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Consumer voices will matter in livestock production

An animal care and welfare specialist says the attitudes consumers have towards the way livestock raised for production are treated is changing.

University of Calgary’s Ed Pajor says the “humanization” of animals has created additional challenges for the nation’s livestock producers.

But, he says producers today better understand the needs of animals than they ever have before.  “I think it is important that we don’t think of animals as furry little people,” he says.  “We need to understand animals need and provide those things to animals.  The industry historically just did not have that question in mind.  It’s not that anybody was trying to be cruel – it was more of a case of not understanding the needs of the animal.”

He tells Brownfield moving forward the industry will need to increase transparency to survive.

But Pajor says beyond that – the industry is going to have to listen to what consumers are telling them they want.  “We have to be understanding of where the consumers are coming from,” he says.  “They are the ones that are purchasing the product.  If they want to have specific programs in place and want to see things done a certain way – if there are enough retailers interested the industry is going to likely bend to those wishes and desires.”

Pajor spoke at the recent Center for Animal Welfare Science symposium at Purdue University.

AUDIO: Ed Pajor, University of Calgary