Understanding animal welfare by students and graduates of different studies
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Department of Production Engineering, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Nowoursynowska 166, PL02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Abstract:
Animal welfare is one of the key elements of contemporary approach to animal production. Social consciousness of animal welfare concerns first of all persons responsible for practical implementation of individual solutions for animal welfare improvement. But what about other group of peoples and their relation to animal welfare? The aim of the paper was to analyze some aspects of animal welfare assessment including opinions given by young Polish citizens. The idea of the paper was to investigate, how kind of higher education represented by citizens show effect on understanding of animal welfare problems. The scope of the paper included survey, where 165 graduates of different studies (humanities, polytechnic, medical, economic, art and life sciences studies) had the possibility to present and assess their knowledge on animal welfare. In one of the questions, interpreting an ideal farm with animal production, most respondents, regardless of the field of study, pointed to the key role of maintaining the highest standards determining the welfare and comfort of livestock.
Key words:
assessment, cattle, graduate, respondent, survey, welfare