TY - CHAP

T1 - Ethics in experiments on live cattle

T2 - a pragmatic approach

AU - Veissier, Isabelle

AU - Deiss, Véronique

AU - Herskin, Mette S

AU - Kennedy, Emer

AU - Rutherford, Kenny

PY - 2021/1

Y1 - 2021/1

N2 - There are ongoing philosophical, moral, and societal debates about experiments on live animals. Along with a consequentialist approach, it may be considered that an action – here an experiment on live animals – is morally acceptable if the knowledge it aims to produce can result in an overall benefit. In other words, it is acceptable if the constraints imposed on the animals involved are outweighed by the larger benefits expected for others (humans or animals). Alternatively, it can be argued that, because animals are sentient beings, they have a right not to be used by others. There may also be points of view in between, considering that animal experimentation is acceptable on the condition that no alternative ways to gain the relevant knowledge are possible and animal suffering is limited as much as possible. What is considered as an important knowledge that justifies experimentation may differ as it refers to individual values. It is not the intention of this chapter to hold a moral debate about animal experimentation (for reviews, see for instance [1], [2]). Rather, we take a pragmatic approach that wehope will guide experimenters in their decision to undertake an experiment (or not), after having made explicit all arguments for or against that experiment.

AB - There are ongoing philosophical, moral, and societal debates about experiments on live animals. Along with a consequentialist approach, it may be considered that an action – here an experiment on live animals – is morally acceptable if the knowledge it aims to produce can result in an overall benefit. In other words, it is acceptable if the constraints imposed on the animals involved are outweighed by the larger benefits expected for others (humans or animals). Alternatively, it can be argued that, because animals are sentient beings, they have a right not to be used by others. There may also be points of view in between, considering that animal experimentation is acceptable on the condition that no alternative ways to gain the relevant knowledge are possible and animal suffering is limited as much as possible. What is considered as an important knowledge that justifies experimentation may differ as it refers to individual values. It is not the intention of this chapter to hold a moral debate about animal experimentation (for reviews, see for instance [1], [2]). Rather, we take a pragmatic approach that wehope will guide experimenters in their decision to undertake an experiment (or not), after having made explicit all arguments for or against that experiment.

KW - animal experimentation

KW - ethics

KW - 3 Rs

KW - animal welfare

KW - pain

U2 - 10.5680/mcpb019

DO - 10.5680/mcpb019

M3 - Book chapter

BT - Methods in cattle physiology and behaviour research – Recommendations from the SmartCow consortium

A2 - Mesgaran, Sadjad Danesh

A2 - Baumont, René

A2 - Munksgaard, Lene

A2 - Humphries, David

A2 - Kennedy, Emer

A2 - Dijkstra, Jan

A2 - Dewhurst, Richard

A2 - Ferguson, Holly

A2 - Terré, Marta

A2 - Kuhla, Björn

PB - Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)

CY - Køln

ER -