3.4 Animal Welfare

Question 1

Intensive farming

Answer 1

Less ethical than free range farming, poorer animal welfare

Cost effective (costs are low) but creates conditions of poor animal welfare

Question 2

Free range

Answer 2

Requires more land and more labour intensive, animals have better quality of life and sold for more

Question 3

Costs and benefit

Answer 3

Initial cost to farmer to increase animal welfare, long-term benefits are worth it

Unstressed animals grow better, breed more successfully and generate higher quality of products (milk, eggs, meat)

Question 4

Ethics

Answer 4

Chickens living closely have beaks trimmed to not peck each other

Cows kept inside whole lives and given feed with antibiotics so they produce lots of milk without getting ill

Pigs have tails removed to prevent them from biting biting each other in combined pens

Question 5

Behavioural indicators of poor welfare

Answer 5

Stereotypy

Misdirected behaviour

Failure in sexual or parental behaviour

Altered levels of activity