Browsing by Author "Snyders, Monique"
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- ItemPerceptions about commercial ostrich farming: views of consumers, farmers and secondary stakeholders(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Snyders, Monique; Bonato, Maud; Cloete, Schalk W. P.; Engelbrecht, Anel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Animal Sciences.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is the premier producer of ostrich products worldwide. The ostrich industry has recently come under scrutiny due to the global increased awareness of the welfare of production animals. This lucrative, niche market industry is not well known in most parts of the world and as a result of the public’s limited exposure to the ostrich industry and its husbandry practices, views and opinions about the industry and the welfare status of ostriches might be inadequate. However, the perceptions and opinions of the general public and specifically ostrich product consumers could increasingly determine the global market for ostrich products. This study aimed to determine the differences in knowledge, opinion and perceptions amongst consumers, farmers and secondary stakeholders in the ostrich industry with respect to ostrich production practices and the resulting welfare impact thereof. Participants were asked to complete a comprehensive survey, which firstly determined demographic factors – as these often influence the way in which a person’s opinion is expressed. Questions related to participants’ knowledge of ostrich farming followed; thereafter how important they perceive the impact of management and production aspects on the welfare of ostriches, and the potential impact of welfare aspects on buying decisions. Farmers and secondary stakeholders in the industry were specifically asked about their preferences regarding husbandry practices implemented on-farm and the perceived welfare impacts thereof. Most answers in the survey were scored on a scale of 1 to 5, from least to most important/likely/knowledgeable or from a highly negative to highly positive impact. The main results of this study highlighted a significant lack of knowledge about the ostrich industry and associated production practices, amongst consumers and specifically women and the youth. Generally, all participants agreed on the importance of basic needs (feed, water, health) for the well-being of ostriches. Significant emphasis was placed on natural rearing and husbandry practices as it appears that consumers, women, vegetarians and highincome participants, prefer production animals to be reared in environments that resemble their natural habitat. Importance was also placed on the level of knowledge and skill of stockmen involved in the industry. It appeared that specifically women and vegetarian participants placed a high value on the general welfare of farmed ostriches, while ostrich farmers emphasised the welfare of animals destined for slaughter in order to maintain product quality. Consumers indicated that there is a need to implement a formal welfare protocol for commercial ostrich production. Farmers preferred artificial rearing and incubation/hatching practices with human assistance (when necessary) and they placed emphasis on the importance of product quality when compared to secondary stakeholders. It was also evident that farmers more readily preferred welfare conscious production practices in contrast to the preference for welfare neutral or even potentially compromising production practices by secondary stakeholders. Farmers showed their preference for frequent visual inspection of birds and seemed to score the importance of the welfare of ostriches for product quality higher than stakeholders. Furthermore the transportation and relocation of birds was identified as a potential welfare problem in the industry. Farmers were also less likely to promote the introduction of ostrich-specific welfare protocols on-farm than stakeholders in the industry. The results of this survey aided in identifying potential welfare problems in the ostrich industry and could form the basis of future work for the development of a welfare protocol for the commercial farming of ostriches. Some considerations for welfare indicators and measures have been developed stemming from the results of this study (Appendix G). Further studies could investigate the effect of different handling and transportation practices on the well-being of commercially farmed ostriches. This study thus emphasizes the need for a formal welfare protocol or “Code of best practices” for the commercial farming industry as this will improve product quality and transparency and will also enable farmers to promote the welfare of ostriches produced for slaughter.