1. Veterinary Development Council
The future role of the veterinary profession in protecting and improving farm animal welfare
Christopher Wathes
Acknowledgements: Nick Bell, Dan Brockman, Sandra Corr, Steve Lister, Claire Wathes, Colin Whittemore, Steven Van Winden and Angela Wright

2. A veterinary education produces a comparative zoologist with expertise in animal disease and comparative biology, who is an analyser and solver of complex veterinary problems
Wicked problems
Are vets professionals?
To whom are vets responsible? The client, the patient or their business?
What should be their future role and who should be their role model?

3. Depth vs. Breadth of knowledge
Of a
Vet
Scientist
Para – vet
Consultant
At day one
After board certification or PhD
With experience
With experience
PhD
Board-certified
At graduation

4. Animals in the UK in 2009 Broiler chickens; 840 m Farmed salmon; ~80 m
Lambs; 16 m from 15 m ewes
Pigs; 9 m from 0.45 m sows
Cattle; 2.6 m from 3.5 m cows
Milk; 13 m l from 1.9 m dairy cows
Eggs; 9 b from 30 m hens
Laboratory procedures; 3.5 m
Cats and dogs; ~20 m
Animals in the UK in 2009

5. British Law on Animal Welfare
Act
Scope
Cruel Treatment of Cattle 1822
Prevent cruel treatment of cattle
Protection of Animals 1911
Avoid unnecessary suffering - through an act of commission or omission
Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) 1968
Prevention of unnecessary pain and distress for livestock; powers of entry
Animal Welfare 2006
Provision of animal needs
Cruelty to Animals 1876
A licensing system for animal experimentation
Animals (Scientific Procedures) 1986
Improved licensing system for animal experimentation

6. Feeding the world: Sustainable intensification with compassion
"By 2020, if not earlier, in China and India a middle class of about 700 to 750 million people with a buying power comparable to that in Europe today, will have completely changed the market situation for food in East and South Central Asia”.
Professor Hans-Wilhelm Windhorst; International Egg Commission

7. How do we ensure an acceptable quality of life for a farm animal?
Citizens’ attitudes
Legislation
Commercial practice
Quality of a life 7

8. Don’t know and don’t care
Don’t know but do care
Know but don’t care
Know and care
After Donald Rumsfeld, 2002

9. Castration & tail docking
Gatherings
Castration & tail docking
Welfare and Ethics
Market forces
Lesser of two evils
Political dilemmas
Poultry slaughter

10. Water – Supermarket 40 p to £1/l
Welfare and Economics
Milk – Farm 26 p/l
Milk – Supermarket 67 p/l
Water – Supermarket 40 p to £1/l

11. ©Farm Animal Welfare Council, 2009
‘The question is not just, “Do they suffer?” nor, “Are their needs met?” but rather, “Do they have a life worth living?”’
Farm Animal Welfare Council, 2010.
A good life
A life worth living
A life not worth living
Quality of a Life
©Farm Animal Welfare Council, 2009
Classification
Policy
Welfare surveillance
Retail marketing
Decision making
Veterinary treatment
Investment
Animal use 11

12. Veterinary Development Council
FAWC Outline
FAWC Outline
Veterinary Development Council
July 2008
Welfare surveillance
Public surveillance
Welfare guardianship
Compliance with legislation; Ensuring minimum standards met
Government’s responsibility
Animal Health/VLA survey; LA & FSA/MHS inspections
Published
Private surveillance
Farm management; Consumer assurance
Farm profitability; Marketing
Farmer’s responsibility (within the food supply chain)
Self-assessment; Farm assurance schemes
Confidential 12

14. Necessary conditions for ethical consumers and improved farm animal welfare
The Government to act as the guardian of farm animal welfare
Standards for a ‘good life’ defined by an independent body
Minimum welfare standard defined by quality of life
Stockmen to be educated and trained to a high standard about welfare
Welfare assessment to be valid, feasible and rigorous with independent audit
Due diligence in the food chain with marketing claims verified
Citizens educated about food and farming from childhood
Animal products to be labelled according to welfare provenance to provide consumer choice

15. Problems and solutions
"In as much as the privilege of membership of The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is about to be conferred upon me, I promise and solemnly declare that I will abide in all due loyalty to The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and will do all in my power to maintain and promote its interests. I promise above all that I will pursue the work of my profession with uprightness of conduct and that my constant endeavour will be to ensure the welfare of animals committed to my care“.
University fees — paying back the loan
Who pays for what? Choices …
Veterinary curriculum
Don’t overcrowd
Vet. undergraduates are mostly women, who will work in small animal practice
What’s the problem?
Interest of vets in inspection for QA schemes
Incentivise and train
Knowledge of animal husbandry
UG tracking and PG CPD courses on animal breeding, nutrition, housing, management
Disease prevention vs. Fire fighting
Payment for health and welfare plans. Visits to the dentist …
Individual vs. Herd
An ethical dilemma: the solution depends on the role model
Sustainable intensification
OK if it’s done with compassion
Physical vs. Mental health
Count feelings too
Patient vs. Client
Guardians of farm animal welfare
Accept the responsibility?

16. Role models? Agri-business vet Society’s vet
Paid by and working for farmers (and the food chain)
Roles: part of the agricultural service sector, often supporting farm assurance schemes; private welfare surveillance without publication
Duties: advice to farmers; problem solving; fire fighting
Paid for by the tax-payer, allowing them to ‘sleep easily’
Roles: protect human health and wellbeing; public welfare surveillance with findings published
Duties: advice to citizens; public health; a welfare guardian