Independent report

FAWC report on stockmanship and farm animal welfare

Farm Animal Welfare Council report exploring the critical influence that stockmanship has on the welfare of farmed animals.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 8 June 2007

Documents

FAWC report on stockmanship and farm animal welfare

PDF, 145 KB, 40 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Stockmanship is the single most important influence on the welfare of farm animals. Stockmen, working either as self-employed farmers or employees, have demanding responsibilities as they strive to understand and cater for the needs of their animals.

The report outlines the “three essentials of stockmanship”, which provide the foundations of sustainable livestock farming. Based on these, a major focus of the report is the provision of effective education and training of stockmen on a regular and progressive basis.

There are difficulties in educating and training stockmen that are common to all sectors of livestock farming. These include single-handed working, remoteness from colleges and universities, and access to trainers and courses off-site. These problems can be overcome by industry-led schemes that can be both feasible and effective.

The report also recommends that both the farming industry and government should evaluate the benefits of education and training in terms of staff satisfaction and retention, the value to farming businesses, and the standards of animal welfare on British farms.

You can read more about the work of the Farm Animal Welfare Committee.

Published 8 June 2007