Assessment of animal welfare in husbandry systems

The problem of animal welfare assessment is approached with a modelling technique from systems science called the MSE (Multifacetted Structured Entity) modelling technique. The technique is used to develop a computerised decision support system for animal welfare assessment. Using this MSE technique the concept of animal welfare is decomposed into conscious experiences which can be grasped as needs. Animals can have a number of needs. These can be ordered into a taxonomy. In turn, every need can be further decomposed according to its etiology (causes), psychogenesis, symptoms and diagnosis. These are medical terms being applied to a new, but related field, namely the field of performing a welfare diagnosis of housing systems. The term ‘psychogenesis’ is analogous to the medical term ‘pathogenesis’. It describes how a conscious need can develop in time due to influencing factors. Based on what we scientifically know about the symptoms and causes (the etiology) of welfare problems, values are assigned to the component needs which make up the welfare state of the animals in that particular housing system.