Challenge: To breed healthier, more productive animals
As a business with a direct responsibility for animals, we believe their health, welfare, comfort, and dignity is paramount and recognise that the health of our animals, human health and the health of our planet are inextricably linked. That’s why we closely monitor our animals to prevent disease, to reduce the need for veterinary medicines, and to ensure they remain productive.
Our breeding technologies offer healthier, more productive animals – resulting in fewer animals being born that won’t become part of the animal protein supply chain, and healthier animals that are less likely to become ill, less likely to need antimicrobial medicine or to die through disease or in labour.
From day one at Genus, we train all our colleagues in the principles of animal welfare, and this training is refreshed on a regular basis. Those with direct animal care roles receive regular, mandatory training on their specific responsibilities, based on a standard set of principles and processes that we audit and report to our Board.
Our goals
Animal welfare is core to our business at Genus and our policies in this area focus on providing:
- A safe place for animals to live and thrive;
- Nutrition and water to meet the animal’s needs;
- Safe and low-stress transportation;
- Prompt identification and treatment of sick animals;
- Proper use of vaccines/medications and maintenance of accurate and complete records; and
- Proper procedures for euthanasia and removal of animals
We monitor our animals and their environmental conditions closely. Where concerns are identified, we put things right, or arrange for swift veterinary action.
We continue to invest in our animal housing facilities to ensure that they’re clean, comfortable and safe for our animals and or employees. This includes designing our buildings to cope with future climate change scenarios. By providing back-up renewable power systems to cope with extremes of weather, even when the power grid may be stressed.
Our targets
Ensure all employees with animal care responsibilities receive training on Genus animal care standards.OUR PERFORMANCE IN FY21
100% of employees with animal care responsibilities received training on Genus animal care standards |
Continue to make investment in PIC and ABS animal housing facilities.OUR PERFORMANCE IN FY21
We continued to invest in our estate, including, including new bull housing, (predominantly powered by renewable solar energy) and IntelliGen production facilities. We have also commenced the development of a major new porcine nucleus in Canada, a boar stud in Russia and new porcine capacity in China. |
Maintain animal care standards.OUR PERFORMANCE IN FY21
We planned and delivered a series of structured facility audits and trials, employing independent third party specialists to evaluate our standards of welfare and performance data in relation to animal health and mortality. In the current year, we have recorded lower mortality / morbidity than the expected average and that of our competitor products. As a business focused on the development of traits around animal robustness, our on-going data capture efforts allow us to continually evaluate any changes and respond quickly to any concerns using professional veterinary care. |
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