MSU Extension Pork

Producers have a responsibility to meet the welfare needs of the animals they care for. Although it is a complex topic, it can best be summarized by defining it as the physical and mental state of an animal in relation to the conditions in which it lives and dies. Good animal welfare requires disease prevention and veterinary treatment, appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling, and humane slaughter. Protecting an animal's welfare means providing for its physical and mental needs. It is important to remember that animal welfare exists on a continuum from very good to very poor. Animals can and will have experiences across the entire continuum during their lives. Individual animals within groups can and will have a distinct experience in the same environment. Consistently maintaining the welfare of animals in your herd can result in fewer disease and injury incidences as well as increased productivity. In 1994, Mellor and Reid published the Five Provisions or Domains, to promote positive welfare instead of focusing on the negative. The Five Provisions Include: 1: Good Nutrition This means that animals are provided ready access to fresh water and a diet designed to meet the animal's health needs so that it can thrive. This provision aims to minimize thirst and hunger and allow eating to be a pleasurable experience for the animal. 2: Good Environment Animals are provided shade, shelter, and suitable housing. The housing provides good air quality and comfortable resting areas. This provision aims to minimize discomfort and exposure and promote thermal, physical, and other environmental needs of the animal. When we think of a good environment it is good to take stock of the climate in which you live and determine what is best. 3: Good Health Good health includes preventing or quickly diagnosing and treating disease and injury; fostering good muscle tone, posture, and cardiorespiratory function. Minimizing pain, breathlessness, and other adverse experiences to promote strength, vigor, and physical activity. This provision can be practiced by making sure that animals are observed daily which will help producers be able to identify illness and injury very quickly. 4: The Appropriate Positive Behaviors The environment allows the animal to exhibit their natural behaviors, and they are provided sufficient space, proper facilities, congenial company, and appropriately varied conditions. Animals exhibiting positive emotions such as play, barking, and tail movements are in a state of positive mental well-being. Animals exhibiting negative emotions such as freezing, high pitched vocalizations, and escape attempts indicate that the animal's mental well-being is poor. Animal welfare is very important to producers and is becoming increasingly more important to consumers across the United States. Sound management practices will promote positive welfare for your animals and increase productivity.