Multiple-character selection is a requirement in breeding schemes. These selections have to be based on a combination of production traits and other important traits such as resistance to disease, fertility and longevity.
Breeding may contribute to robust and healthy animals by selection for more general and specific disease resistance and consequently less use of medicines. Optimization of use of medicines and vaccines, given the genetic make-up of the animal, is a significant opportunity for development. Breeders must keep a balance between the intrinsic characteristics of domesticated species, welfare and improved production levels.
Animal welfare became a significant priority in the livestock sector. However, in domestic aquaculture there is still a lot of development and need for more knowledge.
The development of efficient information management systems for health monitoring, health detection, etc. can contribute to animal breeding.
Animal integrity is defined as “the wholeness and completeness of the species-specific balance of the creature, as well as the animal’s capacity to maintain itself independently in an environment suitable to the species”. Harmony between intrinsic characteristics of domesticated species, their welfare, and improved production are a concern of breeders.
Multiple-character selection is a requirement in breeding schemes. These selections have to be based on a combination of production traits and other important traits such as resistance to disease, fertility and longevity.
Robustness
In general robustness is related to the way an animal can cope with its environment and potential changes in this environment. However, many components comprise robustness.
In general robustness is related to the way an animal can cope with its environment and potential changes in this environment. However, many components comprise robustness.
Animal welfare: vitality
Breeding organisations ensure the health and welfare of the animals they keep and select. The search for traits indicating animal welfare is ongoing. New biological insights into function, genetics of behaviour and physiological indicators of stress and well-being will provide new tools that allow welfare traits to be treated more objectively than at present.
Breeding organisations ensure the health and welfare of the animals they keep and select. The search for traits indicating animal welfare is ongoing. New biological insights into function, genetics of behaviour and physiological indicators of stress and well-being will provide new tools that allow welfare traits to be treated more objectively than at present.
Animal welfare: integrity
Animal integrity is defined as "the wholeness and completeness of the species-specific balance of the creature, as well as the animal's capacity to maintain itself independently in an environment suitable to the species."
Animal integrity is defined as "the wholeness and completeness of the species-specific balance of the creature, as well as the animal's capacity to maintain itself independently in an environment suitable to the species."
Adaptability
Breeders are producing animals for a wide range of production environments, from extensive organic systems to more intensive systems on larger farms (that continue to get larger still).
Breeders are producing animals for a wide range of production environments, from extensive organic systems to more intensive systems on larger farms (that continue to get larger still).
Disease resistance
Breeding may contribute to robust and healthy animals by selection for more general and specific disease resistance and consequently less use of medicines. Optimisation of use of medicines and vaccines, given the genetic makeup of the animal, is a significant opportunity for development.
Breeding may contribute to robust and healthy animals by selection for more general and specific disease resistance and consequently less use of medicines. Optimisation of use of medicines and vaccines, given the genetic makeup of the animal, is a significant opportunity for development.
Domestication
Most farm animals have been domesticated for thousands of years and as such have been adapted to an environment of co-existence with humans. They are easier to handle, able to reproduce in captivity, under circumstance with abundance of food and absence of direct predators. Breeder must keep a balance between the intrinsic characteristics of domesticated species, welfare and improved production levels.
Most farm animals have been domesticated for thousands of years and as such have been adapted to an environment of co-existence with humans. They are easier to handle, able to reproduce in captivity, under circumstance with abundance of food and absence of direct predators. Breeder must keep a balance between the intrinsic characteristics of domesticated species, welfare and improved production levels.