Evidence and innovation: Defra’s needs from the sciences over the next 10 years

The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) are pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the above document which we feel gives an excellent overview of the future science needs of Defra.

Broadly, the Council is encouraged that Defra recognise the importance of animal welfare as a driver for their science in the future and we welcome the fact that a key point in Lord Whitty’s forward look is the protection of the public from animal disease and animals from ill health and poor welfare.

However, it is not explicit in the document the extent to which Defra sees a distinction between health and welfare. For example, there is no clear statement of the need to have science to underpin protection of animal suffering (which is the focus of public concern over animal welfare) as opposed to the research on animal disease. FAWC would wish that a statement such as this should be introduced into the document in order to obviate the risk of the report being unbalanced. It would be helpful if this statement was accompanied by a clear image of what sorts of issues and therefore science Defra sees emerging in animal welfare over the next 10 years. Recent industry consultations (e.g. the draft British Pig Executive (BPEX) research strategy) indicate the importance of research on both health and welfare to the sustainability of UK livestock industries.

FAWC is concerned that Defra appear to be willing to accept a decline in research capacity in animal welfare on the basis that greater engagement in European research programmes and international collaborations can potentially compensate for this trend. We depend on research to fit UK conditions (e.g. Austrian dairy farms are very different from UK dairy farms and the issues facing UK extensive farming systems are somewhat different from many other countries). In addition many other countries are also downsizing their agriculturally related research including their funding of animal health and welfare, perhaps on the same precept. Thus there may soon be an overall problem in EU research capacity not just the UK.

We welcome the fact that the report highlights the critical future role of data collection and analysis and we see livestock health and welfare surveillance as an important area for further development. We should like to note that a lack of accurate data on the incidence of major welfare problems such as neonatal mortality, body lesions (e.g. tail-biting; feather pecking), parasitic infestations, lameness etc., has a significant impact on the ability of FAWC and others to address welfare problems. This was a key point raised in our recent report on The Welfare Implications of Animal Breeding and Breeding Technologies (2004).

FAWC considers stockmanship to be a key component in safeguarding the welfare of animals on farm. Thus, we were disappointed to note that the section on rural communities in the document did not mention farmers. We would wish to see this amended.

Again, FAWC is grateful for the opportunity to comment and we request that we remain fully informed on its progression.