Table 2.

Welfare issues of farm animals associated with intensive indoor housing systems (adapted from [26]).

Welfare Concerns	Welfare Advantages
Animals prevented from expressing natural behaviour and denied access to natural surfaces	New facilities built with specific welfare considerations
With large numbers, subtle indicators of an individual’s ill health or distress may be missed	Large facilities staffed by specialist veterinarians, nutritionists and stockmen to meet the specific needs of individuals and the herd
If a disease enters a herd or flock, it can spread rapidly	Protection from inclement weather. Reduces piglet mortality and nutritional stress for dairy cows
Reduced longevity of sows and cows due to the drive to increase production at the expense of fertility	Biosecurity can be enhanced by reducing exposure to, and from, wildlife