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Academic Recognition For SAC Animal Welfare Expert With Innovative Ideas

SAC News Release Ref. No: 09N41
Published: 14 Jul 2009

A leading SAC animal welfare expert, with an innovative approach to her subject, has been awarded the academic title “Reader in SAC”. Dr Francoise Wemelsfelder, who has an international reputation, began working at the Scottish Agricultural College in 1993. Her new title recognises her research and academic excellence and was awarded at SAC’s recent graduation ceremony.

Francoise has pioneered an approach to assessing animal welfare based on studying the animal’s body language. This initially subjective way of gauging an animal’s feelings is supported by rigorous, objective scientific analysis. It is work that is increasingly gaining support across Europe and can be applied as successfully to pigs as elephants.

Francoise began her then controversial approach to welfare while studying for her PhD at the Institute for Theoretical Biology, University of Leiden in the Netherlands, where she graduated (Cum Laude) in 1993.  She then joined SAC on a 12-month Royal Society grant and during that short period put together her ideas for her new approach to assessing animal welfare based on the thesis that we can use an animal's body language to tell us about that creature's subjective experiences and thus assess their welfare.

The then UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food funded her for three years to develop the concept.  She adopted an approach previously proven in food science to transform qualitative descriptions about taste and texture into quantitative data.  For the first time, together with colleague Tony Hunter (BioSS), she applied these techniques to animal behaviour with exciting results. The terms human observers used to describe an animal’s state, such as “anxious” or “calm” were proved to be relevant to welfare assessment and robust in interpretation.

Dr. Wemelsfelder’s approach is now known as Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA).  Interest has been shown by such bodies as Quality Meat Scotland, Meat and Livestock Australia, and the European Commission. It is a technique that, with training, can be used by anyone responsible for livestock, including farmers, hauliers, and auction mart staff.  She has also developed QBA programmes for the welfare of dogs in shelters in New Zealand and transplanted elephants in the Serengeti.  

At the award ceremony Francois Wemelsfelder was described as one of a ‘rare breed’ of scientist being both ‘cutting edge’ and applied at the same time.

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News Release Contacts

SAC Contact

Dr Francoise Wemelsfelder
Senior Scientist
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush,
Midlothian
EH25 9RG
TelWork 0131 5353229/6519349
Fax 0131 535 3121

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News Release Issued By

Mr Ken Rundle
Senior Communications Officer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, King's Buildings, West Mains Road,
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG
TelWork 0131 535 4196

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