Tyson Foods Integrating the Five Domains Animal Welfare Framework Across Global Operations

Conteúdo disponível em: العربية (Arabic) Tyson Foods is evolving its approach to animal welfare by integrating a new welfare framework […]

Tyson’s Office of Animal Welfare plays an important role in ensuring the company’s vision for animal welfare becomes a reality: to be the world leader in animal welfare through compassionate care based on sound science. Part of being a leader means being open to creative thinking, innovation, and evolving knowledge and practices. As devised by Professor David Mellor and colleagues, the Five Domains provides a comprehensive platform that incorporates functional and behavioral components, which, considered as a whole, provide an assessment of an animal’s overall mental state, also known as the welfare of the animal.

While Tyson Foods acknowledges the importance of the Five Freedoms welfare framework (freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury, or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress) in the development of its animal welfare approach, the company made the strategic decision to transition from the Five Freedoms to the Five Domains last year.

Tyson is now moving ahead with widescale integration of the Five Domains across the enterprise. By adopting the Five Domains, the company’s welfare practices are evolving and allowing the company to identify opportunities for enhancement and examine positive outcomes and behaviors of each animal, therefore providing a better understanding of animal needs and ultimately better welfare outcomes.