Welfare and Quantity of Life

Abstract

The Animal welfare science is mostly focused on evaluating and improving the quality of life of animals that actually exist. This leaves out a range of ethically relevant issues regarding the quantity of life – in terms of number of animals living and the longevity of each animal. In many cases quantity and quality are related, and often there is a tension between the two. In this chapter, we develop a discussion around four practical cases presenting quality-quantity dilemmas: a) the issue of dairy cow longevity, b) the early slaughter of male dairy calves, c) the killing of newly-hatched male layer chicks and d) the conflict between reduction and refinement in animal research. The practical, economic and animal welfare aspects characterizing each case are presented together with relevant stakeholders’ perspective. We discuss the cases in light of the most relevant currents of thought in animal ethics, highlighting the main values at stake and which possible solutions may be sought according to each perspective.