This website provides information about the lives of farm animals that cannot be found anywhere else in one place. The site currently focuses on the 3 species (Chickens, Cattle and Pigs) and 8 production types examined during the Welfare Quality® project, but it has the potential to encompass all farm animal species. Each species has a home page where information on the history of the species and its domestication by humans can be found. From here users can trace the lives of various production types through every stage of the supply chain/ life course, from their birth at breeding and production companies through to their slaughter and retail fates. At each stage information is provided on different production systems, the farm assurance and certification schemes in operation, and the welfare problems faced by the animals.

News

A new book, Birdology by Sy Montgomery (published by Free Press), provides a fascinating insight into the individual personalities and characteristics of chickens. Click here

Copies of the Welfare Quality protocols for Cattle, Chicken and Pigs can be ordered on-line. Click here

The Dialrel project, which has examined religious slaughter to improve knowledge and expertise through dialogue and debate on issues of welfare, legislation and socio-economic aspects, ended in June 2010. Click here

 

The site is an information resource for teachers and older teenagers (15—20 years) about animal welfare in general, but it also contains more specific information about the Welfare Quality® monitoring/certification scheme and the species-specific measures that have been developed to improve farm animal welfare.