assessing husbandry systems

List the factors that influence the choices of any husbandry

system

availability of labour, food availability, behaviour of animals, legal requirements, consumer demand and expectation, tech advances, cultures and ethics, environment (soil, weather, climate, geography), economics, public health, owner preferences, reproduction/breeding/genetics

List the factors that need assessing when conducting an audit of any husbandry system

legal requirements, owner abilities, food and water, routine procedures, biosecurity, housing and hygiene, breeds and reproduction, handling, health and welfare of animals

List the 4 methods used to assess a husbandry system

analysis of records, evaluation of resources (amenities, facilities), animal assessments, people assessments

Pros of analysis of records

pros: specific information on health, disease, production levels; can measure, monitor and interpret changes over time; could be extremely useful

cons of analysis of records

relies on animal keeper to correctly identify disease and record disease; time cost to owner; variation in data quality to different people; middle of night working; easy to manipulate/falsify data; often no records exist

pros of evaluation of resources

often objective measures; assessor doesn't need expertise in animal health and welfare

cons of evaluation of resources

takes no account into how well an animal "copes" in environment; resources could meet standard requirements and welfare could still be poor; less commonly done in small animal practice

pros of animal assessments

direct assessment of animals within their normal environment; takes into account how well animals "cope" within their evironment

cons of animal asessments

requires expertise and is expensive; need to know what is normal for the species; assessments may be subjective

pros of people assessments

major influence on health and welfare

cons of people assessments

requires diplomacy; people lie!

Describe some key differences between companion and production animals with respect to husbandry and its assessment

need to assess large groups of animals- can't observe every individual; Provide reassurance to the consumer that certain standards of care have been provided & food is safe; Common diseases are often diagnosed and treated by farmer, in the first instance