In a recent survey done in the EU, more than 30% of citizens had never visited a farm with animals. There is a demand for more information about the way agricultural animals are kept, which could be provided as general information, campaigns or labelling of animal products. The approach depends on local or national circumstances, preferences and marketing strategies.
Good animal welfare depends largely on the quality of resources, such as the housing system, available space, feed type and quality of transport vehicles and slaughter equipment. However, it is also affected by how these resources are used, and how welfare problems are recognized.
To respond to societal concerns, provide farmers with welfare management tools and to ensure compliance with legislation, information about animal welfare is needed. Although the form of the information may vary, it is clear that the basis of all information is the same: the welfare status of the individual animal. Development of assessment measures and technologies to automate such measures is paramount. Technologies that generate basic data can be applied in the context of welfare as well as production. For instance, real time localization systems in dairy cows can alert the farmer when cows are in oestrus, but also provide information about health issues, aggression and resting comfort. Thus, 'welfare' measures will overlap with 'production' measures and form an integrated part of the total production management.
Harry J. Blokhuis (2018) Animal Welfare information in a changing world. In: A. Butterworth (Ed.), Animal Welfare Challenges: dilemmas in a changing world. CABI, Wallingford, UK, 2018, 208-216.