Document type: special dossier fromActa
Author : Acta
Presentation : The concept of animal welfare is complex and multi-faceted, and its scientific definition has evolved considerably over time. In the 60's, animal welfare was essentially defined by an animal's state of health. In the 90's, the definition was then expanded and was built around the following 5 elements:
- absence of hunger and thirst
- absence of discomfort
- absence of pain, injury or illness
- the possibiity of expressing species-specific behaviors
- absence of fear and anxiety
Nowadays, since its revision in 2018, the definition of animal welfare has been further expanded to include the concept of positive emotional experience, encompassing an animal's relationships with its environment, with other animals and with humans.
The definition in its short form now reads as follows: " animal welfare is the positive mental and physical state related to the satisfaction of [an animal's] physiological and behavioral needs, as well as its expectations. This state varies according to the animal's perception of the situation." (Anses 2018)
Animal welfare is first and foremost a matter for farmers, and is an ethical necessity for them, often accompanied by the argument that "happy animals make me happy". It is also an economic necessity, "a happy animal produces better."
This close two-way relationship between farmers' welfare and that of their animals, the fact that they can be considered to be working together, has led to the development of the "one welfare" concept. This concept takes into account the interdependence between the welfare of humans, that of animals, and the quality of the environment in which they develop.
Download the leaflet “Le bien-être des animaux et des éleveurs, un enjeu clé pour l’avenir de l’élevage”.
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