Animal Welfare

Question 1

What is a stereotype behaviour?

Answer 1

A stereotype is a behaviour which involves unusual repetitive movement quite unlike those shown by wild animals. These behaviours are invariant (performed over and over again in the same way) and have no obvious function. eg constantly walking back and forth

Question 2

What is misdirected behaviour?

Answer 2

Misdirected behaviour involves a normal behaviour being displayed in a different/inappropriate situation. This behaviour may be misdirected towards the individual itself, other members of its species or its surroundings eg feather pecking among battery hens

Question 3

What is failure in sexual or parental behaviour?

Answer 3

Reproductive success can be used as a measure of animal welfare. Those animals kept in low welfare conditions often have low reproductive success; these animals may fail to perform sexual behaviour or may reject/neglect any offspring they do produce.

Question 4

What is altered levels of activity?

Answer 4

Altered levels of activity are also behavioural indicators of poor welfare. Examples are:

apathy, particularly apparent in sows confined in stalls;
hysteria that occurs among chickens and turkeys which can lead to the birds piling on top of each other, thereby causing death.

Question 5

Advantages and disadvantages to intensive farming

Answer 5

Intensive farming is less ethical than free range farming due to poorer animal welfare.
cost effective and therefore more profitable.

Question 6

Advantages and disadvantages to free range farming

Answer 6

increased costs, requires more land and ongoing costs are also higher as free range farming is more labour intensive.
increased growth of animals
increased success rate of breeding
higher quality end products (meaning they can be sold at a higher price)
improved image and marketing appealing to wider markets
The animals also have a better quality of life.