Essential Behavioural Needs

Fölsch, Detlef W.

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-8922-1_7

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…"Suffering through deprivation" is sometimes expressed through the very similar idea ofbehavioural "needs" (Bessei, 1980;Folsch, 1980;Wegner, 1980;van Putten, 1981 ), with the implication that animals suffer if they are unable to fulfill these needs, but the terms "needs" is so ill-defined (Dawkins, 1983b;Ewbank, 1985 ) that it does not clarify the issue at all. It still leaves the question of how strong a need has to be before the animal is said to be suffering (does a need to scratch a small itch constitute suffering?…”

Section: What Is Deprivation?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural deprivation: A central problem in animal welfare

Dawkins

1988

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

270

117

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A key issue in animal welfare is whether keeping animals in conditions where they cannot or do not perform behaviour typical of more naturally-kept members of their species causes them to suffer. Various measures have been used to resolve this issue. The cost an animal is prepared to pay for the opportunity to perform different behaviour can be used as a measure of the importance of that behaviour to the animal. Manipulation of time-budgets is the most reliable method of measuring such costs and of relating "deprivation" to "suffering".

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Section: What Is Deprivation?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural deprivation: A central problem in animal welfare

Dawkins

1988

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

270

117

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“…If the animal were prevented from showing the behaviour, the level of motivational energy would rise and ‘dam up’ until eventually it would spill over and result in inappropriate and damaging behaviour. ‘Damming up’ was then used as evidence by Lorenz and others that animals had behavioural needs that had to be met to ensure good welfare [ 21 , 29 , 30 ].…”

Section: Tinbergen’s Proximate Questions—development and Causationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Behaviour Is Not Enough: Farm Animal Welfare Needs Modern Answers to Tinbergen’s Four Questions

Dawkins

2023

Animals

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Despite the many scientific objections that have been raise to it, ‘natural behaviour’ is widely used as an indication of good welfare by the food industry. The supposed link between welfare and natural behaviour derives, however, from a now outdated view of animals becoming frustrated if they cannot perform their natural instinctive behaviour. On the 60th anniversary of its publication, Niko Tinbergens’ Four Questions framework is used to show why there is no necessary link between natural behaviour and welfare and why, therefore, reliance on natural behaviour in commercial farming may not result in the claimed improvements in welfare. Used on its own without supporting evidence, ‘natural behaviour’ lacks the most essential criterion for good welfare—whether it matters to the animals themselves. There are now a number of well-established methods for demonstrating what animals value, including choice tests and, particularly, what animals will work and pay a cost to obtain. Some of the evidence on what animals value is already available in published papers but some will require collaborative research between scientists and commercial farming to find practical and commercially viable ways of providing animals with what they value.

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“…Fowls should become habituated to the sight of humans and human actions should elicit positive responses. Another sensory vehicle may involve acoustical messages (for example, Folsch, 1980;Stone et al, 1984). This concept is not new and poultry farmers routinely use sound to judge flock well-being.…”

Section: Responses To Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

The genetic‐behaviour interface and well‐being of poultry¹

Siegel

1989

British Poultry Science

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Marked changes have occurred in poultry production practices and in stocks bred for the production of meat and eggs. Of behavior pattern that originally favoured domestication, positive responses to humans and adaptability to environments are now most important. Development of specific strains for production of meat or eggs resulted in correlated responses in behavioural traits. Compared with egg strains, meat strains are docile and have excessive appetites, poor immunoresponsiveness and reduced motor ability. Genotype by environment interactions for behaviour limit inferences concerning responses of stocks across environments. Innate behaviour patterns and habituation processes can prevent some stimuli from causing physiological manifestations observed in general responses to stressors. Husbandry procedures should optimise phenotypic expressions of genetic potential to enhance well-being.

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Essential Behavioural Needs

Cited by 3 publications

References 3 publications

Behavioural deprivation: A central problem in animal welfare

Behavioural deprivation: A central problem in animal welfare

Natural Behaviour Is Not Enough: Farm Animal Welfare Needs Modern Answers to Tinbergen’s Four Questions

The genetic‐behaviour interface and well‐being of poultry¹

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Essential Behavioural Needs

Cited by 3 publications

References 3 publications

Behavioural deprivation: A central problem in animal welfare

Behavioural deprivation: A central problem in animal welfare

Natural Behaviour Is Not Enough: Farm Animal Welfare Needs Modern Answers to Tinbergen’s Four Questions

The genetic‐behaviour interface and well‐being of poultry1

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The genetic‐behaviour interface and well‐being of poultry¹