New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
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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