• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Upcoming dvm360 Conferences
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
Veterinary Heroes
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

AAAS symposium-All for one and one for all?

August 1, 2006
David Morton, PhD, MRCVS

When advising owners, the farm-animal veterinarian has a primary responsibility to be an advocate for the individual animal's health and welfare.

When advising owners, the farm-animal veterinarian has a primary responsibility to be an advocate for the individual animal's health and welfare. At the same time, the veterinarian's responsibilities extend to protecting the health and welfare of the entire herd or flock. And at yet another level, veterinarians are consulted on national public health policies regarding, for example, food safety and zoonotic threats.

These responsibilities often compete, especially from a utilitarian perspective: An individual animal may be subjected to a painful procedure, such as dehorning or castration, to protect others in the group. Or a group of animals may be vaccinated or otherwise treated to protect an individual or sacrificed to protect another group (e.g. killing all badgers in the locality to remove the risk of tuberculosis to cattle, as has occurred in the United Kingdom).

Sometimes what a veterinarian deems best in terms of animal health and welfare may be unacceptable to an owner, a producer, a stockperson, or to the general public. In the European Union, veterinary advice solicited to help determine public policy has largely changed from accepting the subjective views of experts to requiring an objective quantitative or qualitative risk assessment.

Advertisement

For example, to assess risk, one could calculate the risk of death to animals transported for more than X hours at a particular temperature and humidity. When using an objective risk assessment, those making public policy can better address critical animal welfare issues while taking into account practical, social, ethical, and cultural issues.

David Morton, PhD, MRCVS

David Morton, PhD, MRCVS

Department of Biomedical Science and Ethics

University of Birmingham

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Related Content:

Clinical
Rabbit endotracheal intubation: Yes, you can do it! (Part 2)
Rabbit endotracheal intubation: Yes, you can do it! (Part 2)
Incorporating ultrasounds in daily practice
Incorporating ultrasounds in daily practice
Veterinary Dentistry Specialists first to apply human fracture repair technology to companion animals
Veterinary Dentistry Specialists first to apply human fracture repair technology to companion animals

Advertisement

Latest News

Learning more about AmeriVet

Announcing our 2023 Fetch and Directions in Veterinary Medicine continuing education schedule: Biggest event lineup to date

Dogs and staff at Seattle dog resort safely escape fire

Pet safety for this Super Bowl Sunday

View More Latest News
Advertisement