RESEARCH INITIATIVES

FROM THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON PHILIPPINE BIODIVERSITY: LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY (AGROBIODIVERSITY), 1949-1997; DAIRY CATTLE, A COMPILATION OF PUBLISHED AND COMPLETED BUT UNPUBLISHED RESEARCHES FOR A SPAN OF 48 YEARS, ONLY TWO (2) ORIGINAL STUDIES ON DAIRY CATTLE BEHAVIOR WERE NOTED. THIS CLEARLY SHOWS THE ABSENCE OF INFORMATION AND ITS UNDERSTANDING THROUGH SCIENTIFIC INQUIRIES INTO THE PROBLEMS AND THEORIES ASSOCIATED WITH BEHAVIOR AND WELFARE OF DAIRY CATTLE. HOWEVER, A NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE MAINLY IN THE TRANSPORT OF SWINE, POULTRY AND BEEF CATTLE BUT CONCENTRATED ONLY ON ITS EFFECTS ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS AFTER SLAUGHTER.

  THE DIRECTION OF WELFARE RELATED RESEARCH MUST BE ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

1. BASIC WELFARE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ANIMALS IN TERMS OF HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, SLAUGHTER, HANDLING, USE AS PET, ENTERTAINMENT, PRODUCTION, DRAFT AND OVER-ALL CARE AND MANAGEMENT
2. USE OF ETHOLOGY AS A MEANS OF ASSESSING WELFARE
3. PREFERENCE TESTING TO DETERMINE COMFORT AND MOTIVATIONS
4. THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO SUIT SPECIFIC ANIMAL NEEDS IN SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.