Citizens’ Perception of Different Aspects Regarding German Livestock Production

Farm animal husbandry and animal welfare still are of growing interest in our society. Studies show a mismatch of citizens’ expectations and the present situation in many countries. Therefore intensive livestock production systems seem to lose their societal acceptability. Especially modern pig and poultry production systems are criticized, but dairy farming is also affected. This can more and more be observed in Germany, one of the EU’s biggest livestock producing countries. Against this background, the Scientific Advisory Board on Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Health Protection at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture established guidelines to ensure prospective animal husbandry practices, accepted by the majority of the German society.In this paper we present the actual perception of German citizens and the importance of different husbandry aspects based on seven of these guidelines. Thereby, pig, cattle and poultry production systems are considered and the animal species fattening pigs, dairy cattle as well as laying hens are compared. An online survey with at all 2.400 respondents was conducted in 2017.The survey is based on a qualitative pilot study. Therefore citizens were invited for focus groups about the topics pig, poultry and cattle production in Germany. For each topic six focus groups (poultry: eight) took place in three (poultry: four) German cities. Participants discussed about their perception of actual animal husbandry with respect to housing systems, animal health and well-being, regarding the crucial points of the Scientific Advisory Board’s guidelines. Using content analysis, main present husbandry factors in participants’ perception were identified: flooring type, space per animal, fresh air supply, manipulable material, outdoor access and daylight.Using a ranking procedure with these husbandry factors, main criticism points as well as sideshows could be identified for each of the three production systems, in particular fattening pig production, dairy cattle production and laying hens production. The results will contribute to establish livestock production systems in consensus with citizens’ preferences. Furthermore, results will be important for the constructions of upcoming stables for all investigated animal species

Citizens’ Perception of Different Aspects Regarding German Livestock Production

This paper presents the actual perception of German citizens regarding the importance of different husbandry aspects. In 2017, an online survey with 2.400 respondents, based on a qualitative pilot study with focus groups, was conducted. Participants discussed about their perception of actual animal husbandry with respect to the design of stables and animal‐related aspects. Using two different ranking procedures, main points of criticism as well as sideshows could be identified for fattening pigs, dairy cattle production and laying hens. The results will contribute to establishing livestock production systems in consensus with citizens’ preferences

Consumers’ Perspective on Dual-Purpose Chickens

The usage of dual-purpose chicken breeds is one of the discussed alternatives to prevent cockerel chicks of laying hens from being killed for economic reasons. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyse consumers’ perspective on dual-purpose chickens. To get an insight into the consumers’ perspective, we initially conducted six focus groups with German citizens focussing on chicken meat and egg preferences, perception of chicken farming and attitudes towards dual-purpose chicken breeds. The results show that most of the participants were aware of the killing of day-old chicks. However, alternatives were scarcely known. After giving the participants information about the dual-purpose chicken, they were generally in favour of this chicken breed. Some participants raised concerns regarding the economic efficiency and the higher product prices. For others, ethical values predominated. All in all, the results demonstrate that the discussants have specific expectation regarding a dual-purpose chicken

Consumers’ Perspective on Dual‐purpose Chickens as Alternative to the Killing of Day‐old Chicks

The usage of dual‐purpose chicken breeds – a chicken breed which provides meat and eggs at the same time is one of the discussed alternatives to prevent cockerel chicks of laying hens from being killed for economic reasons.Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyse consumers’ perspective on dual‐purpose chickens. To get an insight into consumers’ perspective, we initially conducted six focus groups with German consumers focussing on their chicken meat and egg preferences, perception of chicken farming and attitudes towards dual‐purpose chicken breeds. The results show that most of the participants were aware of the killing of day‐old chicks. However, alternatives were scarcely known. After giving the participants information about dual‐purpose chickens, they were generally in favour of this chicken breed. Some participants raised concerns regarding the economic efficiency and the higher product prices. For others, ethical values predominated. All in all, the results demonstrate that thediscussants have specific expectations regarding the husbandry conditions but also regarding the product characteristics and the labelling of dual‐purpose chickens

Trust no One? Citizens’ Concerns regarding the Pork and Dairy Supply Chain

Latest studies show that a responsible treatment of farm animals is important to many citizens. Furthermore, societal expectations towards animal husbandry and present husbandry systems mismatch more and more. Thereby, pig production is criticized more than dairy farming. This paper gives insights into citizens’ main points of criticism among the pork and dairy cattle supply chain. It also intends to show several aspects of distrust.To capture a variety of opinions and expectations among the population, focus groups with citizens were carried out. For each topic (pig and dairy cattle husbandry) six focus groups took place in three German cities. Participants discussed about their perception of actual animal husbandry with respect to housing systems, animal health and well-being. Using content analysis with a mixed inductive and deductive category system, three sources of concerns were identified: role of farmers, legal framework and food retail.First, participants reflect the role of farmers and discuss that farmers only comply with the minimum of statutory requirements. Accordingly, participants think that farmers accept fines in order to avoid changes in their animal husbandry. Second, participants doubt the legal framework. In their view the standards are very low, especially regarding animal welfare. So, for instance, it enables farmers to circumvent the regulations. To improve the situation, participants emphasize a major revision of the legal framework for animal husbandry. Another critical focus is on legal controls. Participants remark that controls are often announced previously. The third point of criticism affects food retail. It is complicated for consumers to understand the complete supply chain. According to this, animal production takes more and more place behind closed doors without transparency. Altogether these aspects lead to an increasing rejection of animal products. The concerns were stronger in case of pork than in case of dairy cattle. As a consequence, some participants state to consume less or no pork or change to meat alternatives.Results suggest different possibilities among the complete supply chain, to understand citizens’ points of concerns better and to improve the situation of farm animal husbandry. Doing so, citizens’ concerns might be reduced resulting in more trust into the whole system again. Hence, more consumers of meat will be kept and will not consume more and more meat substitutes

