Road transport of farm animals: effects of journey duration on animal welfare

Specific animal-based indicators that can be used to predict animal welfare have been the core of protocols for assessing the welfare of farm animals, such as those produced by the Welfare Quality project. At the same time, the contribution of technological tools for the accurate and real-time assessment of farm animal welfare is also evident. The solutions based on technological tools fit into the precision livestock farming (PLF) concept, which has improved productivity, economic sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farms. PLF has been adopted recently; nevertheless, the need for technological support on farms is getting more and more attention and has translated into significant scientific contributions in various fields of the dairy industry, but with an emphasis on the health and welfare of the cows. This review aims to present the recent advances of PLF in dairy cow welfare, particularly in the assessment of lameness, mastitis, and body condition, which are among the most relevant animal-based indications for the welfare of cows. Finally, a discussion is presented on the possibility of integrating the information obtained by PLF into a welfare assessment framework.

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Farm Animals Are Long Away from Natural Behavior: Open Questions and Operative Consequences on Animal Welfare

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11030724 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 724

Author(s):

Alberto Cesarani ◽

Giuseppe Pulina

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Farm Animal ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Natural State ◽

Natural Behavior ◽

Welfare Assessment ◽

Open Questions ◽

Naive Approach

The concept of welfare applied to farm animals has undergone a remarkable evolution. The growing awareness of citizens pushes farmers to guarantee the highest possible level of welfare to their animals. New perspectives could be opened for animal welfare reasoning around the concept of domestic, especially farm, animals as partial human artifacts. Therefore, it is important to understand how much a particular behavior of a farm animal is far from the natural one of its ancestors. This paper is a contribution to better understand the role of genetics of the farm animals on their behavior. This means that the naïve approach to animal welfare regarding returning animals to their natural state should be challenged and that welfare assessment should be considered.

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Costs and Benefits of Improving Farm Animal Welfare

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11020104 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 104

Author(s):

Jill N. Fernandes ◽

Paul H. Hemsworth ◽

Grahame J. Coleman ◽

Alan J. Tilbrook

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Social Consequences ◽

Farm Animal ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Costs And Benefits ◽

Farm Animal Welfare ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Course Of Action

It costs money to improve the welfare of farm animals. For people with animals under their care, there are many factors to consider regarding changes in practice to improve welfare, and the optimal course of action is not always obvious. Decision support systems for animal welfare, such as economic cost–benefit analyses, are lacking. This review attempts to provide clarity around the costs and benefits of improving farm animal welfare, thereby enabling the people with animals under their care to make informed decisions. Many of the costs are obvious. For example, training of stockpeople, reconfiguration of pens, and administration of pain relief can improve welfare, and all incur costs. Other costs are less obvious. For instance, there may be substantial risks to market protection, consumer acceptance, and social licence to farm associated with not ensuring good animal welfare. The benefits of improving farm animal welfare are also difficult to evaluate from a purely economic perspective. Although it is widely recognised that animals with poor welfare are unlikely to produce at optimal levels, there may be benefits of improving animal welfare that extend beyond production gains. These include benefits to the animal, positive effects on the workforce, competitive advantage for businesses, mitigation of risk, and positive social consequences. We summarise these considerations into a decision tool that can assist people with farm animals under their care, and we highlight the need for further empirical evidence to improve decision-making in animal welfare.

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Sheep Farmers’ Perception of Welfare and Pain Associated with Routine Husbandry Practices in Chile

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani8120225 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 225 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Cristian Larrondo ◽

Hedie Bustamante ◽

Carmen Gallo

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Numerical Rating Scale ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Farm Size ◽

Flock Size ◽

Husbandry Practices ◽

Level Of Agreement

Considering the public concern about the welfare of farm animals during routine husbandry practices, this study aimed to determine how husbandry practices are carried out in Chilean farms, sheep farmers’ perceptions of animal welfare and pain, and factors that affect them, as well as the level of agreement among farmers in the recognition of pain associated with these practices. Using a self-administered survey, participants were asked about their sociodemographic information, how husbandry practices are carried out in their farms, and their pain perception for seven of these common husbandry procedures using a numerical rating scale (0 to 10). A total of 165 farmers completed the survey and perceived castration and tail docking as the most painful practices in lambs (median pain score 10 vs. 8, p < 0.05). Pain perception was associated with the method used for the specific husbandry practices, the farmers’ educational level, the farm size, and flock size (p < 0.05). There was a fair to good level of agreement beyond chance (p < 0.05) in the recognition of pain associated with the most painful practices. In general, husbandry practices are not carried out in young animals, use painful methods, without using analgesics, which may have a negative impact on animal welfare.

