Animals

Research

26 pages, 517 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A “Good Life” for Dairy Cattle: Developing and Piloting a Framework for Assessing Positive Welfare Opportunities Based on Scientific Evidence and Farmer Expertise

by Jessica E. Stokes, Elizabeth Rowe, Siobhan Mullan, Joy C. Pritchard, Rachel Horler, Marie J. Haskell, Cathy M. Dwyer and David C. J. Main

Animals 2022, 12(19), 2540; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani12192540 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2738

Abstract

On-farm welfare assessment tends to focus on minimising negative welfare, but providing positive welfare is important in order to give animals a good life. This study developed a positive welfare framework for dairy cows based on the existing scientific literature which has focused [...] Read more.

On-farm welfare assessment tends to focus on minimising negative welfare, but providing positive welfare is important in order to give animals a good life. This study developed a positive welfare framework for dairy cows based on the existing scientific literature which has focused on developing positive welfare indicators, and trialled a participatory approach with farmers; refining the framework based on their recommendations, followed by a vet pilot phase on farm. The results revealed that farmers and scientists agree on what constitutes “a good life” for dairy cattle. Farmers value positive welfare because they value their cows’ quality of life, and want to be proud of their work, improve their own wellbeing as well as receive business benefits. For each good life resource, the proportion of farmers going above and beyond legislation ranged from 27 to 84%. Furthermore, barriers to achieving positive welfare opportunities, including monetary and time costs, were not apparently insurmountable if implementation costs were remunerated (by the government). However, the intrinsic value in providing such opportunities also incentivises farmers. Overall, most farmers appeared to support positive welfare assessment, with the largest proportion (50%) supporting its use within existing farm assurance schemes, or to justify national and global marketing claims. Collaborating with farmers to co-create policy is crucial to showcase and quantify the UK’s high welfare standards, and to maximise engagement, relevance and uptake of animal welfare policy, to ensure continuous improvement and leadership in the quality of lives for farm animals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

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14 pages, 219 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advancing a “Good Life” for Farm Animals: Development of Resource Tier Frameworks for On-Farm Assessment of Positive Welfare for Beef Cattle, Broiler Chicken and Pigs

by Elizabeth Rowe and Siobhan Mullan

Animals 2022, 12(5), 565; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani12050565 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3183

Abstract

There is increasing recognition that farm animal welfare standards should ensure positive welfare, as well as prevent negative welfare. Resources that are valued by an animal and that provide opportunities to engage in motivated behaviours can elicit positive physical and emotional states and [...] Read more.

There is increasing recognition that farm animal welfare standards should ensure positive welfare, as well as prevent negative welfare. Resources that are valued by an animal and that provide opportunities to engage in motivated behaviours can elicit positive physical and emotional states and therefore positive welfare and a “good life” for farmed animals. Evaluation of resource provision is considered the best way of assessing positive welfare at present, in the absence of validated and practical animal-based measures. Previous research has outlined a framework of three tiers of increasingly positive welfare (Welfare +, Welfare ++, Welfare +++) containing resources that incrementally increase the opportunities for a good life over and above the requirements of UK law and code of practice. Based on this blueprint, “Good Life Frameworks” were developed for beef cattle, broiler chickens and pigs, containing resources that increase good life opportunities according to the scientific literature and expert consultation. We describe the initial development of these frameworks, including a piloting exercise with the UK farm assurance industry, to further refine the frameworks according to auditor and farmer feedback, and test the frameworks as a method of on-farm assessment and assurance of a “good life” for farm animals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

14 pages, 774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Associations between Dairy Herds’ Qualitative Behavior and Aspects of Herd Health, Stockperson and Farm Factors—A Cross-Sectional Exploration

by Asja Ebinghaus, Katharina Matull, Ute Knierim and Silvia Ivemeyer

Animals 2022, 12(2), 182; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani12020182 - 13 Jan 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1663

Abstract

The affective state is an integrated aspect of farm animal welfare, which is understood as the animals’ perception of their living environment and of their internal biological functioning. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore animal-internal and external factors potentially influencing [...] Read more.

