Asian Livestock Industry Leaders’ Perceptions of the Importance of, and Solutions for, Animal Welfare Issues

Livestock industry leaders are in a unique position to understand the challenges to the welfare of farm animals and to enact solutions that improve the lives of the animals they work with. Despite this, these important stakeholders are seldom consulted in this regard and their attitudes and opinions on animal welfare issues are largely unknown. This is particularly the case when considering livestock stakeholders in Asia and the previous lack of collaboration with international animal welfare advocates. To address this, focus group consultation sessions were organised across six countries; China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, aiming to better understand the positions of livestock industry leaders, and to consult them on potential initiatives to improve livestock welfare in their country. This study presents a ranking of animal welfare issues by importance as considered by livestock leaders, solutions and opportunities identified by the leaders, and suggests initiatives proposed in each country. This study aims to better inform international animal welfare strategies in order to facilitate the development of the most effective programs and initiatives