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How Epigenetics Can Enhance Pig Welfare?

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani12010032 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 32

Author(s):

Arthur Nery da Silva ◽

Michelle Silva Araujo ◽

Fábio Pértille ◽

Adroaldo José Zanella

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Enrichment Analysis ◽

Functional Enrichment Analysis ◽

Functional Enrichment ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Swine Production ◽

Production Chain ◽

Stress Related Genes ◽

The Individual ◽

Current Guidelines

Epigenetics works as an interface between the individual and its environment to provide phenotypic plasticity to increase individual adaptation capabilities. Recently, a wide variety of epi-genetic findings have indicated evidence for its application in the development of putative epi-biomarkers of stress in farm animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate previously reported stress epi-biomarkers in swine and encourage researchers to investigate potential paths for the development of a robust molecular tool for animal welfare certification. In this literature review, we report on the scientific concerns in the swine production chain, the management carried out on the farms, and the potential implications of these practices for the animals’ welfare and their epigenome. To assess reported epi-biomarkers, we identified, from previous studies, potentially stress-related genes surrounding epi-biomarkers. With those genes, we carried out a functional enrichment analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of the DNA of swine subjected to different stress-related conditions (e.g., heat stress, intrauterine insult, and sanitary challenges). We identified potential epi-biomarkers for target analysis, which could be added to the current guidelines and certification schemes to guarantee and certify animal welfare on farms. We believe that this technology may have the power to increase consumers’ trust in animal welfare.

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Evaluation of Animal Welfare in Extensive and Intensive Dairy Farms and its Correlation to Infectious Diseases

10.21203/rs.3.rs-185168/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Francesca Licitra ◽

Laura Perillo ◽

Francesco Antoci ◽

Giuseppe Piccione ◽

Claudia Giannetto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Diseases ◽

Animal Welfare ◽

Bovine Herpesvirus ◽

T Test ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Housing System ◽

Check List ◽

Kendall’S Tau ◽

Kendall's Tau ◽

Specific Antibodies

Abstract Background: The welfare of farm animals has become a growing concern in recent years. This is the first study that assesses dairy cow welfare by the application of an impartial, reproducible, functional check-list based on risk analysis which provides a numerical animal welfare index to each farm. We tested the effect of two different management conditions, housing with free access to pasture and indoor housing, on dairy cows kept in 36 farms and concurrently carried out the evaluation of different infectious diseases. Animal welfare assessment was performed in each farm through the CReNBA’s check-list. Moreover, the prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, Chlamydiophila abortus, Neospora caninum, Bovine Herpesvirus specific antibodies IgB and IgE and of Bovine Viral Diarrhea virus was tested in each farm through ELISA serological test. Unpaired t-Test was applied to assess differences among the two experimental groups; while, Kendall’s Tau coefficient (T) was determined to investigate the relationship between studied variables. Results: The result of each area provided an indication of the burden and importance of each of these on the final calculation of the animal welfare value. ELISA was positive with different mean percentages. The application of Unpaired t-Test showed that the intensive housing system group had higher percentages of Bovine Herpesvirus specific antibodies IgB compared to the extensive housing system group. The application of Kendall’s Tau coefficient showed different correlations between studied areas and infectious diseases. Conclusion: The hazard analysis areas assessed farming and management conditions of the farms, but these may have different effects as they are regulated by the animals’ ability to adapt and are therefore less important when establishing the final welfare value. Those farms with the highest prevalence of infections could be associated with a poor level of business management. A proper evaluation of the problems encountered and a more accurate application of the check-list could prevent and control the spread of infections in farms. Our results want to be a contribution in breeding which provides farmers and veterinarians the instruments to improve animal welfare and farm business performance.

