R&D update
Science probes animal feelings
A major research initiative into animal welfare has been launched this week - 9 June.
The research programme, lasting several years, will be a significant step forward in understanding how animals respond to stress and pain.
Because animals cannot communicate how they feel, the development of objective measures are important in managing animal welfare.
In a two-day forum in Sydney, international scientists, researchers in the field of animal welfare and industry personnel, met to address the thorny issue of developing ways to objectively measure an animal's status.
The debate is central to how the farming industry handles the tricky question of animal welfare in the face of concerted attacks by animal rights activists who say many animal husbandry practices are cruel.
Dr Reuben Rose, a vet and General Manager for Livestock Production Innovation for Meat & Livestock Australia, says the forum will lead to research that focuses on areas such as the physiological state of farm animals, biochemical indicators, the metabolic state, even the genetic status.
"There is a lot of emotion surrounding the question at the moment and not a lot of fact," he said. "We want to find some objective measures and have outcomes based on science."
"There have been a number of studies done in acute situations," said Dr Rose, "but with chronic stress it is much more difficult to study."
There was also recognition of the importance of new research in the field of animal behaviour that provides insights into animals' "feelings".
The forum and the research have been initiated by Meat & Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation. Meat and Wool New Zealand will also be part of the project.