The issue of farm animal welfare has become increasingly of essence in many countries these days. Farm animal welfare concerns are expressed about the conditions in which farm animals are kept and management practices, particularly in systems where animals are kept in confinement for most of their lives, feed methods, health care, and expression of normal behaviors. The use of an ethical basis for animal welfare standards requires some generally accepted principles on how animals should be treated and used by humans. Animals have enormous capacity to feel a huge range of emotions, to learn from their experiences, to adapt to challenges, and to suffer when their needs are either ignored or disrespected. It is now time, in the evolution of the relationship between humans and animals, to move forward with this knowledge and take real action to improve the lives of farm animals. The use of behavioral principles should improve efficiency of livestock handling and reduce stress on animals. Changing public opinion about the importance of good animal welfare and applying legislative actions will be important in animal production systems especially in developing countries where the poor animal welfare is immense and production management is below substandards. 1. Introduction In the past few decades, farm animal husbandry has undergone an intensification in developed countries, which has resulted in increased effectiveness but also in public concern about the welfare of farm animals [1]. Authorities in the western hemisphere are therefore under on-going pressure to address animal welfare issues in farming [1]. On the other hand handling and welfare status of farm animals is below the standards in developing countries where animals are poorly handled due to misconception and resource scarcity. However, as improvements into farm animal welfare are frequently linked to increased production costs and reduced productivity, a tightening of animal welfare legislation at national level might cause livestock production to be relocated to countries where the standards are lower. Moreover, a policy of restricting imports of livestock products by insisting on domestic animal welfare standards risks infringing international trade agreements [2]. As a consequence, policy makers in developed countries have shown a growing interest in strategies where consumer demand for animal welfare-friendly products is expected to drive up animal welfare standards [3] though this is not the case in developing countries. Ethiopia is one of the biggest livestock populations in Africa [4].
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