Françoise Médale – Head of the Animal Physiology and Breeding Systems Department (PHASE)(testimonial from the “Animal welfare: Science to inform public policy” dossier -2021)
“The PHASE department employs around 1,500 people, including 1,060 from INRAE. Around forty scientists work there specifically on animal welfare. In the 1980s, the first research projects were launched at the same time as the first European regulations. It initially focused on animal stress, using neurophysiological and behavioural approaches. Then the notion of animal welfare took over from that of good treatment, when the positive emotions of animals were demonstrated. Social interactions between conspecifics are studied extensively, as are early rearing conditions, which have been shown to shape animal behaviour and personalities. Animal welfare obviously also applies to experimental animals, a major ethical issue at INRAE.
Indicators for assessing animal welfare in breeding and experimentation have been introduced and are being continuously improved, certain practices have been banned and alternative solutions sought, and more and more training and awareness-raising sessions have been organised for those involved in the industry. The creation of the CNR-BEA has undoubtedly confirmed France’s position on the European stage and fostered the link between science and public policy”.
Testimonial from our thematic dossier
Thematic dossier
Animal welfare: using science to inform public policy
Although animal welfare is now a pressing concern in our societies, the issue first came to the fore in the 1960s as a reaction to the intensive farming conditions developed to optimise practices and increase economic profitability at the expense of animals. It was in the 1980s, under the impetus of a few pioneering researchers, that the issue of animal welfare began to be taken into account at INRAE.
This dossier retraces the major stages in the Institute’s investment in this area, through Research
and in support of related public policies.
