Prevention of Pain and Promotion of Animal Welfare

The concept of animal welfare includes three elements: the animal's normal biological function which, among other things, means ensuring that the animal is healthy and well-nourished, its emotional state including the absence of negative emotions, such as pain and chronic fear, and its ability to express certain normal behaviours (Fraser et al., 1997).

At Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health we are commited to shape the future of swine health by preventing pain. Animals whose welfare is maintained are less prone to contracting infectious diseases as a result of the weakened immune system and the stress placed on them by transportation and mixing. Animal welfare practices, if implemented well, also contribute to a reduction in the recourse to antibiotics and thus help fight against antibiotic resistance further up the food chain.