Attitudes of different stakeholders toward pig husbandry: a study to determine conflicting and matching attitudes toward animals, humans and the environment

Bergstra, T.J.; Hogeveen, H.; Stassen, E.N.

doi:10.1007/s10460-016-9721-4

Cited by 32 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…This issue highlights the distance between rural and urban citizens (see [ 34 ]). For this issue it may be helpful to create forums for conversation about contentious issues, allowing a better understanding of citizens’ views and farmers’ constraints [ 35 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hot and bothered: Public attitudes towards heat stress and outdoor access for dairy cows

et al. 2018

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On many dairy farms cows are kept indoors. Providing outdoor access is often considered desirable, but housing can protect animals from aversive climatic conditions. For example, by providing shade and fans, indoor housing can protect cows from heat stress they might otherwise experience on open pasture. This study tested how public attitudes to cattle rearing varied when participants were experimentally assigned to different scenarios using a 2 x 2 factorial design varying pasture versus indoor housing with or without heat stress. Participants (n = 581) were randomly assigned to a single scenario, and attitudes in response to the scenario were measured using a Likert scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 5 = “strongly agree”). We also asked open-ended questions allowing participants to explain their responses. Participants responded most positively to the scenario that provided both pasture access and protection from heat stress (Likert 4.1±0.08), and least positively to scenario with indoor housing and heat stress (Likert 2.2±0.08). However, when the different animal welfare attributes were in conflict (i.e. naturalness as provided by pasture, and biological functioning/affective state as associated with protection from heat stress), participants placed priority on the latter: they were more supportive of the scenario providing indoor housing that protected cows from heat stress (Likert 3.5±0.08), than they were of a pasture rearing system that exposed cows to heat stress (Likert 2.4±0.08). Open-ended responses indicated that participants viewed the lack of protection from heat stress as a failure in the farmer’s duty of care towards the cow. We conclude that participants valued both access to pasture and protection from heat stress for dairy cows, but prioritized protecting animal from heat stress when these features were in conflict.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hot and bothered: Public attitudes towards heat stress and outdoor access for dairy cows

et al. 2018

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“…Over the last decade, the media has covered multiple crises related to poultry husbandry, such as compromised welfare of fast growing broilers and laying hens in cage systems, disease outbreaks such as avian influenza (bird flu), and food safety scandals, such as the dioxin affair. Also, non-governmental organization (NGOs) and citizens have expressed their concerns about how animals are kept, about the public health risks of livestock production and about the safety of food (Hansen et al, 2003 ; Bergstra et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Which husbandry system people prefer depends on how they perceive variegated issues such as animal welfare, price of eggs or meat, or public health and food safety risks, and which issues they weigh most heavily. For example, professionals, such as farmers and veterinarians, perceive good care to animals and an economically viable system important (Vanhonacker et al, 2008 ; Bergstra et al., 2016 ), and they prefer indoor systems (Van Asselt et al, 2015 ; Gocsik et al, 2016 ). Quite in contrast, citizens perceive naturalness, outdoor access, public health and food safety important (Vanhonacker et al, 2008 ; Bergstra et al, 2016 ), and they prefer free-range systems that provide to chickens outdoor access (Van Asselt et al., 2015 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk perceptions of public health and food safety hazards in poultry husbandry by citizens, poultry farmers and poultry veterinarians

Asselt

Poortvliet

Ekkel³

et al. 2018

Poultry Science

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Differences in risk perceptions of public health and food safety hazards in various poultry husbandry systems by various stakeholder groups, may affect the acceptability of those husbandry systems. Therefore, the objective was to gain insight into risk perceptions of citizens, poultry farmers, and poultry veterinarians regarding food safety and public health hazards in poultry husbandry systems, and into factors explaining these risk perceptions. We surveyed risk perceptions of Campylobacter contamination of broiler meat, avian influenza introduction in laying hens, and altered dioxin levels in eggs for the most commonly used broiler and laying hen husbandry systems in Dutch citizens (n = 2,259), poultry farmers (n = 100), and poultry veterinarians (n = 41). Citizens perceived the risks of the three hazards in the indoor systems higher and in the outdoor systems lower than did the professionals. Citizens reported higher concerns regarding aspects reflecting underlying psychological factors of risk perception compared to professionals. Professionals indicated a relatively low level of personal control, which might imply risk denial. Of the socio-demographic characteristics, gender and childhood residence were associated with risk perceptions. The influence of other factors of risks perception are discussed. It is suggested that risk perceptions of all stakeholder groups are influenced by affect, stigma, and underlying values. To adapt current or new husbandry systems that can count on societal support, views of key stakeholders and multiple aspects such as animal welfare, public health, food safety, and underlying values should be considered integrally. When trade-offs, such as between animal welfare and public health have to be made, insight into underlying values might help to find consensus among stakeholders.

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“…Interesting to note is that these professionals do not necessarily have more knowledge about the natural behaviour of the animal species they keep 5 . Moreover, studies reveal that farmers and their professionals might underestimate the potential public health risks of diseases, the use of antibiotics and the negative welfare impact of a system 5,11 .…”

Section: How Can We Explain Differences In Attitudes Towards Animals?mentioning

confidence: 99%

New balance In animal husbandry : Farewell address upon retiring as Professor of Animals and Society at Wageningen University & Research on 21 November 2019

Stassen¹

2019

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to become a vet. At that time most farms were limited in size, quite often combining stock and arable farming, and whole families were involved in caring for the animals. Veterinary farm visits were predominantly for individual sick farm animals that represented high emotional and financial value to the farmer. However, due to a shift in the human animal relationship, the keeping and treatment of animals changed rapidly 17. The so called large animals became production animals and the small animals became companion animals. In my farewell address I would like to take you along the interesting world of the human animal relationship and the importance of resilience of animals and systems. Concluding I would like to look forward, how a new balance in animal husbandry with respect for humans, animals and the environment can be realised. Let us look at the developments in animal husbandry over the years Since the fifties, agriculture transformed in response to the increasing demand for ample food of constant quality, and affordable 43. The transformation was supported by incentive measures of the government, new breeding techniques, mechanisation and growing knowledge about diseases and better treatment. In the 70ties, farmers rapidly embraced new farm concepts that were more intensive and with higher production rates 2,16,43. Animals, their housing, nutrition and management, constantly adapted in order to cope with challenges of these new farm concepts. Increasingly farmers relied on cheap labour and technological tools to look after their herd 28 .

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Attitudes of different stakeholders toward pig husbandry: a study to determine conflicting and matching attitudes toward animals, humans and the environment

Cited by 32 publications

References 54 publications

Hot and bothered: Public attitudes towards heat stress and outdoor access for dairy cows

Hot and bothered: Public attitudes towards heat stress and outdoor access for dairy cows

Risk perceptions of public health and food safety hazards in poultry husbandry by citizens, poultry farmers and poultry veterinarians

New balance In animal husbandry : Farewell address upon retiring as Professor of Animals and Society at Wageningen University & Research on 21 November 2019

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