Application of welfare assessment to commercial livestock production.

Farm assurance schemes are an inevitable and essential part of the UK livestock industries as they provide valuable assurances to the market over food safety, nonhuman animal welfare, and environmental concerns. However, there is potential for welfare assessment within such schemes to extend beyond existing resource-based parameters to include outcome-based observations of the behavior and physical condition of the animal. This may be associated with direct benefits for producers (useful management information), consumers (improved welfare assurance), industry (maintain UK competitive position), and regulators (maximize compliance with legislation). The University of Bristol has previously produced protocols to assist with this process (www.vetschool.bris.ac.uk/animalwelfare). An industry-funded project explores mechanisms for adding value to farm assurance schemes by inclusion of on-farm evaluation of health and welfare outcomes. This project is examining the feasibility and benefits of including some on-farm observations of health and welfare outcomes.