scholarly journals Qualitative Behavioral Assessment in Juvenile Farmed Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar): Potential for On-Farm Welfare Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Jarvis ◽  
Maureen A. Ellis ◽  
James F. Turnbull ◽  
Sonia Rey Planellas ◽  
Francoise Wemelsfelder
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Environment ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Behavioral Assessment ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Farmed Fish ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Farmed Salmon ◽  
Video Clips ◽  
Observer Reliability

There is a growing scientific and legislative consensus that fish are sentient, and therefore have the capacity to experience pain and suffering. The assessment of the welfare of farmed fish is challenging due to the aquatic environment and the number of animals housed together. However, with increasing global production and intensification of aquaculture comes greater impetus for developing effective tools which are suitable for the aquatic environment to assess the emotional experience and welfare of farmed fish. This study therefore aimed to investigate the use of Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA), originally developed for terrestrial farmed animals, in farmed salmon and evaluate its potential for use as a welfare monitoring tool. QBA is a “whole animal” approach based on the description and quantification of the expressive qualities of an animal's dynamic style of behaving, using descriptors such as relaxed, agitated, lethargic, or confident. A list of 20 qualitative descriptors was generated by fish farmers after viewing video-footage showing behavior expressions representative of the full repertoire of salmon in this context. A separate, non-experienced group of 10 observers subsequently watched 25 video clips of farmed salmon, and scored the 20 descriptors for each clip using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). To assess intra-observer reliability each observer viewed the same 25 video clips twice, in two sessions 10 days apart, with the second clip set presented in a different order. The observers were unaware that the two sets of video clips were identical. Data were analyzed using Principal Component (PC) Analysis (correlation matrix, no rotation), revealing four dimensions that together explained 79% of the variation between video clips, with PC1 (Tense/anxious/skittish—Calm/mellow/relaxed) explaining the greatest percentage of variation (56%). PC1 was the only dimension to show acceptable inter- and intra-observer reliability, and mean PC1 scores correlated significantly to durations of slow and erratic physical movements measured for the same 25 video clips. Further refinements to the methodology may be necessary, but this study is the first to provide evidence for the potential of Qualitative Behavioral Assessment to serve as a time-efficient welfare assessment tool for juvenile salmon under farmed conditions.

scholarly journals Development of a fixed list of descriptors for the qualitative behavioural assessment of shelter dogs

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Arena ◽  
Françoise Wemelsfelder ◽  
Stefano Messori ◽  
Nicola Ferri ◽  
Shanis Barnard
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Video Clips ◽  
Observer Reliability ◽  
Shelter Dogs ◽  
Scoring Tool ◽  
First Time ◽  
Expert Opinion Survey

ABSTRACTThe shelter environment may have a severe impact on the quality of life of dogs, and there is thus a need to develop valid tools to assess their welfare. These tools should be sensitive not only to the animals’ physical health but also to their mental health, including the assessment of positive and negative emotions. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is an integrative ‘whole animal’ measure that captures the expressive quality of an animal’s demeanour, using descriptors such as ‘relaxed’, ‘anxious’, and ‘playful’. In this study, for the first time, we developed and tested a fixed-list of qualitative QBA descriptors for application to dogs living in kennels. A list of 20 QBA descriptors was developed based on literature search and an expert opinion survey. Inter-observer reliability was investigated by asking 11 observers to use these descriptors to score 13 video clips of kennelled dogs. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to extract four main dimensions together explaining 70.9% of the total variation between clips. PC1 characterised curious/playful/excitable, sociable demeanour, PC2 ranged from comfortable/relaxed to anxious/nervous/stressed expression, PC3 described fearful demeanour, and PC4 characterized bored/depressed demeanour. Observers’ agreement on the ranking of video clips on these four expressive dimensions was good (Kendall’s W: 0.60-0.80). ANOVA showed a significant effect of observer on mean clip score on all PCs (p<0.05) due to a few observers scoring differently from the rest of the group. These results indicate the potential of the proposed list of QBA terms for sheltered dogs to serve as a non-invasive, easy-to-use assessment tool. However, the observers’ effect on mean scores points towards the need for adequate observer training. The QBA scoring tool can be integrated with existing welfare assessment protocols for shelter dogs and strengthen the power of those protocols to assess and evaluate the animals’ experience in shelters.

Combining practice and theory to assess strategic thinking

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 488-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen F. Goldman ◽  
Karen S. Schlumpf ◽  
Andrea Richards Scott
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Behavioral Assessment ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Strategic Thinking ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
Delphi Panel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Specific Competency ◽  
The Individual

