Animal Welfare

USFRA’s Point of View

• USFRA's View on Animal Welfare

  Farmers and ranchers are committed to the safest and most appropriate care for their animals. They care deeply about the health and safety of their animals and take pride in them. They also know that consumers are concerned about animal care.

  USFRA believes that farmers and ranchers work diligently to keep their farm animals safe, healthy and comfortable. They want consumers to know that they understand that well-cared-for animals are an important part of a safe and healthful food supply for everyone. That is why farmers and ranchers rely on the guidance of veterinarians when they make decisions about a variety of animal husbandry practices, including housing strategies and the use of health-care products to decrease disease risk and to promote animal health.

  USFRA supports farmers’ and ranchers’ abilities to raise their animals using the management style that best fits their farm or ranch. With that freedom comes the obligation to assure the animals’ well-being and the safety of our food supply. In America, farmers and ranchers continue to look for new ways to improve the methods they use to care for their animals. Based on decades of experience and research, some of our farmers and ranchers choose indoor housing for their pigs, dairy and poultry. Others choose free-range, for example, and some species, like cattle for beef, are still mostly raised outside. The decisions are impacted by many factors from the animal’s needs to weather and environment as well as specific consumer market demands. And as long as the animals are getting high-quality care and as long as human health is not negatively impacted, USFRA believes (and science agrees) all are acceptable.

  When it comes to how animals are housed, fed and cared for when sick; how they are transported; or how they are cared for during periods of working (a time when vaccinations, branding, castration and ear tagging potentially occur), the bottom line is that today’s farm animals live healthier lives than ever before. For example, today’s farming and ranching have virtually eliminated some former common causes of human foodborne illnesses. Pigs raised indoors, a practice that sometimes elevates concerns, has made a great difference in the safety of pork. Pathogens, such as Trichinella spiralis, formerly one of the most prominent pathogens, have largely disappeared with the movement of pigs to indoor production. http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/5bb6aa6d#/5bb6aa6d/78

  The system is not perfect. Unfortunately, there are on occasion a few incompetent or uncaring people such as those seen in occasional undercover videos who abuse animals. Anyone who abuses animals should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Their practices do not represent the vast majority of farmers and ranchers.

  Everyone who works with animals on a farm or ranch should be properly trained in best care practices for raising animals, and there species-specific programs – often funded by farmers and ranchers themselves and veterinarian endorsed – that offer that training. Additionally, the Center for Food Integrity has organized a committee of experts to review undercover videos for specific practices and to determine whether proper treatment for the animal was followed, adding balance and providing an expert analysis to these types of videos. http://www.foodintegrity.org/programs/pork-panel

  Recent panel reports:

  Farmers and ranchers should continuously strive to improve animal care for not only the animal’s wellbeing but also so our food supply is as safe and healthy as possible. This means basing practices on peer-reviewed studies as well as lifetimes of practical experience. Partnerships with veterinarians are critical – and a key part of animal care on America’s farms and ranches. Examples of innovations in animal care include:

  • Waterbed or sand flooring in dairy barns – reduces strain on their hooves and provides a comfortable place to lay
  • Solid-wall alleyways and circular animal chute working facilities (animal herds commonly like to move in circles and using circular working facilities increases comfort by allowing the animal to react naturally when sorting and moving)
  • Efficient temperature control systems and enhanced ventilation systems increases comfort
  • Manure disposal systems, keeping animals clean and free of walking or laying in unsanitary conditions
    http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/news/aug96/aug96-4.html
    http://www.grandin.com/

  Through extensive research, farmers and ranchers handle their animals much differently compared to 20 years ago. In the raising of cattle, some new practices can be attributed to Temple Grandin,  who works with farmers and ranchers and animal experts across the U.S. Her extensive research has taught farmers and ranchers careful techniques on how to move animals at home in the pasture or feedlot, during transportation and in packing facilities. She’s also provided her expertise in designing structures for herd animals that reduce flight and increase comfort while keeping herds manageable. Additionally, university research on best management practices has become a priority.
  http://www.grandin.com/

  Farmers and ranchers put into action the best management practices for their animals. USFRA believes most farmers and ranchers work toward this goal and often go above and beyond to care for their animals – whether that’s helping a mother through a difficult birth, bringing a newborn calf indoors during cold winter weather or providing medical attention when an animal is sick.

