SAC Research

Following consultation with experts and examination of the literature, an inventory of questions relating to animal welfare, farm resources, farm management, farmer opinion and attitude to welfare and labour availability was compiled.

The inventory was piloted on one research farm (SAC’s Kirkton farm), and discussed with consultants at SAC and ADAS to ensure questions were written in a manner to elicit the information required. A finalised inventory was then used to collect data from the farms. 

Twenty farms from the Focus Groups farms (5 for each GB region) were visited by an interviewer (who was known to the farmer), who made some additional observations on the farm/their knowledge of the farmer, and conducted the interview (lasting approximately 4 hours).

The confidential data collected were used for conducting a farm typology and a qualitative welfare assessment.