Stress and welfare of farm animals
2007
Hristov, S., Poljoprivredni fakultet, Beograd - Zemun (Serbia) | Fratric, N., Fakultet veterinarske medicine, Beograd (Serbia) | Kirovski, D., Fakultet veterinarske medicine, Beograd (Serbia) | Stankovic, B., Poljoprivredni fakultet, Beograd - Zemun (Serbia)
In this paper stress and welfare of farm animal on the basis of literature data were descibed. Stress defines as adverse effects in the environment or management system which force changes in an animal physiology or behaviour to avoid physiological malfunctioning and assists the animal in coping with its environment. Also stress is an adaptive response of animal organism, mediated by individual characteristics and/or psychological processes that are a consequence of any event that situates special physical and/or psychological demands upon an individual. The terms welfare or well-being are often used interchangeably and describe a state in which an individual is existing within a range of acceptable physical, psychological and environmental specifications. Animal welfare is generally used in a broader sense refering to the health and well-being of animals in any given situation. Farm animal welfare concerns animal feelings, such as happiness or suffering, bodily matters such as health, an the question of wheather animals lead natural lives and exhibit natural behaviours. The concepts of stress and welfare are generally closely associated: when stress occurs welfare is not achieved and vice versa. Animals respond to challenges in their immediate environment by several interaction mechanisms including physiological, biochemical, immunological, anatomical and behavioural. Identifying and minimizing stressful situations allows for greater well-being, growth, reproductive efficiency of the animals as well as economic benefits for the producer and consumer.
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