Great interest for the convention on animal welfare

The Conference on Animal Welfare in Farming was held in Gemona del Friuli (UD): a subject in continuous evolution [see program], organized by ERSA, AAFVG and SAV-UNIUD as part of the TOPValue project, funded by the Union European.

The meeting, moderated by Sonia Venerus from ERSA, was mainly aimed at students from agricultural and university schools, and most of the actors operating in the regional zootechnical world. There were managers and representatives of the Agriculture Department, ANAPRI, AAFVG, veterinary public health, as well as breeders and ordinary citizens interested in this topic.

The assessor of regional agri-food, forestry and fishery resources, Stefano Zannier, introduced the Convention emphasizing the importance of the zootechnical sector in the Region and declared that "Animal welfare should not be perceived by farmers as a constraint on production but rather as a an opportunity that allows the agri-food sector to increase the profitability of products ... ". [Read the summarized speech]

A series of interventions were about the state of art in zootechnical field and welfare indeed there were several professors of the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Animal Sciences of the University of Udine and but also representatives of Friuli Venezia Giulia Breeders Association and Regional Veterinary Services.

The latest reports have introduced the concept of "one-welfare" and the theme of the enhancement of products deriving from production chains attentive to animal welfare, taking up somehow the introductory concepts. Professor Marco Galeotti, coordinator of university courses in the area of animal sciences at University of Udine, closed the conference recalling how this issue, together with others such as environmental sustainability and biodiversity, has become central and transversal to most of the lessons imparted.