Why the study of animal behavior is associated with the animal welfare issue

Of the various disciplines within the animal sciences, the issue of animal welfare has been most closely associated with ethology, the study of animal behavior. Prior to the modern welfare movement, applied ethology was primarily involved in studies on feeding and reproductive behavior. The emphasis on freedom of movement and mental experiences in animal welfare resulted in the field of applied ethology developing its current welfare interests. During the past 30 yr, applied ethology has been used to gather appropriate information to develop alternate management systems that accommodate normal behavior. The issue of behavioral needs has been addressed and research interest in motivation has developed. Preference tests have been used for their traditional role of improving comfort and have been modified to assess motivation as well. We have used abnormal behaviors as indicators of poor welfare and are shifting our emphasis to causative factors of these behaviors. The emotional states and cognitive abilities of animals have been studied but will become an increasingly important component of behavior research into animal welfare in the future.