Download Chamney Food Animal Initiative

Contributions FAI has Towards Animal
Welfare
By Erica Chamney
How did FAI Come About?
 Food animal producers formed FAI in 1989
 Farm is located in Wytham, Oxforshire
 Researches alternative livestock operations
 Animal welfare
 The environment
 Human health
 Economical concerns
FAI Objectives
 To develop sustainable farm systems that provide
discernable benefits to animal welfare, the
environment and human health.
 To demonstrate the success of these systems through
practical and commercial application.
 To breed animals that are fit for their environment.
 To supply knowledge to commercial farmers and other
interested parties.
FAI Background
 Currently made up of 5 Directors
 Various sources of income
 Oxford University
 Sponsors (McDonalds and TESCO)
 Organic Grassland managed by UTTESASCS
 Live animal markets


Other breeders or farmer
Packers/ Processors
FAI Background (cont)
 Farm has 1050 acres
 250 used for pasture
 Rest is organic grassland
FAI Background (cont)
 Food Animal Species located at Wytham Farm
 20, 000 free-range table birds
 2,000 laying hens
 Flock of 1,000 sheep
 Cow herd of 120
 500 turkeys
 Developmental pig unit
The Cow Herd
 Saler X Saler suckler cows
 Sell to other breeders
 Finish for beef production
How has FAI impacted the cattle
industry?
 Main use of antibiotics in cattle is for respiratory
diseases
 Loss of performance and death loss still likely
 FAI Resolution
 Implemented animal welfare practices
 Focused on dairy cattle
The Sow Herd
 Uses “traditional” breeds
 Incorporates Gloucester breed for pork quality
 Sows kept in natural environments with 5 sows to a
pen
 Piglets are do NOT have their teeth clipped or their
tails docked
 Fed a combination of forage and grain
 Change in consumer demand
Some Facts on Swine
 Males have a higher risk of tainted meat
 Pigs kept in unsanitary conditions run a risk of tainted
meat
 Wallowing in their own faeces and urine
 Skatole in faeces causes tainted pork
How has FAI impacted the swine
industry?
 The FAI responded to this issue
 By selecting breeds for quality pork
 Pigs are kept in spacious pens that allow them to feed,
wallow, defaecate/urinate, an sleep in separate areas
 The pigs are late weaned (after 6 months)
 Moved with family groups occasionally to prepare for
transportation
 Changes in diet are avoided
Poultry
 Both chickens and turkeys roam in natural
environments
 1 cockerel to every 10 females
 Chicks are reared on the farm or sold as day-old chicks
to other farmers
 Fun Fact: The hatchery is relatively new and is one of
the few “true organic” hatcheries in the UK
Poultry (cont)
 After hatchery, bids are housed
 Farmyard and range noises are played for them so that
they get use to the sounds that will soon surround them
in the environment
 The free-range birds grow 2x slower than conventional
birds
 But the eating quality is better
 Once broilers are on the range they are provided
greenery, dust baths, and space
Lets take a look at the turkey
industry
 The FAI farms made an investment in free-range
turkeys for consumer demand in 2007
 Purchase in July and sell for the perfect Christmas
dinner

400 turkeys and it is first come – first serve policy
Facts on injurious pecking in
turkeys
 Two current methods to reduce pecking
 Housing with minimal lighting

Disadvantages - FAWC Appendix 3 presented abnormalities
 Light is available but beaks are trimmed

Causes problems with normal eating behavior
How did FAI impact the turkey
industry?
 Implemented animal welfare practices that reduces
injurious pecking
 Turkeys are on range majority of the day
 Whole grain is provided in the diet
 Enrichments are provided
 Straw is provided 2x/day
The Sheep Flock
 Mules X Coopworth
 Mules X Suffolk
 Ewes lamb in April and are ready for the market in
October
Facts on Sheep
(more specifically males)
 Castration is not painless
 no matter the age
 Even with anesthetics
 Uses of castration in ram lambs
 supposedly reduce tainting in meat
 Management tool


Reduces aggression towards other rams
Infertility
How has FAI impacted the sheep
industry?
 “Short Scrotum”
 A ring is applied with in the first week of life under the
testes. This process pushes the testes close to the body
cavity and in turn is infertile
 Testing the quality of meat and the eaten experiences in
castrated and intact wethers and rams respectively.

This will determine the necessity of castration
Summary
 Farm-scale research done by the FAI farm has
provided numerous advantages and disadvantages to
alternative food animal operation practices that could
improve or disregard animal welfare.
How can you get involved?
 Visit the FAI official website
http://www.faifarms.co.uk/ and become a Friend of
the FAI and you will receive the Friend of the FAI
Newsletter
 Contact the director on the website via e-mail
 VISIT THE FARMS!
 Always have educational tours for all ages
 Two animal welfare classes though Oxford University
(for locals)
Questions?