Risk assessment to compare lifetime welfare outcomes - mulesing as an example

Authors: Paton M
Publication: Proceedings of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Annual Conferences, Volume 2014 AVA Annual Conference, Perth, Issue Sheep / Welfare, May 2014
Publisher: Australian Veterinary Association

---

Abstract: Although science offers tools to measure aspects of an animal’s welfare, the evaluation of overall animal welfare can be both subjective and qualitative. Animal welfare assessment often takes into account quantitative measurements of behaviour and physiological variables. However, no agreed scientific methodology exists to combine these different elements into an overall assessment of welfare, or for evaluating whether this welfare state is acceptable. This paper uses these existing data to assess the welfare impacts associated with flystrike of the breech and mulesing, using the epidemiologically based risk assessment approach. The comparisons in this paper are among mulesing, mulesing with pain relief, an alternative to mulesing, and no mulesing (with and without genetic selection for breech-strike resistance).

---