It was a year of “transformative” change. And the fuel was ideas – from producers, their industries and the broad spectrum of the farm animal care community.
Farm animal welfare as an area of management focus grabbed attention like never before. New Codes of Practice, new assessment models, and a range of other major developments continued to shift the landscape. Consumer and retailer trends forged new pathways bringing both higher pressures and expanded opportunities. New research and fresh ways of thinking added energetic new elements and solutions to the mix.
Tough obstacles and challenging economics persisted on a number of fronts. But at the same time more producers found ways to apply new knowledge to simultaneously raise the bar on both animal care and production advantages.
Here’s a look back at 10 of the key concepts, among many, that drove progress in 2013, from the pages of NewStream Farm Animal Care (presented in no particular order):