Animal welfare considerations — pastoral animals

Abstract

Modern pastoral farming has radically transformed the niche where agricultural animals live. Recent trends in husbandry tend to give as much emphasis to economic profit and human convenience, as do a concern for the farmed species. Most of the traditional ways of handling sheep, cattle, goats, horses and pigs, like castration, ear tagging, tail-docking or horse breaking, have been accepted by the public with little concern. Inevitably, as renewed public interest focuses on intensive farming, some questions are directed towards extensive pastoral farming practices, particularly in newly-farmed species like deer.

Criteria for the humane care of pastoral animals must be set by consensus. These should include the avoidance of injury, handling animals in the least stressful manner, and meeting the unique needs of each farmed species. This is particularly important at times of critical intervention like the birth of the young, shearing, dipping, milking, yarding and during transport. Several examples of current emotive issues of welfare in pastoral animals are discussed.

In general, New Zealand owners of extensive pastoral holdings produce a “welfare” product which should command a premium in the more affluent overseas markets. Vigilance will be needed to keep it so and in this veterinarians have a key role to play.