  While opinions regarding management techniques for animal safety and health greatly differ, it’s important that all farmers and ranchers work together with consumers to get a clearer understanding of why specific management styles work for one type of farm/ranch compared to another.

  Below are links to some of our species-specific affiliates’ animal care practices and FAQs

  • Pork http://www.porkcares.org/OurCommitment/792/EthicalPrinciples.aspx
  • Dairy http://nmpf.org/washington_watch/animal_health/animal_welfare
  • Beef http://www.explorebeef.org/CMDocs/ExploreBeef/FactSheet_AnimalWelfare.pdf
  • Poultry http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/industry-issues/animal-welfare-for-broiler-chickens/
  • Sheep http://www.sheepusa.org/Animal_Health

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Questions & Answers

• Aren’t free range poultry always treated best?

  Whether raised indoor or outdoor, it’s a farmer’s personal preference in regard to how he or she chooses to house their animals. Just because an animal is raised outdoors doesn’t necessarily mean it receives better care. Poultry raised indoors can live in optimum temperature conditions, which are regulated through sophisticated temperature control systems. High-quality feed and clean water are readily available.
  http://www.fooddialogues.com/2011/11/18/turkey-documentary-

  Chickens and turkeys are carefully selected to best thrive in today’s facilities. As a result, these birds are much healthier and faster growing stock than birds just a few years ago. Likewise, raising poultry outside increases bacteria, disease and opens the doors to many predators. http://www.youtube.com/user/USPoultryIPE

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• Isn’t it healthier to feed cattle only grass?

  Most cattle are grass fed, spending the first part of their life grazing on pasture. Once at a feedyard during the latter half of their life, cattle have access to a healthy, balanced diet. Cattle can get the nutrients they need from eating a wide range of plants, including a variety of grains and grasses, and in some cases, renewable feeds like distillers grains, cornstalks, wheat stubble, citrus pulp and almond hulls – feed that has been left over from the primary harvest but cattle can utilize as part of a balanced diet. Cattle cannot survive on corn alone. In fact, a corn-only diet makes cattle sick, which is why feedyard managers carefully plan out diets for the different ages, weights and types of cattle they’re raising.

  Cattle diets can modestly effect beef’s fatty acid profile. For example, extended grain feeding can result in beef with increased levels of monounsaturated fat (the same heart-healthy kind found in olive oil) while feeding on grass longer (depending on the type of grass) can influence the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in beef. However, because the fat profiles are only modestly influenced, most experts agree that when beef is consumed in the context of the total diet, the human health benefits from beef’s nutrient rich package and high quality protein are the same from all beef choices. http://www.beefnutrition.org/CMDocs/BeefNutrition/FattyAcidProfileofBeef.pdf
  
  http://www.explorebeef.org/CMDocs/ExploreBeef/Choices%20of%20Beef_Final.pdf

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• Should individual stalls be eliminated in caring for pregnant sows?

  Both individual stalls and group housing work. However, neither is superior and both systems have advantages and disadvantages. Pig farmers continue to invest in research to determine the best housing system and they consult with animal welfare experts – veterinarians and others about humane approaches. It’s key to set standards and quality assurance programs high. Additionally, pig farmers continue to invest in their own farms to improve upon current practices to ensure safety of the pig as well as those working with the pigs each day.

  Choosing a system to raise pigs is complicated because of the animal’s natural instincts. Pigs by nature have an aggressive behavior. In a group, they develop and establish a hierarchical social order. This is especially dangerous for pregnant pigs (sows). Likewise, pigs in a group setting require intense management and could be dangerous for the farmer when working to separate combative behaviors.

  The Pork Checkoff Swine Welfare Committee researched swine housing methods to determine the effect of (1) differential effects of individual stalls and group pens, and (2) impacts of space allowance for group-kept dry (not actively milking piglets) sows while keeping group size constant on dry sow performance, productivity and health.

  Farmers are looking for better alternatives, not simply more alternatives that have both pros and cons. Pig farmers understand consumer concerns and are working toward improved management tools.

  There may be no one right answer and certainly pig farmers should have the right to choose what works best for his or her farm.

  http://www.pork.org/filelibrary/Factsheets/Well-Being/SwineWelfareResearch.pdf

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• Don’t dairy cows suffer from having to produce so much milk?