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Leave No One Behind, Not Even the Animals

Environmental, Health, and Business Opportunities in the New Meat Alternatives Market - Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-7350-0.ch016 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 297-318

Author(s):

Alexis J. Nagy ◽

Dora Marinova

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Case Studies ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Ethical Framework ◽

Use Case ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Ethical Argument ◽

Policy Frameworks ◽

Future Policy ◽

Compare And Contrast

The sustainability agenda is a modern-day exercise in global ethics. Why then is animal welfare an absent policy within the ethical framework? Why do we continue to see farm animals only as food-related commodities? In this chapter, these issues are explored using case studies to support the emotional complexities of animals as well as the recent legal developments in animal personhood rights. The purpose of this chapter is to establish a logical and ethical argument to push the animal welfare agenda forward within the sustainable development conversation and provide a useful tool for future policy frameworks. This chapter is comprised of a comparative research methodology with the objectives to analyze, compare and contrast secondary research, and use case studies to establish an argument for the inclusion of animal welfare as an independent thread of human rights and provide implications for new meat alternatives together with recommendations for government and policymakers.

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Animal welfare and public perceptions as potential constraints to genetic change in animal production

BSAP Occasional Publication ◽

10.1017/s1463981500040565 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 27 ◽

pp. 81-82

Author(s):

Alistair B. Lawrence ◽

Jennie E. Pryce ◽

Alistair Stott

Keyword(s):

Side Effects ◽

Animal Welfare ◽

Selective Breeding ◽

Public Perceptions ◽

Genetic Change ◽

Animal Production ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Moral Concern ◽

The Impact

Selective breeding has been an important component in the increased output and efficiency of animal production since the 1950's. At the same time there has been increasing moral concern over the welfare of modern farmed animals with much of the focus on the environment and management of farm animals and relatively little consideration of the impact of genetic change on welfare. This is now changing, partly because of some well-publicised examples where selection has led to ‘undesirable’ side effects, and because of the perceived welfare risk of emerging biotechnologies. This paper will address whether and how moral concerns over animal welfare should place limitations on genetic change in animal production.

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Environmental choices of farm animals

BSAP Occasional Publication ◽

10.1017/s0263967x00043354 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 35-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

C J. Nicol

Keyword(s):

Experimental Data ◽

Animal Welfare ◽

Farm Animal ◽

Farm Animals ◽

One Dimension ◽

Farm Animal Welfare ◽

Know How ◽

Single Dimension ◽

Underlying Basis ◽

Preference Strength

AbstractTo assess farm animal welfare we need to understand how animals make choices and how these choices relate to preference strength. Studies of environmental choice can be categorized by the method used to investigate them, or by the underlying basis on which the animal is choosing. Choices made between resources that vary along a single dimension should meet certain criteria e.g. those of transitivity. Choices made between resources that vary along more than one dimension may or may not meet these criteria, depending how the animal evaluates each option. Understanding how farm animals choose will allow the results of individual experiments to be applied in a wider context. It is also important to know how preferences are formed during development. Evidence suggests that preferences for nests and pecking substrates in hens may be influenced by prefunctional experience. Experimental data from studies of environmental choice may enable us either to provide important resources in commercial systems, or to provide facilities for animals to continue to make their own decisions.

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Citizens’ and Farmers’ Framing of ‘Positive Animal Welfare’ and the Implications for Framing Positive Welfare in Communication

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9040147 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 147 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Belinda Vigors

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Human Perception ◽

Point Of View ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Negative Experiences ◽

Qualitative Interview Study ◽

Positive Experiences ◽

Existing Frames ◽

On Farm ◽

Positive Animal

Human perception can depend on how an individual frames information in thought and how information is framed in communication. For example, framing something positively, instead of negatively, can change an individual’s response. This is of relevance to ‘positive animal welfare’, which places greater emphasis on farm animals being provided with opportunities for positive experiences. However, little is known about how this framing of animal welfare may influence the perception of key animal welfare stakeholders. Through a qualitative interview study with farmers and citizens, undertaken in Scotland, UK, this paper explores what positive animal welfare evokes to these key welfare stakeholders and highlights the implications of such internal frames for effectively communicating positive welfare in society. Results indicate that citizens make sense of positive welfare by contrasting positive and negative aspects of welfare, and thus frame it as animals having ‘positive experiences’ or being ‘free from negative experiences’. Farmers draw from their existing frames of animal welfare to frame positive welfare as ‘good husbandry’, ‘proactive welfare improvement’ or the ‘animal’s point of view’. Implications of such internal frames (e.g., the triggering of ‘negative welfare’ associations by the word ‘positive’) for the effective communication of positive welfare are also presented.

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