Farm animal welfare: the five freedoms and the free market

This review addresses the scientific, ethical and economic factors that imp act on the welfare of farm animals. Respect for animals within the food cha in is considered within the context of an ethical matrix that affords respe ct according to the principles of wellbeing, autonomy and justice to consum ers, farm animals, farmers and the living environment. The welfare of a far m animal depends on its ability to sustain fitness and avoid suffering. The responsibility of the farmer is to make provision for good welfare through good husbandry; he cannot ensure good welfare. Improvements to farm animal welfare can only come about within the context of the forces that drive th e free market. In essence, consumers need to afford a greater extrinsic val ue to farm animals. The costs to farmers of legislation to impose higher an imal welfare standards are substantial but the cost to consumers can be ver y small. The responsibility is therefore on the consumer to convert an expr essed desire for higher welfare standards into an effective demand. A promi sing route to encourage and fulfil this demand is through welfare-based qua lity assurance schemes with quality control ensured by independent audit. A t present, audit protocols are based largely on identification of the eleme nts of good husbandry. Ultimately we need a further independent audit to en sure that the outcome of these perceived elements of good husbandry is, in fact, good animal welfare. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.