Improve animal welfare

Improving and evidencing farm animal welfare through welfare assessment.

Good welfare is not simply the absence of negative experiences. It's characterised by the presence of positive experiences, such as comfort and interest. Defra’s Animal Welfare Committee, considered that a “good life” for farmed animals is a life where positive experiences (positive welfare) greatly outweigh any negative experiences (negative welfare).

To ensure we are delivering good farm animal welfare and a good life for animals we need to be able to measure both the absence of negative outcomes (prevention of harm) and the outcomes, resources and opportunities for positive, enjoyable experiences.

Welfare outcome assessment

Working with the AssureWel partnership we have developed a widely recognised system of welfare outcome assessment for the major farm animal species.

These protocols are largely based on “absence of negative experience or harm” measures and allow us (during Soil Association Certification inspections) and our farmers to know a level of welfare is being achieved on-farm and provide valuable information to monitor improvements.

Contact us for guidance on monitoring and improving welfare using outcome measures.

Positive welfare assessment

The Good Life Opportunities Framework

If farm animals are given resources (e.g. space, companions or enrichment) they value and that provide them with positive physical and mental experiences, they  have the chance to experience positive welfare and live a "good life". 

Through our LivWel+ programme we are revising, developing and farm-testing existing Good Life Opportunity Frameworks* that identify and communicate the opportunities for positive welfare that farm animals have. This includes a combination of resource, freedoms, opportunities and choices within their environment to express their normal behaviour. Additionally, we are compiling a toolbox of positive welfare measures and how-to guides for implementation that will ensure the resources and opportunities provided are being used and valued and applied practically on farm.

We have consulted, piloted and revised the frameworks for Beef cattle and Sheep (2nd edition handbooks are below). Dairy cows and Laying hens are currently at pilot/field testing stage, with meat chickens and pigs in development stage.

Please contact Kate (kstill@soilassociation.org) if you are interested in implementing or piloting these protocols or frameworks on your farm or within your supply chain.

The development of the Good Life Opportunity Frameworks under the LivWel+ programme has been generously funded by our Farm to Fork Partnership with Ocado Retail.

For full references of the Frameworks being developed:

(1) Edgar, J.L., Mullan, S.M., Pritchard, J.C., McFarlane, U.J. and Main, D.C., 2013. Towards a ‘good life’ for farm animals: Development of a resource tier framework to achieve positive welfare for laying hens. Animals, 3(3), pp.584-605. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani3030584   

(2) Stokes, J.E., Rowe, E., Mullan, S., Pritchard, J.C., Horler, R., Haskell, M.J., Dwyer, C.M. and Main, D.C., 2022. A “Good Life” for Dairy Cattle: Developing and Piloting a Framework for Assessing Positive Welfare Opportunities Based on Scientific Evidence and Farmer Expertise. Animals, 12(19), p.2540. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12192540   

(3) Rowe, E.; Mullan, S. Advancing a “Good Life” for Farm Animals: Development of Resource Tier Frameworks for On-Farm Assessment of Positive Welfare for Beef Cattle, Broiler Chicken and Pigs. Animals 2022, 12, 565. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12050565