Animal welfare is attracting increasing interest worldwide, but
particularly from those in developed countries, who now have the
knowledge and resources to be able to offer the best management systems
for their farm animals, as well as potentially being able to offer
plentiful resources for companion, zoo and laboratory animals. The
increased attention given to farm animal welfare in the West derives
largely from the fact that the relentless pursuit of financial reward
and efficiency has led to the development of intensive animal production
systems that challenge the conscience of many consumers in those
countries. In developing countries, human survival is still a daily
uncertainty, so that provision for animal welfare has to be balanced
against human welfare. Welfare is usually provided for only if it
supports the output of the animal, be it food, work, clothing, sport or
companionship. In re- ity, there are resources for all if they are
properly husbanded in both developing and developed countries. The
inequitable division of the world's riches creates physical and
psychological poverty for humans and animals alike in many parts of the
world. Livestock are the world's biggest land user (FAO, 2002) and the
population is increasing rapidly to meet the need of an expanding human
population. Populations of farm animals managed by humans are therefore
increasing worldwide, and there is the tendency to allocate fewer
resources to each animal.
