The Rural Voice, 2000-06, Page 38animal welfare)
All theA fit that's fit to print
Starting this fall Ontario Pork will provide a complete
listing on its website of all the latest research news on
animal welfare
So, you're building a new barn.
You're aware of the growing
controversy about confinement
livestock and you'd like to use the
latest scientific information in
designing your new facility, but
where can you get the information?
Well, right now you might need to
do a lot of research but come this fall,
you'll be able to go on the internet,
check out a single website, and get a
listing of all the pertinent , most up-
to-date research on animal welfare.
While the pork producers are leading
the effort, research into all
commodities will be included on the
website.
There's a lot of research being
done into animal behaviour and
animal welfare at places like
University of Guelph and Ridgetown
College and other universities across
the continent but it's hard for people,
particularly out at the farm level, to
know what's there and where to get
it, says Crystal MacKay,
communications specialist with
Ontario Pork. A farmer would have
to be very serious about researching
the subject to be able to get
information.
The project began when Ontario
Pork approached the Ontario Farm
Animal Council (OFAC). The great
thing about OFAC, says Leslie
Ballentine, OFAC executive director,
is that all livestock commodity
groups are represented around one
table. When McKay, approached the
group she was able to get quick
support for the idea of a single place
to go to bring all animal welfare
information together.
Each of the commodity groups
filled out surveys on what were the
subjects most of interest.
Transportation was a frequent topic.
Ballentine says.
This is the second effort by
34 THE RURAL VOICE
Animal welfare and transportation issues (above) were a common concern
for most livestock commodities surveyed in preparation for the animal welfare
database program. The site will also provide information on the latest
research such as the work at the University of Guelph that developed new
farrowing crates (below).