Principles of Farm Animal Husbandry – Intensive and Extensive Farming

The terms intensive and extensive within farm animal husbandry refer to the methods animals are raised and processed. Intensive farming – Generally referred to as industrial and factory farming, this method is used to aid mass production of meats and dairy. Farm animals are kept in specially built units all year round in order to better control feeding and management. Examples of these can be found in battery cages to house chickens to aid egg collection, and farrowing crates to restrict sows within breeding units. Animals can be fed, watered and cleaned by automatic systems such as feed hoppers and drinkers. Extensive farming – Can also be linked with free-range, animals are able to freely move around and graze outdoors. This method is usually utilised in regions with a lesser demand, such as more open rural areas. There are some cases where animals can be part intensive and extensively farmed. For example, a sheep may spend the majority of it's time outdoors, but will be brought indoors and intensively farmed during lambing season. One of the negative impacts created by intensive farming is the increase in manure. Before intensive farming was introduced, farmers would ordinarily spread livestock manure onto fields for the crops benefit. However, some farmers have begun specialising in areas, crop growing or livestock, which means intensive livestock farmers have to store slurry, which can emit methane, and then travel to areas where this can be disposed of. However, this can be argued as a benefit to farmers who still produce crops as well as manage livestock as the slurry is readily available in great quantity to aid growth of their crops. Another problem appears to be the welfare of the farm animals. Instead of being able to display natural behaviours such as grazing, social and maternal instincts outdoors as with extensive farming, these animals are kept in confined spaces, which can cause signs of discomfort, lameness and even aggression. That being said, intensive farming is essential in order to keep supplying food to an ever growing population. The Five Freedoms The original concept first appeared within the Report of the Technical Committee to Enquire into the Welfare of Animals kept under Intensive Livestock Husbandry Systems, the Brambell Report, December 1965 (HMSO London, ISBN 0 10 850286 4). This acknowledged the need for farm animals to have freedom â€Å"to stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs† â€Å"The Five Freedoms are: 1. Freedom from hunger and thirst – By ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour;† Ensure troughs, nipple drinkers and any other feeding instruments are at an appropriate location and height for animals, and that these instruments are cleaned and checked for blockages on a daily basis. All cattle require that sufficient roughage be readily available. Sheep require fresh, clean water be available at all times. â€Å"2. Freedom from discomfort – By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area;† Ensuring there is enough space for the animal to move freely and have fresh, clean bedding appropriate to that species, such as straw. A pigs resting area should remain dry, which can be achieved by being on a slightly higher level than its dunging area. â€Å"3. Freedom from pain injury or disease – By prevention or by rapid diagnosis and treatment;† Livestock housed intensively should be kept in buildings with an effective ventilation system and kept out of draughts to minimise respiratory problems. Monitoring for signs of disease, stress, illness, infestation and lameness is essential to ensure this can be dealt with appropriately and promptly. Ensuring all farm animals have appropriate vaccinations against diseases, such as bluetongue in cattle. Procedures should be in place to isolate and treat any injured or sick animal. Any animals should be humanely killed if found to be incurable. â€Å"4. Freedom to express most normal behaviour – By providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animals own kind;† Farmers should determine space allowance according to animal, class, age, and size. For example, DEFRA provide this table as an example of good practise within housed sheep – (1) Normal social interaction is important too, for example, pigs housed indoors are kept in groups after weaning, usually separated by gender. Toys, like footballs, can also help with the enrichment of the animal. â€Å"5. Freedom from fear and distress – By ensuring conditions and treatment to avoid mental suffering.† (2) Ensuring stock-keepers are fully trained and have the knowledge and skills to carefully manage any farm animal sympathetically, from being able to handle and herd the animals effectively, to providing accurate injury or illness care. Environment and Housing Requirements for Pigs The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2003 states there are different requirements, in terms of space and temperature, dependant on the stage, size and class of pig. Though, some factors have to be taken into account throughout all types, such as comfortable and dry bedding, which can be seen in all the below images, as the college farm uses clean, fresh straw throughout. (3) (4) Farrowing Sows and Piglets – The image directly below shows a sow with ten piglets within the farrowing village in the college farm. This shows the sow and piglets have enough space to stand up and manoeuvre, inside and out of the arc. The above images show a drinker, providing clean fresh water, and a feeding trough providing pellets. Weaner and Rearing Pigs – The same regulations state the minimum unobstructed floor area available to each weaner and rearing pig should be at least – (5) The above picture shows the colleges pigs in first stage. Weaners and rearer pigs should have adequate space in order to exercise, feed and for all pigs to lie flat on their side simultaneously, which the above pictures demonstrate. The images also show feeding troughs are raised and at an accessible height for the pigs to feed comfortably and separately from resting areas. Dry Sows and Gilts – (6) (2) As well as being able to move around freely, the pigs resting area requires to be elevated in comparison to its dunging area to ensure their resting area remains clean and dry. Concrete slatted floors are used within the pig unit as this proves to be smooth and easy to keep hygienic and also not slippery which could lead to accidents and injury. Lighting, ventilation and temperature control is also vital to promote pig health. The college pig units provide natural lighting and ventilation within the roofs, the latter of which help remove noxious gases and control temperatures. Controlling the pig's feeds and bedding also helps maintain the appropriate temperature. As mentioned previously, the recommended temperature varies dependant on the category of pig, the table above shows this. Livestock Health and Welfare There are two main factors to be taken into account whilst discussing health and welfare, those being mental and physical. In terms of livestock mental health and welfare, one of the factors to take into account would be the animal's stimulus. This could be objects the animal can entertain itself with, such as a ball, or even just animals of the same species to interact with. An animal may suffer mentally or become stressed if it is left segregated without anything to aid mental enrichment. On the physical side, illnesses common within certain farm animals may be a problem if not properly vaccinated against, illnesses such and foot and mouth among pigs and cattle. Respiratory problems can occur if housing for farm animals does not have the required ventilation measures in place. Issues could occur during the transportation of livestock; whether this is physical in that the animal is mishandled or if the transportations flooring is not so as to prevent slipping, or mentally in that the animal may become stressed, especially if force is used within the process. All these aspects and more all come down to one main factor, stockmanship. Providing stock-keepers have the acquired knowledge and skills from onsite training and relevant courses, these factors should all be well manageable. From handling skills and care, to preventing and treating illnesses and parasites, and other general maintenance required to ensure health and welfare is upheld.