The affective state is an integrated aspect of farm animal welfare, which is understood as the animals’ perception of their living environment and of their internal biological functioning. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore animal-internal and external factors potentially influencing dairy cows’ affective state. For this purpose, qualitative behavior assessments (QBA) describing the animals’ body language were applied at herd level on 25 dairy farms. By means of principal component analysis (PCA), scores of PC1 (QBAscores) were determined for further analyses. From monthly milk recordings (MR) one year retrospectively, prevalences of udder and metabolic health impairments were calculated. Factors of housing, management, and human-animal contact were recorded via interviews and observations. A multivariable regression was calculated following a univariable preselection of factors. No associations were found between MR indicators and QBAscores. However, more positive QBAscores were associated with bedded cubicles or straw yards compared to raised cubicles, increased voluntary stockperson contact with the cows, and fixation of cows during main feeding times, the latter contributing to the explanatory model, but not being significant. These results underline the importance of lying comfort, positive human-animal relationship and reduction of competition during feeding for the well-being of dairy cows. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

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19 pages, 3333 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of miRNA as Biomarkers of Emotional Valence in Pigs

by Laura Marsh, Mark R. Hutchinson, Clive McLaughlan, Stefan T. Musolino, Michelle L. Hebart, Robyn Terry, Paul J. Verma, Stefan Hiendleder and Alexandra L. Whittaker

Animals 2021, 11(7), 2054; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11072054 - 09 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2941

Abstract

The ability to assess the welfare of animals is dependent on our ability to accurately determine their emotional (affective) state, with particular emphasis being placed on the identification of positive emotions. The challenge remains that current physiological and behavioral indices are either unable [...] Read more.

The ability to assess the welfare of animals is dependent on our ability to accurately determine their emotional (affective) state, with particular emphasis being placed on the identification of positive emotions. The challenge remains that current physiological and behavioral indices are either unable to distinguish between positive and negative emotional states, or they are simply not suitable for a production environment. Therefore, the development of novel measures of animal emotion is a necessity. Here we investigated the efficacy of microRNA (miRNA) in the brain and blood as biomarkers of emotional state in the pig. Female Large White × Landrace pigs (n = 24) were selected at weaning and trained to perform a judgment bias test (JBT), before being exposed for 5 weeks to either enriched (n = 12) or barren housing (n = 12) conditions. Pigs were tested on the JBT once prior to treatment, and immediately following treatment. MiRNA and neurotransmitters were analyzed in blood and brain tissue after euthanasia. Treatment had no effect on the outcomes of the JBT. There was also no effect of treatment on miRNA expression in blood or the brain (FDR p > 0.05). However, pigs exposed to enriched housing had elevated dopamine within the striatum compared to pigs in barren housing (p = 0.02). The results imply that either (a) miRNAs are not likely to be valid biomarkers of a positive affective state, at least under the type of conditions employed in this study, or (b) that the study design used to modify affective state was not able to create differential affective states, and therefore establish the validity of miRNA as biomarkers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

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16 pages, 1534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Inter-Observer Reliability of Animal Welfare Indicators: Which Is the Best Index to Use?

by Mauro Giammarino, Silvana Mattiello, Monica Battini, Piero Quatto, Luca Maria Battaglini, Ana C. L. Vieira, George Stilwell and Manuela Renna

Animals 2021, 11(5), 1445; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11051445 - 18 May 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2763

Abstract

This study focuses on the problem of assessing inter-observer reliability (IOR) in the case of dichotomous categorical animal-based welfare indicators and the presence of two observers. Based on observations obtained from Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) project surveys conducted on nine dairy goat farms, [...] Read more.

This study focuses on the problem of assessing inter-observer reliability (IOR) in the case of dichotomous categorical animal-based welfare indicators and the presence of two observers. Based on observations obtained from Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) project surveys conducted on nine dairy goat farms, and using udder asymmetry as an indicator, we compared the performance of the most popular agreement indexes available in the literature: Scott’s

π

, Cohen’s

k

,

k_{P A B A K}

, Holsti’s

H

, Krippendorff’s

α

, Hubert’s

Γ

, Janson and Vegelius’

J

, Bangdiwala’s

B

, Andrés and Marzo’s

∆

, and Gwet’s

γ (A C_{1})

. Confidence intervals were calculated using closed formulas of variance estimates for

π

,

k

,

k_{P A B A K,}

H, α,

Γ

,

J

,

∆

, and

γ (A C_{1})

, while the bootstrap and exact bootstrap methods were used for all the indexes. All the indexes and closed formulas of variance estimates were calculated using Microsoft Excel. The bootstrap method was performed with R software, while the exact bootstrap method was performed with SAS software.

k

,

π,

and

α

exhibited a paradoxical behavior, showing unacceptably low values even in the presence of very high concordance rates.

B

and

γ (A C_{1})

showed values very close to the concordance rate, independently of its value. Both bootstrap and exact bootstrap methods turned out to be simpler compared to the implementation of closed variance formulas and provided effective confidence intervals for all the considered indexes. The best approach for measuring IOR in these cases is the use of

B

or

γ (A C_{1})

, with bootstrap or exact bootstrap methods for confidence interval calculation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

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14 pages, 6397 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Time-Budget of Horses Reared for Meat Production: Influence of Stocking Density on Behavioural Activities and Subsequent Welfare

by Federica Raspa, Martina Tarantola, Domenico Bergero, Joana Nery, Alice Visconti, Chiara Maria Mastrazzo, Damiano Cavallini, Ermenegildo Valvassori and Emanuela Valle

Animals 2020, 10(8), 1334; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani10081334 - 01 Aug 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4066

Abstract

Horses reared for meat production can be kept in intensive breeding farms where they are housed in group pens at high stocking densities. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the expressed behaviours correlated with stocking density, and to compare their time-budget with [...] Read more.