  Dairy cows, even when producing milk – milking up to three times per day – are not in any discomfort. Discomfort actually comes from lack of milking when the udder becomes too full, which in turn can cause infections.

  Establishing regular routines for the cows, particularly at milking time, helps to minimize stress. When a dairy cow is frightened or excited or experiences pain, she releases hormones into the bloodstream that interfere with her milk let-down and reduce resistance to mastitis and other diseases. Therefore, a consistent routine for bringing cows and milking machines together is essential.

  http://www.nationaldairyfarm.com/sites/default/files/AnimalCareManual_JUN_VIEW.pdf

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• Where can I learn about antibiotic use in farm animals?

  USFRA overview of antibiotics used in farm animals
  http://www.fooddialogues.com/posts/2012/03/28/overview-antibiotics-use-in-animals-raised-for-food

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• Free range animals are healthier, right?

  Not necessarily. Free range can have a lot of benefits such as insect control, adding organic matter back to the soil. But when it comes to healthier, Iowa State University researched the protein composition of free range and organic broilers. According to their research, protein was slightly higher in the free range birds. However, the increase wasn’t significant.

  “Although polyunsaturated fatty acid composition was significantly higher for organic broilers; meat yields, proximate composition, and sensory qualities, in practical terms, did not show differences. Therefore, consumers are basing purchase decisions on more than the quantitative and qualitative attributes evaluated in this study, and are probably including intangible values related to the different production systems as perceived by individual consumers.” http://www.ans.iastate.edu/report/air/2007pdf/R2222.pdf

  There can be additional risks with free range birds, including higher susceptibility to diseases transferred by wild birds and migratory waterfowl. Additionally, free range birds often carry more bacteria, leading to an increase in pathogens that have potential to cause foodborne illnesses. The same can be said for pigs raised free range. Pigs that graze in the open are often exposed to more bacteria, a vehicle for foodborne illnesses.
  http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/05/is-free-range-meat-making-us-sick/56333/
  http://www.asi.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=1097

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• Farm animals should not be confined in barns. Is it bad if they aren’t allowed to roam free?

  There are many reasons animals are housed indoors, including protection from inclement weather. Animals become well acclimated to indoor conditions. For instance, pigs and poultry, at various stages of growth, have different thermal neutral zones – temperatures and conditions where they are most comfortable and can thrive. Because of indoor facilities, farmers can provide this comfort to them during key stages of growth. http://www.fao.org/docrep/s1250e/S1250E10.htm

  Most farm animals, like pigs, do not spend their entire lives in confined space. While they may not graze throughout pastures, they have opportunities to walk and are moved during different stages of life. Many pigs (sows) are confined before giving birth and through the first couple weeks of piglets’ lives until weaning because farmers have determined this is the best way to give them individual care. Dairy cows, even though they are indoors, are not held to a small space where they cannot move, turn around or lay down. They are able to feed at bunkers and walk to the milking parlor. Broilers, chickens used for meat, spend their time in large, open housing. Hens used for eggs may spend their time in conventional cage laying systems.
  http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/industry-issues/animal-welfare-for-broiler-chickens

  /http://www.unitedegg.org/information/pdf/UEP_2010_Animal_Welfare_Guidelines.pdf

  http://www.porkcares.org/OurCommitment/793/ThePeopleBehindThePromise.aspx

  One management practice that continually makes headlines is the use of individual stalls for pigs or egg laying cages. It’s challenging to understand why these production practices are used on an emotional level. When looking at peer-reviewed research, science says that these management styles are not only efficient for the farmer, but also provide optimum animal safety and health.

  For example:

  Like many animals, pigs establish a hierarchical social order when mixed together. When sows are in groups, dominant sows tend to act aggressively (e.g., by biting); they can cause serious injuries to less-dominant sows. Submissive sows also may have difficulty getting access to enough food, which can lead to poor weight gain and pregnancy complications. Gestation stalls or individual stalls were introduced beginning in the 1960s as a way to help protect and nurture all sows during pregnancy, a time when they are particularly vulnerable. When it comes to raising pigs, there is no one right system. Both group housing and individual stalls have pros and cons. Pig farmers continue to utilize research, invest in their housing systems and use their experiences to provide optimum living conditions for each pig. Additionally, farmers continue to educate not only themselves but their employees about the latest animal care standards to ensure proper treatment of the pigs.
  http://www.porkcares.org/ttlps/index.html?gclid=COPJhuzBwrICFXGRPAodGXcAYA

  Poultry has similar challenges. They develop a pecking order and once that order is established, the strongest eat and drink first and can bully other birds. Each time new birds are introduced in the flock, a new pecking order is established. This can be a stressful time for the birds.

