Gyvūnų teisės

[ieva]

WHAT IS ANIMAL WELFARE AND HOW IS IT MEASURED?
Laura Hanninen, DVM,
Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki
laura.hanninen©Helsinki.fi

When we measure animal welfare scientifically, we basically evaluate how well individual animals can cope with their environment. Animal welfare science is multidisciplinary. Thus there is not one particular measure of animal welfare that gives exact answers. Researchers are relying on several different measures, including behaviour, physiology and production (when farm animals are concerned). The basic idea behind all research is that animals have inborn needs, both behavioural and physiological, that should be fulfilled to secure a reasonably high welfare.
Farm animals are widely considered to be sentient species; they can feel fear, pain and pleasure and they are able to select an environment preferable to them. The latter is commonly used in applied ethology, when we try to find out what animals "want" or need from their environment. Preference tests can be seen as an indirect measure for feelings. In preference tests, the animals are given a choice of aspects of its environment, and we assume that they will choose the best for them. However, we should be careful with the study design in preference tests, as animals are very neo-phobic and "conservative" and tend to choose the familiar item or environment first.
Behavioural studies are a very important part of animal welfare research. And "species-specific" or "natural" behaviour are already common terms in guide books of farm animal behaviour. However, the possibility to perform species-specific behaviour is not enough on it's own. On the other hand, not all species-specific behaviour patterns need to be performed for a good welfare. For example, sows are very capable of swimming, but to swim is not high in their behavioural priority list. Thus, we need to know the most important behavioural needs for each of the animal species to be able to find ways to satisfy them in a production environment. Sometimes behavioural needs and health can even counteract; for example, pigs have a strong need for rooting and exploring, which could be satisfied in outside yards. However, keeping a pig heard outside usually means a massive intestinal parasite load.
When preference tests tell us what an animal needs in its environment, it is also important to know how important a particular choice would be. This strength of a preference is studied basically by measuring how much the animal is ready toe "pay" for a choice. For example, foxes can pull a rope ring to gain access to a sand-box and pigs can press a level with their snout to get access to different rooting materials.
Physiological stress-measures are an important part of animal welfare research. Especially when measuring the effect of acutely stressful and/or painful procedures on animals, such as different dehorning or castration methods, stress-hormones are relatively easy tools. However, when measuring the effects of milder or chronic stressors the use of stress hormones is more difficult. Also, as most of the classical stress hormones have a clear, sometimes species-specific, daily secretion rhythm frequent samplings are needed. And obviously, the sampling method should be gentle enough, not to increase the hormone levels in blood itself.
Most of the everyday animal welfare work is still done on field. "Five freedoms" are a practical on-field tool to quickly evaluate how an individual animal might perceive it's situation. To have a good welfare, an animal should have 1) freedom from hunger and thirst, 2) freedom from discomfort, 3) freedom from pain, injury and disease, 4) freedom from fear and distress, and 5) a freedom to express normal behaviour.
However, even though it is very difficult to evaluate the most important factors effecting animal welfare without scientific studies, science is not enough. We need public and political discussions to evaluate the acceptable animal welfare level in the society.
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Gamtos turtai, gamtinė žemdirbystė

[ieva]

Konferencijos metu buvo daug diskutuojama apie AW ir AR ribas (t.y. Animal welfare (gyvūnų gerovės) bei animal rights (gyvūnų teisių)).

Čia konspektėlis paskaitos, kurioje buvo gana įdomiai pateikta tai, kaip "matuojama" gyvūnų gerovė, įvardinti svarbiausi rodikliai bei problemos. Įdomi ir svarbi tema, kurią irgi dažnai tenka paliesti diskutuojant su opozicija, mat būna pareiškiama, kad gyvūnai, gimę nelaisvėje neturi jokio laisvės troškimo ir juo labiau suvokimo apie tai, kad kažkas čia ne taip.
Pabandysiu trumpai lietuviškai parašyti ir apie tai, kas čia neįvardinta, bet apie ką buvo kalbėta ir kas man pasirodė svarbu

Taigi.
Svarbiausi aspektai vertinant GG yra:
-elgesys
-jausmai
-sveikata
-psichologija
-produktyvumas

Nemažai kalbėta ir apie tai, kad negalima galvoti, kad "naminiai" gyvūnai neturi tokių poreikių, kurių turi jų "laukiniai" giminaičiai. Gyvūnų psichologija formavosi milijonus metų, ir tai, kad žmogus apie 10000 metų kišasi į atrankos procesą bei išveda sau naudingas rūšis NEREIŠKIA, kad tų gyvūnų natūralūs poreikiai išnykę, net jei jie iš kartos į kartą veisiami nelaisvėje. Šitas dalykas paaiškina nemažai naminių gyvūnų elgesio neigiamų požymių, kurie yra būdingi net "labai geromis" sąlygomis laikomiems gyvūnams.

Šiaip suomių suvokimas apie GG, bent jau iš paskaitų man taip pasirodė, yra daug aukštesnis nei mūsų šalyje ir tuo pačiu griežtesnis, reiklesnis. Sveikintina.
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Gamtos turtai, gamtinė žemdirbystė

[jc denton]

Prašome papasakoti plačiau arba numesti kokį link'ą (ar kelis ;)), kur galima būtų apie tai pasiskaityti, bo labai jau įdomu/svarbu/aktualu/reikalinga :)

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