29 May 2009

AgResearch plays crucial role in world first animal welfare centre

The ability of AgResearch to scientifically measure and help improve animal welfare on farms is why it will be a major player in a new international centre focusing on the welfare of animals.

AgResearch is one of four Australasian partners to join an expanded World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Collaborating Centre for Animal Welfare Science and Bioethical Analysis.

Originally established at Massey University in 2007, the centre provides expert advice on animal welfare to the OIE.

“OIE is an organisation that in the past has concentrated on animal health,” says Programme Leader for AgResearch’s contribution to the centre, Dr Lindsay Matthews.
“They are now in the process of developing global animal welfare standards in an attempt to make improvements world-wide. To facilitate this process, OIE requires expert advice on animal welfare.”

While the OIE has research centres for animal health to help with its programme of work, the Collaborating Centre is the first of its type on animal welfare.

Dr Matthews says the OIE has divided the world up into regions, and collaborating centres are likely to be established in other regions as well.

With extensive scientific expertise in measuring the welfare of farmed animals, AgResearch will play a crucial role in the centre.

“We use behavioural and physiological measurements to find out exactly how well animals are cared for and use this information to identify different levels of welfare,” says Dr Matthews.

“This and related work on human perceptions will make a vital contribution to the Collaborating Centre and in identifying and defining acceptable practices internationally,” Dr Matthews concludes.

The other members of the centre are Massey University (the original centre), Livestock Industries at the Australian CSIRO, the Animal Welfare Science Centre based in Victoria and the University of Queensland.

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