Horses reared for meat production can be kept in intensive breeding farms where they are housed in group pens at high stocking densities. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the expressed behaviours correlated with stocking density, and to compare their time-budget with that of wild-living horses. An ethogram of 13 mutually exclusive behavioural activities was developed. Behavioural observations were performed over a 72 h period on group pens selected on the basis of stocking density and the homogeneity of breed, age, height at the withers, and time since arriving at the farm. Scan sampling (n = 96 scans/horse/day) was used on 22 horses. The mean frequency (%) ± standard deviation (±SD) for each behavioural activity was calculated to obtain the time-budget. The associations between time-budget and stocking density were evaluated using a bivariate analysis. The relationships were analysed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r). Our results show that locomotion, playing, and self-grooming positively correlated with a reduction in stocking density, indicating the potential to use these behaviours as positive welfare indicators for young horses kept in group pens. The data also revealed an unusual time-budget, where the main behavioural activity expressed was standing (30.56% ± 6.56%), followed by feeding (30.55% ± 3.59%), lying (27.33% ± 2.05%), and locomotion (4.07% ± 1.06%). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

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Review

Jump to: Research, Other

14 pages, 631 KiB

Open AccessReview

Enhanced Understanding of Horse–Human Interactions to Optimize Welfare

by Katrina Merkies and Olivia Franzin

Animals 2021, 11(5), 1347; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11051347 - 09 May 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 10167

Abstract

Horses (Equus caballus) have been domesticated for millennia and are regularly utilized for work, sport, and companionship. Enhanced understanding of human–horse interactions can create avenues to optimize their welfare. This review explores the current research surrounding many aspects of human–horse interactions [...] Read more.

Horses (Equus caballus) have been domesticated for millennia and are regularly utilized for work, sport, and companionship. Enhanced understanding of human–horse interactions can create avenues to optimize their welfare. This review explores the current research surrounding many aspects of human–horse interactions by first highlighting the horse’s sensory capabilities and how they pertain to human interactions. Evidence exists that suggests that horses can read humans in various ways through our body odours, posture, facial expressions, and attentiveness. The literature also suggests that horses are capable of remembering previous experiences when working with humans. The interrelatedness of equine cognition and affective states within the horse’s umwelt is then explored. From there, equine personality and the current literature regarding emotional transfer between humans and horses is examined. Even though horses may be capable of recognizing emotional states in humans, there remains a gap in the literature of whether horses are capable of empathizing with human emotion. The objective of this literature review is to explore aspects of the relationship between humans and horses to better understand the horse’s umwelt and thereby shed new light on potential positive approaches to enhance equine welfare with humans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

14 pages, 274 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Best Farming Practices for the Welfare of Dairy Cows, Heifers and Calves

by Giulia Ventura, Valentina Lorenzi, Francesca Mazza, Gianfilippo Alessio Clemente, Claudia Iacomino, Luigi Bertocchi and Francesca Fusi

Animals 2021, 11(9), 2645; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11092645 - 09 Sep 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4985

Abstract

The concept of animal welfare (AW) has many meanings. Traditionally, AW has been considered as freedom from disease and suffering. Nowadays, growing attention goes to the concept of “positive animal welfare” (PAW), which can be interpreted within the concept of quality of life [...] Read more.

The concept of animal welfare (AW) has many meanings. Traditionally, AW has been considered as freedom from disease and suffering. Nowadays, growing attention goes to the concept of “positive animal welfare” (PAW), which can be interpreted within the concept of quality of life (QoL), thinking about a “balance of positives over negatives” and a “life worth living”. In this vision, where the QoL represents a continuum between positives and negatives, the Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Welfare (CReNBA), within the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), has developed a welfare assessment protocol for dairy cows, heifers, and calves in loose housing systems, including both animal-based and non-animal-based indicators, in which not only hazards but also benefits are identified. This protocol is part of an integrated monitoring system called “ClassyFarm”, belonging to the Italian Ministry of Health and developed by IZSLER. The aim of this paper is to extrapolate from the mentioned protocol, a list of 38 best farming practices (on managerial and equipment factors) for ensuring a high level of welfare in dairy cattle. All stakeholders (veterinarians, farmers, competent authorities, consumers, etc.) can benefit of these best practices as a guide or toolbox to ensure a life worth living for these animals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Positive Welfare Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment)

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