The future role of the veterinary profession in protecting and improving farm animal welfare Christopher Wathes Acknowledgements: Nick Bell, Dan Brockman,

The future role of the veterinary profession in protecting and improving farm animal

welfare

Christopher WathesAcknowledgements: Nick Bell, Dan Brockman, Sandra Corr, Steve Lister, Claire Wathes, Colin Whittemore, Steven Van

Winden and Angela Wright

A veterinary education produces a comparative zoologist with expertise in animal disease and comparative biology, who is an analyser and solver of complex veterinary problems

Wicked problems

1. Are vets professionals?

2. To whom are vets responsible? The client, the patient or their business?

3. What should be their future role and who should be their role model?

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Depth vs. Breadth of knowledgeOf a

VetScientistPara – vetConsultant

At day oneAfter board

certification or PhDWith experience

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At graduation

PhD Board-certified

With experience

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Act Scope

Cruel Treatment of Cattle 1822 Prevent cruel treatment of cattle

Protection of Animals 1911 Avoid unnecessary suffering - through an act of commission or omission

Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) 1968

Prevention of unnecessary pain and distress for livestock; powers of entry

Animal Welfare 2006 Provision of animal needs

Cruelty to Animals 1876 A licensing system for animal experimentation

Animals (Scientific Procedures) 1986

Improved licensing system for animal experimentation

British Law on Animal Welfare

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"By 2020, if not earlier, in China and India a middle class of about 700 to 750 million people with a buying power comparable to that in Europe today, will have completely changed the market situation for food in East and South Central Asia”. Professor Hans-Wilhelm Windhorst; International Egg Commission

Feeding the world: Sustainable intensification with compassion

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How do we ensure an acceptable quality of life for a farm animal?

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After Donald Rumsfeld, 2002

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Welfare and Ethics

Market forces

Lesser of two evils

Political dilemmas

Poultry slaughter

Gatherings Castration & tail docking

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Welfare and Economics

Milk – Farm 26 p/l

Milk – Supermarket 67 p/l

Water – Supermarket 40 p to £1/l

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A good life

A life worth living

A life not worth living

Quality of a Life

©Farm Animal Welfare Council, 2009

‘The question is not just, “Do they suffer?” nor, “Are their needs met?” but rather, “Do they have a life worth living?”’ Farm Animal Welfare Council, 2010.

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Public surveillance

Welfare guardianship

Compliance with legislation;

Ensuring minimum standards met

Government’s responsibility

Animal Health/VLA survey; LA

& FSA/MHS inspections

Published

Welfare surveillance

Private surveillance Farm management; Consumer assurance Farm profitability; Marketing Farmer’s responsibility (within the food supply chain) Self-assessment; Farm assurance schemes Confidential

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Guarding the welfare of farm animals

Governmentpolicy

Implementation and regulatory

enforcement

Publicsurveillance

Information

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Necessary conditions for ethical consumers and improved farm animal welfare

1. The Government to act as the guardian of farm animal welfare2. Standards for a ‘good life’ defined by an independent body3. Minimum welfare standard defined by quality of life4. Stockmen to be educated and trained to a high standard about welfare5. Welfare assessment to be valid, feasible and rigorous with independent audit 6. Due diligence in the food chain with marketing claims verified7. Citizens educated about food and farming from childhood8. Animal products to be labelled according to welfare provenance to provide

consumer choice

Problems and solutions

1. University fees — paying back the loan

Who pays for what? Choices …

2. Veterinary curriculum

Don’t overcrowd

3. Vet. undergraduates are mostly women, who will work in small animal practice

What’s the problem?

4. Interest of vets in inspection for QA schemes

Incentivise and train

5. Knowledge of animal husbandry

UG tracking and PG CPD courses on animal breeding, nutrition, housing, management

6. Disease prevention vs. Fire fighting

Payment for health and welfare plans. Visits to the dentist …

7. Individual vs. Herd

An ethical dilemma: the solution depends on the role model

8. Sustainable intensification

OK if it’s done with compassion

9. Physical vs. Mental health

Count feelings too

10. Patient vs. Client

An ethical dilemma: the solution depends on the role model

11. Guardians of farm animal welfare

Accept the responsibility?

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"In as much as the privilege of membership of The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is about to be conferred upon me, I promise and solemnly declare that I will abide in all due loyalty to The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and will do all in my power to maintain and promote its interests. I promise above all that I will pursue the work of my profession with uprightness of conduct and that my constant endeavour will be to ensure the welfare of animals committed to my care“.

Role models?

Agri-business vet Paid by and working for

farmers (and the food chain) Roles: part of the

agricultural service sector, often supporting farm assurance schemes; private welfare surveillance without publication

Duties: advice to farmers; problem solving; fire fighting

Society’s vet Paid for by the tax-payer,

allowing them to ‘sleep easily’

Roles: protect human health and wellbeing; public welfare surveillance with findings published

Duties: advice to citizens; public health; a welfare guardian

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