DIE EINSTELLUNG DER DEUTSCHEN GESELLSCHAFT GEGENÜBER DER MASTSCHWEINE- UND MUTTERSAUENHALTUNG

Seit Jahren ist die Einstellung der Gesellschaft gegenüber der landwirtschaftlichen Nutztierhaltung ein viel diskutiertes Thema. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird die Einstellung gegenüber zwei unterschiedlichen Produktionslinien mithilfe zweier Faktoranalysen untersucht. Es zeigt sich, dass die Einstellung durch unterschiedliche Faktoren beschrieben werden kann: Werden beispielsweise im Falle der Muttersauen- und Ferkelhaltung zwei tendenziell befürwortende/akzeptierende Faktoren beschrieben, ist dies bei Mastschweinen nur einer

DIE GESELLSCHAFTLICHE RELEVANZ UNTERSCHIEDLICHER HALTUNGSPARAMETER IN DER DEUTSCHEN NUTZTIERHALTUNG

Die gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz der landwirtschaftlichen Nutztierhaltung ist europaweit rückläufig und die Bedingungen, unter denen die Tiere leben, werden vielfach diskutiert. Auf Basis einer Onlinebefragung untersucht der vorliegende Beitrag die Relevanz unterschiedlicher Haltungsparameter für Legehennen, Mastschweine und Milchkühe. Dabei zeigt sich, dass abwechslungsreiches Futter für alle Tierarten von besonderer Relevanz ist, während der Verzicht auf importiertes Futter von untergeordneter Bedeutung ist

Citizens’ Perception of Different Aspects Regarding German Livestock Production

This paper presents the actual perception of German citizens regarding the importance of different husbandry aspects. In 2017, an online survey with 2.400 respondents, based on a qualitative pilot study with focus groups, was conducted. Participants discussed about their perception of actual animal husbandry with respect to the design of stables and animal-related aspects. Using two different ranking procedures, main points of criticism as well as sideshows could be identified for fattening pigs, dairy cattle production and laying hens. The results will contribute to establishing livestock production systems in consensus with citizens’ preferences

Citizens’ Perception of Different Aspects Regarding German Livestock Production

Farm animal husbandry and animal welfare still are of growing interest in our society. Studies show a mismatch of citizens’ expectations and the present situation in many countries. Therefore intensive livestock production systems seem to lose their societal acceptability. Especially modern pig and poultry production systems are criticized, but dairy farming is also affected. This can more and more be observed in Germany, one of the EU’s biggest livestock producing countries. Against this background, the Scientific Advisory Board on Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Health Protection at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture established guidelines to ensure prospective animal husbandry practices, accepted by the majority of the German society. In this paper we present the actual perception of German citizens and the importance of different husbandry aspects based on seven of these guidelines. Thereby, pig, cattle and poultry production systems are considered and the animal species fattening pigs, dairy cattle as well as laying hens are compared. An online survey with at all 2.400 respondents was conducted in 2017. The survey is based on a qualitative pilot study. Therefore citizens were invited for focus groups about the topics pig, poultry and cattle production in Germany. For each topic six focus groups (poultry: eight) took place in three (poultry: four) German cities. Participants discussed about their perception of actual animal husbandry with respect to housing systems, animal health and well-being, regarding the crucial points of the Scientific Advisory Board’s guidelines. Using content analysis, main present husbandry factors in participants’ perception were identified: flooring type, space per animal, fresh air supply, manipulable material, outdoor access and daylight. Using a ranking procedure with these husbandry factors, main criticism points as well as sideshows could be identified for each of the three production systems, in particular fattening pig production, dairy cattle production and laying hens production. The results will contribute to establish livestock production systems in consensus with citizens’ preferences. Furthermore, results will be important for the constructions of upcoming stables for all investigated animal species

Die Einstellung der Gesellschaft gegenüber der landwirtschaftlichen Nutztierhaltung

Seit Jahren ist die Nutztierhaltung ein kontrovers diskutiertes Thema in Deutschland. Die Kluft zwischen der gängigen Praxis und den gesellschaftlichen Erwartungen scheint zu wachsen. Mittels einer Onlinebefragung wurde eine Faktoranalyse durchgeführt, um die Einstellung der deutschen Gesellschaft gegenüber der Nutztierhaltung zu untersuchen. Die zu bewertenden Aussagen basierten auf einem Gutachten des Wissenschaftlichen Beirats für Agrarpolitik des Bundesministeriums für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft. Darauf aufbauend wurde eine Clusteranalyse angefertigt, die die befragten Personen bezüglich ihrer Einstellung gruppiert. Dabei konnten drei Cluster ermittelt werden: Befürworter einer auf Effizienz ausgerichteten Nutztierhaltung, Gegner einer solchen Praxis und die Gruppe der pro und contra abwägenden Personen