NCHU Animal Experiment Station Earns Animal Welfare Certification
2025-11-17
興新聞張貼者
Unit秘書室
29
In July 2025, the Animal Experiment Station under the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) passed the “Animal Welfare Label” dairy cattle welfare assessment conducted by the Taiwan Animal Social Research Institute. NCHU thus becomes the first university-affiliated livestock experiment facility in Taiwan to participate in and successfully pass the evaluation for dairy farms, establishing an important model for integrating animal welfare principles into higher education.
Director Chien-Kai Wang of the NCHU Animal Experiment Station explained that Taiwan’s Animal Welfare Label system was developed by the Taiwan Animal Social Research Institute with reference to international assessment standards and formulated jointly with domestic experts, scholars, and professional farms. The goal is to ensure that farm animals enjoy better living environments and grow in more comfortable and healthier conditions—ultimately enhancing the quality of the dairy, meat, and eggs consumed by the public.
The certification carries three key implications:
First, it demonstrates openness and practical implementation within an educational setting. By voluntarily undergoing external review, NCHU ensures that “animal care” extends beyond classroom instruction and is implemented directly in research and management practices, reflecting the institution’s active commitment to social responsibility.
Second, it establishes a professional benchmark for educational livestock facilities. The NCHU Animal Experiment Station operates through close collaboration among faculty and students from the Departments of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, forming a dedicated team responsible for animal care. The station’s evaluation scores exceeded the average of all certified farms, demonstrating that an educational training station can meet the professional standards of commercial operations and providing a model for other academic institutions.
Third, it underscores the balance between educational goals and animal welfare. Through expertise in facility design, health monitoring, and record management, the station has achieved above-average performance in both welfare and production efficiency—demonstrating a feasible model that integrates academic training with industry-level practices.
NCHU currently raises various farm animals, including chickens, ducks, geese, dairy goats, dairy cattle, and pigs. In both academic and educational contexts, animal welfare has become a major global issue in recent years. Studies show that proper housing and animal care not only improve production efficiency and reduce disease but also foster healthier relationships between farmers and animals. For students, this forms a crucial part of understanding the future development of the livestock industry.
For this reason, the NCHU Animal Experiment Station’s participation in this year’s dairy cattle welfare assessment was not about pursuing high scores, but about giving students firsthand experience in bridging theory and on-site practice. Students from the Departments of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine gained opportunities—beyond textbooks—to understand how animal quality of life and daily management practices are implemented in real-world settings.
Director Chien-Kai Wang of the NCHU Animal Experiment Station explained that Taiwan’s Animal Welfare Label system was developed by the Taiwan Animal Social Research Institute with reference to international assessment standards and formulated jointly with domestic experts, scholars, and professional farms. The goal is to ensure that farm animals enjoy better living environments and grow in more comfortable and healthier conditions—ultimately enhancing the quality of the dairy, meat, and eggs consumed by the public.
The certification carries three key implications:
First, it demonstrates openness and practical implementation within an educational setting. By voluntarily undergoing external review, NCHU ensures that “animal care” extends beyond classroom instruction and is implemented directly in research and management practices, reflecting the institution’s active commitment to social responsibility.
Second, it establishes a professional benchmark for educational livestock facilities. The NCHU Animal Experiment Station operates through close collaboration among faculty and students from the Departments of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, forming a dedicated team responsible for animal care. The station’s evaluation scores exceeded the average of all certified farms, demonstrating that an educational training station can meet the professional standards of commercial operations and providing a model for other academic institutions.
Third, it underscores the balance between educational goals and animal welfare. Through expertise in facility design, health monitoring, and record management, the station has achieved above-average performance in both welfare and production efficiency—demonstrating a feasible model that integrates academic training with industry-level practices.
NCHU currently raises various farm animals, including chickens, ducks, geese, dairy goats, dairy cattle, and pigs. In both academic and educational contexts, animal welfare has become a major global issue in recent years. Studies show that proper housing and animal care not only improve production efficiency and reduce disease but also foster healthier relationships between farmers and animals. For students, this forms a crucial part of understanding the future development of the livestock industry.
For this reason, the NCHU Animal Experiment Station’s participation in this year’s dairy cattle welfare assessment was not about pursuing high scores, but about giving students firsthand experience in bridging theory and on-site practice. Students from the Departments of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine gained opportunities—beyond textbooks—to understand how animal quality of life and daily management practices are implemented in real-world settings.
NCHU Animal Experiment Station Earns Animal Welfare Certification
NCHU Animal Experiment Station Earns Animal Welfare Certification
