Perceptions about commercial ostrich farming: views of consumers, farmers and secondary stakeholders
| dc.contributor.advisor | Bonato, Maud | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Cloete, Schalk W. P. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Engelbrecht, Anel | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Snyders, Monique | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Animal Sciences. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-08-17T06:25:46Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-01-31T19:34:15Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-08-17T06:25:46Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-01-31T19:34:15Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2020-12 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | 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. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika is die wêreldleier in volstruisboerdery. Die produksie van volstruise het onlangs onder die soeklig gekom as deel van die wêreldwye verhoogde bewustheid rakende die welsyn van produksiediere. Dié nismarkbedryf is onbekend in baie dele van die wêreld en die publiek se beperkte kennis ten opsigte van die bedryf en die welsynstatus van produksiediere daarin mag hul opinies en persepsies beïnvloed. Die wêreldmark vir volstruisprodukte sal toenemend deur die persepsies en opinies van die algemene publiek en verbruikers bepaal word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om verskille tussen verbruikers, boere en aandeelhouers in die bedryf se kennis, kundigheid, opinies en persepsies ten opsigte van produksiepraktyke en die invloed daarvan op die welsyn van volstruise te bepaal. Deelnemers is versoek om ‘n volledige vraelys in te vul wat eerstens ‘n reeks demografiese faktore bepaal het, omrede die faktore dikwels ‘n rol speel in die manier waarop mense hul idees en denke uitdruk. Deelnemers is ook uitgevra oor hul kundigheid van die volstruisbedryf, hoe belangrik sekere bestuurs- en produksiepraktyke geag word en wat koopbesluite beïnvloed. Boere en rolspelers in die bedryf is ook gevra oor hul voorkeure en afkeure met betrekking tot bedryfsen boerdrypraktyke. Die meerderheid vrae is op ‘n glyskaal van 1 tot 5 beoordeel, van die minste tot meeste belangrikheid en/of kundigheid. Die hoof resultate van hierdie studie het ‘n betekenisvolle tekort aan kennis en kundigheid oor die volstruisbedryf onder verbruikers aangedui, veral by vroulike verbruikers en jong mense. In die algemeen het deelnemers saamgestem oor die belangrikheid van basiese voedings-, water- en gesondheidsbehoeftes van volstruise om goeie welsyn te verseker. Beduidende klem is egter op natuurlike boerderypraktyke geplaas vir die uitbroei en grootmaak van volstruiskuikens, veral deur vroue, vegetariërs en deelnemers met hoë inkomstes. Deelnemers verkies dat diere in ‘n omgewings groot gemaak word wat hul natuurlike habitat bes moontlik naboots. Daar is ook duidelike klem gelê op die belangrikheid daarvan dat werkers in die bedryf volstruise goed ken, asook die nodige ondervinding en vermoëns het om met die diere te werk. Dit blyk ook dat spesifiek vroue en vegetariërs hoë waarde aan die welsyn van volstruise heg, terwyl volstruisboere meer bekommerd is oor die algemene welsyn van produksiediere om produkkwaliteit te verseker. Verbruikers het ook aangedui dat die implementering van ‘n formele volstruiswelsynsprotokol vir hulle belangrik is. Dit blyk duidelik dat boere kunsmatige grootmaak en natuurlike produksie- en bestuurstelsels verkies, moontlik as gevolg van hoër produksie-uitsette. Boere het ook in vergelyking met ander rolspelers in die bedryf beduidend meer klem gelê op die belang van dierewelsyn vir eindproduk kwaliteit. Dit was ook duidelik dat boere meer geneig is om welsynsbewuste bestuurspraktyke te implementeer en te verkies vergeleke met ander rolspelers. Hoë waarde is op die gereelde inspeksie van voëls deur boere geplaas, en klaarblyklik ag boere die belangrikheid van volstruiswelsyn vir produksie-eienskappe aansienlik hoër as ander rolspelers. Die vervoer en verskuiwing van volstruise is as ‘n potensiële probleemarea in die bedryf geïdentifiseer, wat verdere ondersoek verlang. Hierdie studie het ook daarop gewys dat volstruisboere minder geneig was om die implementering van ‘n formele welsynsprotokol in die bedryf te ondersteun. Die resultate van die studie het bygedra tot die identifikasie van potensiële welsynsprobleme in die volstruisbedryf en sal die basis vorm van die toekomstige ontwikkeling van ‘n welsynsprotokol spesifiek vir die bedryf. Daar bestaan ‘n duidelike behoefte vir so ‘n welsynsprotokol om die deursigtigheid van die bedryf te bevorder en om boere in staat te stel om die welsyn van produksiediere te bevorder. Oorwegings vir welsynsfaktore en aanwysers is uit die resultate van hierdie studie geïdentifiseer (Appendix G). Verdere studies behoort die effek van hanterings- en vervoerpraktyke op die welsyn van volstruise te ondersoek en sodoende ‘n kode van beste praktye vir volstruisboerdery en –produksie daar te stel. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Masters | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | 214 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109073 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Ostrich farming -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Ostriches -- Feeding and feeds | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Animal welfare -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Ostrich products industry | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Perceptions about commercial ostrich farming: views of consumers, farmers and secondary stakeholders | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |