New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Shelter and welfare of pastoral animals in New Zealand

M. W. Fisher

Kotare Bioethics
PO Box 2484
Stortford Lodge
Hastings 4153, New Zealand
kotare.bioethics@xtra.co.nz

Abstract   Thermal stress occurs when animals are unable to use their normal behavioural and physiological mechanisms to maintain constant body temperature. Under cold conditions, providing shelter can increase survival and improve growth and reproduction. Similarly growth, production and reproduction can be enhanced, and disease minimised by providing shelter during hot conditions. Such measures have implications for animal welfare but do not tell what shelter it is reasonable and necessary to provide. Traditional approaches to animal welfare suggest that the benefits of providing shelter should outweigh the costs, that animals need an environment in which they can choose to modify their behaviour, or that good stockmanship would demand that animals have access to shelter. It is recommended that pastorally farmed animals should be of a suitable type, be acclimatised, and be provided with an environment that allows them to adjust to varying thermal conditions. If survival is compromised by adverse weather, then shelter must be provided, or must be able to be provided in a timely and effective manner. When environmental conditions are more benign, animals should have the opportunity to respond behaviourally (e.g., seek shade) to minimise thermal stress.

Keywords   animal welfare; cold; heat; pastoral livestock; shade; shelter; stress

A06018; Online publication date 4 July 2007; Received 8 March 2006; accepted 5 May 2007

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2007, Vol. 50: 347–359
0028–8233/07/5003–0347 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2007

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