1. Animal Welfare and Environmental Issues
Jeff D. Ondrak DVM, MS
Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center

2. Animal Welfare Well-being Welfare: the state of doing well; well-being
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from pain, injury or disease
Freedom to express normal behavior
Freedom from fear and distress

5. Food Animal Production Rights
The extreme right of agriculture
Animals = economic units within a production system
Industrial exploitation as “units”
Farm Sanctuary

6. Animal Rights Right: Bring to an end:
something to which one has a just claim via truth, privilege, moral approval or legal standing
Bring to an end:
Eating meats and wearing leather and wool
Biomedical research
Pet ownership
Circuses and zoos
Hunting and fishing
Ranching
Learning about animals by hands-on experience

7. Animal Welfare
Rejects animal rights and food animal production rights viewpoints
Animals are animals
Sensitivity to animal behavioral expressions
Obligated to provide the essential needs for well-being

8. Confinement

9. Pain management

10. Branding

11. Euthanasia

12. Production practices

13. Antibiotic Use

14. The Veterinarian's Oath
Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge. I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.

15. AVMA Animal Welfare Principle #1
The responsible use of animals for human purposes, such as companionship, food, fiber, recreation, work, education, exhibition, and research conducted for the benefit of both humans and animals, is consistent with the Veterinarian’s Oath

16. AVMA Animal Welfare Principles #8
The veterinary profession shall continually strive to improve animal health and welfare through scientific research, education, collaboration, advocacy, and the development of legislation and regulations.

17. Protecting the environment for future generations
Environmental Issues
Protecting the environment for future generations
Preserving human and animal health, soil sustainability, and aquatic and wildlife viability for years to come

18. Conflict “NIMBY” Agriculture vs. Environment Urban vs. Rural? Land use
Impact of agriculture on the environment

19. Soil Quality pH
Salts
Increase salinity
Change soil profiles

20. Air Quality Odor Dust Non-odorous gases Others (e.g. flies)
Quantifiable aspects: frequency, intensity, duration, and offensiveness
Dust
Nuisance, traffic hazard, respiratory stress
Non-odorous gases
Methane and carbon dioxide
Greenhouse gases related to global warming
Others (e.g. flies)

21. Water Quality Water sources Pathways for Water Contamination
Surface water
Ground water
Pathways for Water Contamination
Runoff
Macropore flow
Wells
Leaching
Ammonia volatilization

22. “Hazardous Waste” Nitrogen Phosphorus Pathogens Organic matter
Causes algae bloom in surface water
Elevates nitrates in groundwater
Phosphorus
Promotes eutrophication
Pathogens
Cryptosporidium and Giardia
E. coli, Salmonella, etc.
Organic matter
Degradation leads to decreased oxygen in surface water

23. Animal Waste Management 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA)
Surface water protection – restore ‘fishable, swimmable’ qualities of lakes, streams, and estuaries in the U.S.
Prohibits discharge of pollutants from a point source to waters of the U.S. except as authorized by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

24. Animal Waste Management Definitions
Point Source – a single identifiable localized source of pollution
Animal Feeding Operation (AFO) – animals fed or maintained for 45 or more days in a 12 month period within a place of confinement that was marked by an absence of vegetation during the normal growing season.
Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) – Determined mainly by the size of the AFO, but also by its potential for surface water contamination.
Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) – Formal description of how producers apply fertilizer, manure, and waste water to land.

27. Study – Agricultural Law Center, Drake University
Study included data from 15 states, commissioned by National Pork Producers Council, review of state records of violations and enforcements
“Size of livestock operation is not related to the likelihood of an environmental violation”
“most livestock producers, including CAFO’s, are not polluting the environment”
“enforcement actions do occur, so producers careless of the design and maintenance of animal waste management systems will be penalized
“Pork producers are reasonable and caring stewards of the environment”

28. Is manure…
a dangerous source of pollutants that is contaminating the water we drink and the air we breathe? OR
a national reserve of organic matter and plant nutrients which preserves our soil’s productivity and reduces global warming through carbon recycling and sequestering?

29. Questions?