Adaptive capacities from an animal welfare perspective

Abstract

New animal farming system designs, inspired by Complex Adaptive System (CAS) approaches, aim to increase animal welfare by selectively utilizing the adaptive capacity of animals in the design of livestock systems. Our paper addresses the question how to understand the utilization of adaptive capacities to further optimize livestock production systems (LPS) from an animal welfare perspective. We take the recursive control approach (RCA) as a case. RCA builds on central elements of CAS theory, while it is conceptually based on philosophy of technology. We raise the question whether attempts to use natural adaptive behaviour of animals as an integral part in the functioning of LPS, sufficiently protects these animals from being subjected to a process of concretization. We argue that integrating animal specific adaptive behaviour in the structural system design adds extra complexity to the system and is expected to lead to intensified management pressure and an increase in technological control measures.