The Five Freedoms
- Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
- Freedom from Discomfort - by supplying an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
- Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
- Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - providing adequate space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.
- Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
How is animal welfare governed in Australia
Under Australia’s lawful arrangements, each State or Territory is
accountable for setting and coercing animal welfare laws and regulations in
their authority. Australian sheep and cattle farmers are obliged with these
regulations. Federal legislation covers the welfare of animals involved in the live animal
export trade and animals processed at export registered slaughter facilities.
To help cattle and sheep farmers implement animal welfare practices on their farm a set of codes of practice have been placed to deliver information to farmers on the production and maintance of livestock.
Animal welfare in the paddock
Good animal welfare procedures are an essential part of land management
scheme for Australian sheep and cattle farmers. Australians Farmers are at the lead of caring for their animals daily, working around constantly to ensure their animals have food, water and sanctuary and safety from predators, vermin and disease.
Animal welfare in the feedlot
The feedlot industry has started important research and development initiatives with respect to animal welfare, including:
- A project to determine cattle’s preferences between a pasture and
feedlot environment - project to allow sick cattle to be identified more quickly based on their water
and feed consumption - The development of an online cattle heat stress forecasting tool which provides lot
feeders up to four days to implement measures to mitigate the impacts of extreme
weather events.
Animal welfare & transport
Cattle and sheep are transported between a range of locations including properties, feedlots, sale yards, meat processing facilities and ports.The road transport of livestock in Australia is regulated under state and territory road transport and animal welfare legislation.
Animal welfare & livestock export
The independently audited program, which is endorsed by the Australian
Government and the RSPCA, provides assurance that animal welfare is a priority
in the preparation and transportation of livestock by road, by ensuring:
- Correct preparation of livestock prior to pick up.
- Loading facilities promote a quiet movement.
- The truck crate is well maintained, i.e. there are no holes or
protrusions. - Drivers are trained in stock handling.
- Drivers manoeuvre the truck as smoothly as possible – with sudden starts and
stops avoided where possible.
Animal Welfare & livestock
Australia supplies high quality livestock of cattle, sheep to countries all over the world, in particularly throughout the Middle East and South-East Asia Many countries across these regions do not have suitable land resources or favorable environments to efficiently produce enough livestock to feed their population. Consumers in these countries earn low incomes and often do not have refrigeration or a reliable power supply, meaning they shop for fresh meat daily. Australia meets the demand for essential protein by exporting strong healthy
livestock for food production and breeding, as well as chilled and frozen meat
products.
Animal Welfare Research
In order to attain further developements in Animal Welfare standards, while
maintaining productivity, four crucial strategic proposals are being pursued:
1. Developing replacements for painful procedures
2. Developing ways to minimise the pain of essential surgical procedures
3. Reducing livestock mortality rates on farms
4. Increasing the uptake and demonstration of welfare best practices at each stage of beefand lamb production