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

Abstract

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 The supposed link between welfare and natural behaviour derives, however, from a now outdated view of animals becoming frustrated if they cannot perform their natural instinctive behaviour.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.

Comparative Analysis of the Growth, Physiological Responses, and Gene Expression of Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtles Cultured in Different Modes

“…We determined the rice–turtle co-culture as a more ecological farm mode for P. sinensis . Enriching the environment for farmed turtles means providing them with more stimulation, diversity, and opportunities to express their natural behaviors, which improves their quality of life and reduces their suffering [ 72 , 73 ]. Meanwhile, co-cultured turtles in paddy fields have stable and predictable food sources due to artificial feeding, which can further meet their growth needs.…”

A Practical Approach to Providing Environmental Enrichment to Pigs and Broiler Chickens Housed in Intensive Systems

“…An enrichment device is effective if animals actually use it [23,24]. Motivation can be measured by the amount of work an animal will perform to obtain access to the enrichment [24].…”

“…An enrichment device is effective if animals actually use it [23,24]. Motivation can be measured by the amount of work an animal will perform to obtain access to the enrichment [24]. Marian Dawkins at the University of Oxford concludes that the thing an animal values is important [24].…”

“…Motivation can be measured by the amount of work an animal will perform to obtain access to the enrichment [24]. Marian Dawkins at the University of Oxford concludes that the thing an animal values is important [24]. Dawkins suggests that there should be collaborative research with the commercial industry to implement effective enrichment devices [24].…”

“…Marian Dawkins at the University of Oxford concludes that the thing an animal values is important [24]. Dawkins suggests that there should be collaborative research with the commercial industry to implement effective enrichment devices [24]. During a welfare audit, auditors should look for evidence that the animals or poultry are actively interacting with the enrichment.…”