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• Large farms abuse animals because they can’t possibly take good care of hundreds or thousands of animals, right?

  Size has little to do with quality of animal care. Because of their financial resources, larger farms and ranches often are among the first to incorporate the latest care standards for their animals. In some cases, confinement, or having a lot of animals together in one place, means that each animal receives individual attention and care daily.

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• If animals aren’t being mistreated, why are there so many undercover videos?

  This is an unfortunate part of the agriculture industry that has left many farmers and ranchers upset, knowing the care and time they commit to their animals. Statistically, 99.9 percent of farmers and ranchers give their animals’ optimum care to ensure safety and health. Just like any other business – there are good and bad employees or business owners – consumers cannot forget that.  One bad actor shouldn’t ruin the reputation of the thousands of farmers who diligently care for their animals daily.

  Farmers and ranchers have created specific programs to help stay up-to-date with the best management practices for the wellbeing of their farm animals. Some examples include:

  • The cattle farmer and rancher funded Beef Quality Assurance program outlines recommendations, training and a code of ethics for raising beef cattle. The program helps ranchers by providing them with the latest management techniques and promotes a commitment to quality within every segment of the beef industry.
    http://www.bqa.org/
  • National Pork Board created the Pork Quality Assurance® program more than 20 years ago and updates it frequently to include the latest knowledge on animal care and the use of animal-health products. Farmers also created the We Care initiative, which helps everyone involved in the care of pigs learn how to conduct themselves and to make sure they are doing the right thing every day.
    http://www.pork.org/Certification/11/pqaPlus.aspx
  • The National Milk Producer’s Federation created The National Dairy FARM Program, which assists dairy farmers to commit to the highest standards of animal care and quality assurance.
    http://www.nationaldairyfarm.com/
  • National Chicken Council provides standards for their farmers and ranchers and also trains third-party auditors on their standards.
    http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/industry-issues/animal-welfare-for-broiler-chickens/

  And to be clear, we believe – and many of these farmer and rancher led programs state – that anyone abusing animals will not be tolerated and subject to the laws of that state.

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• Interesting Factoids about Modern Day Meat Production:

  Pigs are generally weaned at 2 to 4 weeks of age when they weigh 10 to 15 pounds. At this time, they are moved to a nursery, a grower or a wean-finish building designed to meet the needs of pigs from weaning to market weight.
  http://www.porkcares.org/OurCommitment/787/OurCommitment.aspx

  Most housing for newly weaned pigs has slatted floors to allow pigs’ waste to fall through into a holding pit or gutter. This keeps floors drier and cleaner, making it easier to provide the correct environment to keep pigs comfortable and healthy. The slotted floors are made of easily cleaned and maintained materials.

  Barrows and gilts are frequently fed separately during the grow-finish phase because their nutritional requirements are significantly different. “Split-sex” feeding results in leaner, meatier animals from fewer pounds of feed.

  http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/5bb6aa6d#/5bb6aa6d/54

  In the 1940s each chicken required approximately 16 lbs. of feed to achieve a 4 lb. weight. Today, that amount of feed has been reduced by more than half – less than 7 lbs. of feed to grow the same size bird. Similar gains have been made in turkey production. For instance, it once took 29 weeks for a tom turkey to reach a live weight of 35 lbs. Today, the male turkey tips the scales in just 15 weeks.

  These advances in growth efficiency also contribute to a better environment for us all. Lower feed requirements reduce the demand for corn and soybean crops. This efficiency also aids in lowering the fuel consumption and exhaust emissions of the tractors and trucks that harvest and bring the grains to market.

  Chickens and turkeys are carefully selected to best thrive in today’s modern facilities. As a result, these birds are much healthier and more efficient on feed than birds just a few years ago. http://www.youtube.com/user/USPoultryIPE

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Videos

A tour of a pork plant guided by Dr. Temple Grandin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University and widely considered to be the world's leading expert on humane animal handling at meat packing plants. This video provides an honest look at how pigs are handled at pork packing plants

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