The Five Freedoms

This list of 5 were developed to try to improve the Welfare standards of animals.

Physical & mental states that show the difference between an animal suffering and an animal who is well can't always be easily measured so the list of 5 gives standards of what should be provided for animals.

The Five Freedoms

1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from discomfort - by providing a suitable enviroment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to express normal behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

5. Freedom from fear and distess - by ensuring conditions that avoid mental suffering.

Compassion in world farming draws attention to the freedom to chooses their enviroment, whether to go inside or out, whether to eat, drink or rest, whether to scratch their backs or wallow in mud. As individuals, their needs at a given time may not be the same. See www.ciwf.org for more information.

We have shown you this to give you the basic & general idea of what a given animal needs.

These are the 5 that on Greenacre we try to aim for every day. We have on occasion (as will you) made mistakes or missed something completely. Also there are times when it's completely unavoidable.

What goes hand in hand with the above are good stockman skills, which to some are inborn but most of us have to learn. We will pull together a wee article for you about this at a later stage.

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