THE FIVE FREEDOMS

According to WSPA UK, the average British consumer has consumed a total of 550 poultry, 36 pigs, 36 sheep and 8 cattle by the age of seventy.
The British government first reviewed the welfare of farm animals in intensive husbandry systems in 1965 and proposed that all farm animals should have the freedom to "stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs". These very minimal standards then became known as the five freedoms. In 1993 the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council expanded these basic definitions. The Five Freedoms, which have since been accepted by almost all animal welfare bodies worldwide, now read as follows:
 
1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition - by ready access to clean, fresh water and a suitable diet to
maintain full health and vigour.
2. Freedom from discomfort -by providing a suitable environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
4. Freedom to express normal behaviour- by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animals own kind.
5. Freedom from fear and distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
 
 The Farm Animal Welfare Council states that an animal's welfare, whether on farm, in transit, at a market or at a place of slaughter should be considered in terms of the "Five Freedoms". The welfare of an animal includes its physical and mental state and good animal welfare implies both fitness and a sense of well-being.
The Five Freedoms form a logical and comprehensive framework for analysis of welfare within any system and for any species. In any system good stockmanship and a thorough knowledge of the animals being dealt with are key factors in ensuring their welfare.
 
In applying the Five Freedoms to a dairy farm the following applies:
 
1. Freedom from hunger and thirst may be provided by adequate management and stockmanship which ensure that the necessary quantities of the right kind of food and water are available daily. It also needs to be distributed in a way that ensures access for all the animals. An understanding of digestive physiology and nutrient requirements, as well as improved methods for conserving winter feed, should mean that properly managed cattle should not need to suffer from inadequate nutrition.
 
2. Freedom from discomfort can be achieved - even in open grazing areas - by the provision  of artificial protection from the weather where no natural shelter or shade is available. When cattle are housed, a well-ventilated shed, a comfortably bedded, dry lying area and frequently cleaned passageways are necessary to avoid discomfort and to reduce the risk of injury.
 
3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease should be an aim of any good manager. Lameness in dairy cattle can be a significant problem and should be treated promptly. Mastitis prevention and early treatment is imperative. Common diseases should be vaccinated against.
 
4. Freedom to express normal behaviour is usually provided when a cow is at pasture. If cows are to be housed, buildings should be designed with this principle in mind. Early removal of the calf from its mother is a necessary evil in most dairy systems. In our area, early removal of the calf  minimizes the risk of the calf contacting Bovine Johnes Disease, or Salmonella.
 
5. Freedom from fear and distress is hard to achieve and there are times when fear stimulates beneficial avoidance by animals. Good stock-men can and should minimise fear and distress through calm, patient and sympathetic handling. It is also valuable to handle heifer calves frequently and gently while young to habituate them to people.
 
 Maintaining good welfare does not only benefit the animal. A well managed, stress free, healthy animal will also be much more productive and will reward the good stock man.