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the process used to develop and test the Individual Behavioral Assessment Tool for Strategic Thinking. Design/methodology/approach The instrument was developed using literature that identifies practices in use in organizations to assess strategic thinking competency and recommendations of scholars and practitioners to define strategic thinking and suggest how it could be assessed. Processes defined in the literature to develop competency measurements, both generally and for leadership and strategic management concepts specifically, were applied. A Delphi panel of experts reviewed the initial draft of the instrument which, with their refinements, was administered to participants in an executive leadership program. Findings Cronbach’s α and principal component analysis indicated that the instrument is internally consistent and unidimensional. Rasch analysis suggested a possible reduction in items that maintains good overall instrument performance. Research limitations/implications The study provides methodology for developing a measurement tool that fuses practice and theory. Further applications of the instrument across organizational levels and in single sectors would enhance its generalizability. Practical implications The instrument provides a consistent tool for use by practitioners to identify gaps in their own or another’s strategic thinking behaviors, specify a job-specific competency model, and direct professional development. Originality/value The instrument fills a gap in the theoretical literature by extending the descriptions of strategic thinking to include a comprehensive set of required individual behaviors. As such, it is the first theoretically based instrument to detail the specific competencies required to think strategically.

scholarly journals Introducing a Controlled Outdoor Environment Impacts Positively in Cat Welfare and Owner Concerns: The Use of a New Feline Welfare Assessment Tool

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Santos de Assis ◽  
Daniel Simon Mills
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Containment System ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
History Of ◽  
Physical Barriers

There is much debate over the pros and cons of allowing cats to roam freely as opposed to keeping them confined indoors. We surveyed owners who implemented a commercial physical containment system to the outdoors to evaluate their characteristics and the apparent impact of this system on cat welfare and owner perceptions. As part of the latter aim, we also developed a new feline welfare assessment tool based on the mathematical relationship between different measures. The survey was circulated to customers over the preceding 2 years of ProtectaPet® between May and June 2019 and gathered 446 responses. Univariate analyses compared changes following installation on factors such as the amount of time the cat spent outside, other cats entering the owner's garden and owners' concerns about their cat outside. Principal component analysis was used to reduce 21 potential indicators of feline welfare into fewer variables. This resulted in 4 subscales, 2 relating to positive welfare and 2 relating to negative welfare. The effects of installation of the containment system and significant predictors of these four welfare subscales were assessed. The majority of respondents lived in an urban environment with a relatively small garden, had multiple cats and a history of feline trauma associated with a road traffic accident. As expected, the time spent outside significantly increased, while the frequency of other cats entering the garden and owner concern about leaving their cats outside significantly decreased. The 4 welfare subscales grouped into positivity, maintenance behaviors, health issues and fearfulness; installation of the system was associated with significant improvements across all of these. Time spent outside after installation had a significant effect on positivity and, to a lesser extent, maintenance behaviors. Overall, installation was associated with positive changes in both owner and cat quality of life, which seem to be particularly associated with an increased sense of security. This suggests that housing cats within a controlled outside environment with physical barriers can provide a practical solution for many of the problems associated with cats being allowed out.

scholarly journals Multi-Approach Assessment for Stress Evaluation in Rainbow Trout Females, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) from Three Different Farms during the Summer Season

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1810
Author(s):  
Paul Uiuiu ◽  
Călin Lațiu ◽  
Tudor Păpuc ◽  
Cristina Craioveanu ◽  
Andrada Ihuț ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Biochemical Parameters ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Summer Season ◽  
Farmed Fish ◽  
Blood Profile ◽  
Blood Biochemical

Blood biochemistry parameters are valuable tools for monitoring fish health. Their baseline values are still undefined for a multitude of farmed fish species. In this study, changes in the blood profile of rainbow trout females (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from three farms were investigated using different biomarkers during the summer season. In the given context, the main water physicochemical parameters were investigated and twelve biochemical parameters were measured from blood samples of rainbow trout reared in the Fiad, Șoimul de Jos, and Strâmba farms. We selected these farms because the genetic background of the rainbow trout is the same, with all studied specimens coming from the Fiad farm, which has an incubation station. Forty-five samples were collected monthly (May to August) throughout summer to observe the changes in the blood profile of rainbow trout. Principal component analysis showed a clear separation both among the studied farms and months. Furthermore, significant correlations (p < 0.05) between the majority of the biochemical parameters were found, indicating that the environmental parameters can influence several blood parameters at the same time. The present study provides several useful norms for assessing the welfare of rainbow trout, indicating that the relationships among different parameters are important factors in interpreting the blood biochemical profiles.

scholarly journals The PUFFinCA scale: development of an instrument for evaluating the primary care functions of family physicians in childhood asthma

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayşe Nur Usturali Mut ◽  
Zeliha Aslı Öcek ◽  
Meltem Çiçeklioğlu ◽  
Şafak Taner ◽  
Esen Demir
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Childhood Asthma ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Asthma Management ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Family Physicians ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Care Assessment ◽  
Provision Of Services ◽  
Children With Asthma

