Animal Welfare and Environmental Issues

Jeff D. Ondrak DVM, MSGreat Plains Veterinary Educational Center

Animal Welfare

Well-being

Freedom from

hunger and thirst

Freedom from

discomfort

Freedom from pain, injury or disease

Freedom to express

normal behavior

Freedom from fear

and distress

Welfare: the state of doing well; well-being

Food Animal Production Rights• The extreme right of agriculture• Animals = economic units within a production system• Industrial exploitation as “units”

Farm Sanctuary

Animal Rights

• Bring to an end:– Eating meats and wearing leather and wool – Biomedical research– Pet ownership– Circuses and zoos– Hunting and fishing– Ranching– Learning about animals by hands-on experience

• Right:

something to which one has a just claim via truth, privilege, moral approval or legal standing

Animal Welfare

• Rejects animal rights and food animal production rights viewpoints

• Animals are animals • Sensitivity to animal behavioral

expressions • Obligated to provide the essential needs

for well-being

Confinement

Pain management

Branding

Euthanasia

Production practices

Antibiotic Use

The Veterinarian's Oath Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I

solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.

I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.

I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.

AVMA Animal Welfare Principle #1

The responsible use of animals for human purposes, such as companionship, food, fiber, recreation, work, education, exhibition, and research conducted for the benefit of both humans and animals, is consistent with the Veterinarian’s Oath

AVMA Animal Welfare Principles #8

The veterinary profession shall continually strive to improve animal health and welfare through scientific research, education, collaboration, advocacy, and the development of legislation and regulations.

Protecting the environment for future generations

Preserving human and animal health, soil sustainability, and aquatic and wildlife viability for years to come

Environmental Issues

Conflict• “NIMBY”

– Urban vs. Rural?– Land use

• Agriculture vs. Environment– Impact of agriculture on the environment

Soil Quality

• pH• Salts

– Increase salinity– Change soil profiles

Air Quality• Odor

– Quantifiable aspects: frequency, intensity, duration, and offensiveness

• Dust– Nuisance, traffic hazard, respiratory stress

• Non-odorous gases– Methane and carbon dioxide– Greenhouse gases related to global warming

• Others (e.g. flies)

Water Quality• Water sources

– Surface water– Ground water

• Pathways for Water Contamination– Runoff– Macropore flow– Wells– Leaching– Ammonia volatilization

“Hazardous Waste”• Nitrogen

– Causes algae bloom in surface water– Elevates nitrates in groundwater

• Phosphorus– Promotes eutrophication

• Pathogens– Cryptosporidium and Giardia– E. coli, Salmonella, etc.

• Organic matter– Degradation leads to decreased oxygen in surface

water

Animal Waste Management1972 Clean Water Act (CWA)

– Surface water protection – restore ‘fishable, swimmable’ qualities of lakes, streams, and estuaries in the U.S.

– Prohibits discharge of pollutants from a point source to waters of the U.S. except as authorized by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

Animal Waste Management Definitions

• Point Source – a single identifiable localized source of pollution

• Animal Feeding Operation (AFO) – animals fed or maintained for 45 or more days in a 12 month period within a place of confinement that was marked by an absence of vegetation during the normal growing season.

• Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) – Determined mainly by the size of the AFO, but also by its potential for surface water contamination.

• Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) – Formal description of how producers apply fertilizer, manure, and waste water to land.

Study – Agricultural Law Center, Drake University

• Study included data from 15 states, commissioned by National Pork Producers Council, review of state records of violations and enforcements

• “Size of livestock operation is not related to the likelihood of an environmental violation”

• “most livestock producers, including CAFO’s, are not polluting the environment”

• “enforcement actions do occur, so producers careless of the design and maintenance of animal waste management systems will be penalized

• “Pork producers are reasonable and caring stewards of the environment”

Is manure…

a dangerous source of pollutants that is contaminating the water we drink and the air we breathe?

OR

a national reserve of organic matter and plant nutrients which preserves our soil’s productivity and reduces global warming through carbon recycling and sequestering?

Questions?