Farmers' and advisers' representations of animals and animal welfare

Animal welfare constitutes an increasing social demand, and is an ethical preoccupation both for farmers and advisers. The way cattle, pig and poultry farmers and technicians imagine their own occupation, animals and animal welfare was hence studied. Some ideas appeared to be widely shared: dealing with animals is the main aspect of the definition of animal farming; their relationship to animals is a professional one, and watching animals an essential activity for a farmer… But the diversity of representations of animals and practices was also pointed out. It concerned the following criteria: affection towards animals, ethical vision of their occupation, consideration of the animal needs, definition of animal welfare, etc. This diversity is based on the personal history of the farmers or the advisers, and on the type of animals they breed. Beyond all philosophical thoughts it seems possible to organise the description of the relationships between farmers and animals within three dimensions: “the animal as a machine”, seen through its productive functions; the “communicating animal”, in relation with men; and the “affective animal”, able to develop a real attached relationship with man.