AbstractAimTo develop the Primary care fUnctions oF Family physicians in Childhood Asthma (PUFFinCA) scale for evaluating the cardinal process functions of primary care services (accessibility, comprehensiveness, continuity and coordination) provided by family physicians (FPs) in the management of childhood asthma.BackgroundIn the literature on the functions of primary care, there is no assessment tool focusing on children with asthma. Primary care assessment scales adapted to various languages are not suitable to adequately address the needs of special patient groups, such as children with asthma.MethodsIn this methodological study, the instrument development process was completed in four stages: establishing the pool of items, evaluating the content validity, applying the scale and statistical analysis. The scale was applied to 320 children who had asthma and received care in the clinic of the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Pulmonology at Ege University School of Medicine, Turkey. The Cronbach’s α and Spearman–Brown coefficient were calculated to determine the reliability of the scale. Principal component analysis was used to determine the construct validity of the scale.FindingsThe PUFFinCA scale was found to have four-factor structure and 25 items. Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.93. It has been determined that the reliability was excellent and the item-total correlation coefficients were >0.30 each. The factors were titled FP’s ‘functions of accessibility, first contact and continuity’, ‘functions of coordination and comprehensiveness of health services related to asthma management’, ‘provision of preventive care related to asthma’ and ‘provision of services for paid vaccinations’.

scholarly journals Music Generates Emotional Responses in Growing Pigs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Zapata Cardona ◽  
Maria Camila Ceballos ◽  
Ariel Marcel Tarazona Morales ◽  
Edimer David Jaramillo ◽  
Berardo de Jesús Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Behavioral Assessment ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Growing Pigs ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Nursery Pigs ◽  
Vertical Density ◽  
Potential Use

Abstract There is a lack of clarity on whether pigs can emotionally respond to musical stimulation and whether that response is related to music types. Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA) was used to evaluate effects of 16 distinct musical pieces (in terms of harmony and vertical density) on emotional responses in nursery pigs (n=30) during four periods: “habituation,” “treatments,” “breaks,” and “final.” Data were evaluated using Principal component analysis (PCA). Two principal components (PC) were considered in the analysis: PC1, characterized as a positive emotions index, included the terms content, playful, sociable, and happy, whereas PC2, characterized as a negative emotions index, included fearful, inquisitive, and uneasy with positive loadings, and relaxed and calm with negative loadings. Musical stimulation (treatment) increased (P < 0.01) both emotional indices, compared to other periods and this response was influenced by the compositional characteristics of the music. We concluded that pigs have a wide variety of emotional responses, with different affective states related to the type of music used, providing evidence of its potential use as environmental enrichment for the species.

scholarly journals A Citizen Science Trial to Assess Perception of Wild Penguin Welfare

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Freire ◽  
Melanie Massaro ◽  
Simon McDonald ◽  
Philip Trathan ◽  
Christine J. Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Interest Groups ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
General Interest ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
The Impact

Wild penguins are facing increased threats to their populations and their welfare as a consequence of human activities. Understanding the perception of animal welfare is essential to identify ethical concerns related to the negative impact of anthropogenic factors on wild species and to guide conservation efforts that reflect societal values. Since penguin conservation is of general interest, we examined the human dimension of welfare assessment across a range of interest groups concerned with penguins, seabird biology and wildlife conservation. We provided participants with a Penguin Welfare Assessment Tool (PWAT) based on the five domains model. The PWAT supports consideration of the impact of four physical aspects on welfare-relevant mental states. Bibliometric analysis of keywords from 347 scientific articles indicated that penguins around the world face five main types (themes) of anthropogenic factors and we then developed five hypothetical scenarios, each related to one theme. Seventy-five participants scored the overall impact of the events described in the scenarios on penguin welfare as negative using the PWAT. Participants rated short-duration, high-intensity events (i.e., being trapped in a ghost fishing net) as having a significantly more severe impact on penguin welfare than low-intensity, long-duration events (P &lt; 0.0001). Scores provided by participants for each domain for each scenario were largely as expected and we found good correlation (all P &lt; 0.0001) between the physical domains and “mental state” for all scenarios, indicating that the tool was facilitating the participants' assessment of welfare. No evidence was found that experience of working or studying penguins, or indeed any other demographic factor investigated, influenced the assessments of welfare. We found little agreement between participants in the scores provided (unalike scores mostly between 0.7 and 0.8), and agreement between participants with experience of working with penguins was no better than between participants without such experience. We discuss the possibility that low agreement within different interest groups may be improved by providing more scientific information to support the evaluation of penguin welfare. We conclude that scientific knowledge of penguin biological responses to anthropogenic factors is vital to support the evaluation of wild penguin welfare by the public and other stakeholders.

COVID-19 vs. Healthcare Information System Self-Efficacy Perception (HISSEP)

2021 ◽  
pp. 271-292
Author(s):  
B. J. Weathersby-Holman
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Healthcare Information ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Healthcare Information System

Coronavirus has emphasized the importance of nursing contributions and their integral participation in interdisciplinary leadership teams providing patient care in healthcare organizations. Workforce shortages of qualified nurses in healthcare with technology skills are necessary to maintain a high level of patient care and healthcare operations. A validated instrument, Healthcare Information System Self-Efficacy Perception, was created providing a self-assessment tool for measuring an older working nurse's perception of self-efficacy of healthcare information system training within a healthcare environment. The study was the first of its kind to recognize the salient training differences that existed for older workers in a healthcare setting. The instrument was developed using a focus group, pilot study, and validated with registered nurses (RN) in a single healthcare organization. The sample (N=162) was assessed using an online survey tool. After face validity was established for HISSEP, a principal component factor analysis was conducted to determine content validity.

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