Farm Animal Welfare Management in Australia

Farm Animal Welfare Jobs

Farm Animal Welfare Management in Australia is moving up the agenda for the country's food retailers and manufacturers.

A number of initiatives are under way to work with suppliers, farmers, retailers, Government and NGO Bodies to support livestock producers in the adoption and improvement of standards in animal welfare.

There are a number of benefits both ethical and economic.  Best practice in animal welfare management not only helps reduce common endemic diseases on the farm, it also makes major improvements to the welfare of livestock thereby supporting and potentially increasing the viability of a business.

Self auditing and monitoring the occurrence of health and welfare problems on-farm is a basic part of taking a proactive approach to animal welfare.  It provides the means to identify and analyse health and welfare issues on a farm that may be preventing herds or flocks reaching their true potential and enables farmers, and relevant stakeholders, to propose solutions to reduce disease risks to individual farms.  These standards should cover the full animal management process from handling, housing, transportation and slaughter relevant to each operation.

From a retailing perspective, consumers the world over are increasingly looking for brands and products which offer not only good value for money but also sustainability and ethical trading as well as conscientious animal rearing/management programmes.  Many food manufacturers and retailers in the UK take a very public stance on their sourcing with integrity approach by stating their farm management strategy within the Corporate Social Responsibility element of their website or Annual Report.  This allows them to give customers the reassurance they increasingly seek with regards to animal welfare, food safety and quality.

One of Australia's major food retailers is looking to make a senior appointment to its central team to drive forward best practice in animal welfare management. Read the job description for the farm animal welfare vacancy.