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First LowInputBreeds Symposium on Ethical Consideration in Livestock Breeding

LowInputBreeds

First LowInputBreeds Symposium on Ethical Consideration in Livestock Breeding

March 15 and 16, 2011, Wageningen, The Netherlands

www.lowinputbreeds.org/symposium-2011.html

 

In Partnership with ECO-AB

European Consortium of Organic Animal Breeding ECO-AB

First LowInputBreeds Symposium: About

The first Symposium of the LowInputBreeds Symposium on Ethical Consideration in Livestock Breeding was organised by the EU project LowInputBreeds in cooperation with the European Consortium for Organic Animal Breeding ECO-AB (www.eco-ab.org).

Ethical considerations were the focus of this two day symposium. With regard to breeding, two perspectives are clearly associated with ethics: what are the breeding goals and why and what breeding and/or reproduction technology is used.

The objectives of the symposium were

(1) to identify and assess ethical issues in relation to breeding for 'low input' production, and

(2) to increase awareness within the LowInputBreeds consortium and to have constructive dialogue with key stakeholders.

The main discussion points were effects on biodiversity, discarding of male animals, molecular techniques such as genomic selection, and economic impacts.

Researchers from the  LowInputBreeds project and from ECO-AB presented their aims and the breeding technologies used. Discussion of the ethical aspects were  initiated by invited speakers from relevant stakeholder groups.

General issues were be discussed across species in plenary sessions and more detailed issues in parallel sessions specific to ruminants (dairy cattle and sheep) and mono-gastrics (pigs and laying hens).

A background paper on the ethical issues identified within the project LowInputBreeds (work package 5.2: Ethical Impact Assessment) and ECO-AB was available for participants. Guidelines will be made for contributors in order to focus the discussions.

The symposium aimed at stakeholders and policy makers both from governmental and non governmental organizations to have a dialogue on ethical aspects of breeding and reproduction methods in animal production and on breeding goals with the partners of the LowInputBreeds project and with ECO AB.