Do animals always know what they need? a key question in assessing animal well-being

Abstract

Ethical concerns for the quality of animals' lives demand careful attention to their physical and psychological requirements. This presentation focuses on the complex relationship between animal needs and animal desires. It defines the difference between animal needs and animal desires, and the consequences of such a distinction for the methodology of animal welfare research and animal welfare philosophy. The influence of the human-animal interaction in the milking parlour on the behaviour, heart-rate and milk yield of dairy cows U. Knierim, N.K. Waran Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Abstract The behavioural and physiological response of cows to the routine milking procedure in a modern dairy farm was investigated and human-animal interactions received special attention. Six cows that were considered to be easy to handle, and six cows that were considered difficult to handle were selected on the basis of subjective assessments by the dairy-The behavioural and physiological response of cows to the routine milking procedure in a modern dairy farm was investigated and human-animal interactions received special attention. Six cows that were considered to be easy to handle, and six cows that were considered difficult to handle were selected on the basis of subjective assessments by the dairy-