scholarly journals Factors that Influence Farmers’ Views on Farm Animal Welfare: A Semi-Systematic Review and Thematic Analysis

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1524
Author(s):  
Agnese Balzani ◽  
Alison Hanlon

Farm animal welfare (FAW) is a growing societal concern, reflected by over 30 years of research to inform policy and practice. Despite the wealth of evidence to improve FAW, implementation of good practice continues to be an issue. The role of the stakeholder, particularly farmers, is pivotal to FAW improvement. This semi-systematic review synthesizes the evidence published in the last 30 years, worldwide, to address two main questions “what do farmers think (farmer’s general view) about farm animal welfare?” and “what are the factors that influence their thinking?”. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify factors that influenced the implementation of FAW innovation. The main outcomes extracted from 96 peer-reviewed publications on a range of livestock species identified 11 internal factors including farmer knowledge, empathy, personality, values, and human-animal bond; 15 external factors including economic advantages, communication, time and labor influenced the perception of FAW. Farmers’ knowledge and cost implications of FAW were the most frequently reported factors. The review further highlights the need for promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder participation. This study suggests strategies to improve FAW, including tools to support behavioral changes amongst farmers.

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Clark ◽  
Gavin B Stewart ◽  
Luca A Panzone ◽  
Lynn J Frewer

This article outlines a protocol for a systematic review into consumer attitudes, beliefs and perceived ethical obligations towards farm animal welfare, utilizing both the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Theory of Planned Behavior. A number of secondary objectives will also be explored in relation to the heterogeneity within the data relating to a number of variables known to vary within existing data including; animal species, welfare measures, socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The protocol outlines the rationale, objectives, inclusion criteria, search strategy and screening processes for the meta-analysis, and the plans for data extraction, risk of bias and data synthesis.


2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Clark ◽  
Gavin B Stewart ◽  
Luca A Panzone ◽  
Lynn J Frewer

This article outlines a protocol for a systematic review into consumer attitudes, beliefs and perceived ethical obligations towards farm animal welfare, utilizing both the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Theory of Planned Behavior. A number of secondary objectives will also be explored in relation to the heterogeneity within the data relating to a number of variables known to vary within existing data including; animal species, welfare measures, socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The protocol outlines the rationale, objectives, inclusion criteria, search strategy and screening processes for the meta-analysis, and the plans for data extraction, risk of bias and data synthesis.


2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Austin ◽  
Ian J. Deary ◽  
Gareth Edwards-Jones ◽  
Dale Arey

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 1081-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Jones ◽  
Joop Lensink ◽  
Maria Cecilia Mancini ◽  
Richard Tranter

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Jill N. Fernandes ◽  
Paul H. Hemsworth ◽  
Grahame J. Coleman ◽  
Alan J. Tilbrook

It costs money to improve the welfare of farm animals. For people with animals under their care, there are many factors to consider regarding changes in practice to improve welfare, and the optimal course of action is not always obvious. Decision support systems for animal welfare, such as economic cost–benefit analyses, are lacking. This review attempts to provide clarity around the costs and benefits of improving farm animal welfare, thereby enabling the people with animals under their care to make informed decisions. Many of the costs are obvious. For example, training of stockpeople, reconfiguration of pens, and administration of pain relief can improve welfare, and all incur costs. Other costs are less obvious. For instance, there may be substantial risks to market protection, consumer acceptance, and social licence to farm associated with not ensuring good animal welfare. The benefits of improving farm animal welfare are also difficult to evaluate from a purely economic perspective. Although it is widely recognised that animals with poor welfare are unlikely to produce at optimal levels, there may be benefits of improving animal welfare that extend beyond production gains. These include benefits to the animal, positive effects on the workforce, competitive advantage for businesses, mitigation of risk, and positive social consequences. We summarise these considerations into a decision tool that can assist people with farm animals under their care, and we highlight the need for further empirical evidence to improve decision-making in animal welfare.


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