Animal machines: 50 years on
A symposium organized by CABI and the Royal Veterinary College to mark the 50th anniversary of Animal Machines, by Ruth Harrison, reviewed how far we have come in understanding and improving animal welfare since the publication of the book, which marked the start of the movement for welfare of animals in intensive production. āWould Ruth…
Invisible helpers: working equine animals provide vital support to women in developing countries
A report launched this month by the animal welfare organisation the Brooke highlights the extent to which women in developing countries rely on donkeys and other working equids. The report, Invisible Helpers, calls for greater recognition of the role of working equine animals in supporting women and their families, and emphasizes the importance of looking…
Reconciling Modern Animal Production Systems and Sustainability
By M Djuric, DVM A consortium of 22 research partners from 11 countries has received a Ā£10.6m grant from the European Union (EU) to improve pig and poultry production. This is the largest EU grant awarded in this field. The project aims at investigating ways to increase animal production quality, whilst limiting environmental impact and…
Limitations of Voluntary Plan for Phasing Out Non-Medical Antibiotic Use in Farm Animals in USA
By M Djuric, DVM The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued a guidance document on the use of antibiotics in farm animals. The document notes that excessive use leads to the spread of antibiotic-resistant diseases in both animals and humans. In the document, the FDA proposes that pharmaceutical companies voluntarily change some…
New Ā£45m Veterinary School at University of Surrey, UK ā Construction to Begin
M Djuric, DVM The proposal to construct a new Veterinary School of Medicine at the Manor Park campus of the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, UK has been given planning permission by the Guildford Borough Council. This will be one of eight of veterinary schools in the UK. The new Veterinary school will consist…
Farm Animal Welfare Moves Up Business Agenda
By Miroslav Djuric, DVM, CAB International The second report of the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare has been published with the expertise and support of animal welfare organisations, Compassion in World Farming (CWF) and World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). 70 companies from across Europe and the USA were assessed, representing…
One of our invasive species in the mainstream media
Picture: Ā©MusĆ©um de Toulouse/Didier Descouens-2013. CC BY-SA 3.0 Some of the species that are included in our open-access Invasive Species Compendium are well known to the general public, for example Japanese Knotweed. Others are more obscure, and I had never heard of the Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina, until I edited the datasheet about it earlier…
Day 2 of the āRachel Carson & Ruth Harrison 50 Years on Conferenceā
Rachel Carson has sparked the modern day environmental movement with her book Silent Spring published 50 years ago and Ruth Harrisonās book Animal Machines, also written 50 years ago, alerted the public to the undeniable suffering of calves living in veal crates and birds in battery cages. The second and final day of the conference…
First day of the conference celebrating Rachel Carsonās and Ruth Harrisonās books – 50 years on
Iām attending the āRachel Carson & Ruth Harrison 50 years on conferenceā, which is taking place on 12-13 March 2013, at the Oxford University Biodiversity Institute. These two women whose books changed science certainly deserve the recognition. Rachel Carsonās Silent Spring (1962) was a wake-up call for the environment and helped to turn conservation into…
Is āmore efficientā food production a threat to animal welfare?
Ahead of the upcoming Biodiversity Institute Conference, Marian Stamp Dawkins, Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Oxford, highlights the pioneering work of two women who spoke out about the negative effects on animals of greater efficiency in food production. āGreater efficiencyā may for some people be an obvious goal for producing sustainable food…