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Garcia, Emanuel Fernandes. "Animal welfare and performance." Bachelor's thesis, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/1507.
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Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaOestrus intensity in Swedish dairy cattle – Is there a relationship with animal-based welfare parameters? A welfare field study was carried out in a Swedish experimental dairy farm to determine the presence and relevance of relationships between animal welfare-based parameters and fertility in heifers and first parity dairy cows with high genetic potential for milk production. The main hypothesis tested was that strong signalling of oestrus is an indicator of good welfare and that it is related to low avoidance distance, low lameness score and acceptable pregnancy rate. A field trial was initiated to validate a commercially automated progesterone measuring instrument (eProCheck®) designed to ease reproduction management. The studied sample included 68 females, balanced in terms of breed and category (Swedish Red or Swedish Holstein; heifer or cow). The animals were included into the study after oestrus detection and artificial insemination (AI) decision by the personnel at the farm. Oestrus intensity (OI) was determined in parallel by the personnel (NCV_OI) and by the author (OBS_OI). On day 0, defined by AI, progesterone relative level was assessed in blood (and milk - cows). On day 7, avoidance distance (at the feeding rack and inside the stable), body condition, lameness and progesterone level were assessed. On day 20, progesterone level was determined, as well as pregnancy through trans-rectal ultrasonography. Pregnancy was confirmed with trans-rectal palpation by day 50. The NCV_OI and OBS_OI differed, but the last revealed to be higher in heifers than in cows. The overall pregnancy rate (55%) was acceptable, but heifers had a higher performance than cows (70% vs. 37%), being higher oestrus intensity, both NCV_OI and OBS_OI, reflected in a higher pregnancy rate. Standing oestrus (high OBS_OI) had 3.8-fold higher odds of pregnancy, compared to the detection based on secondary oestrus signs. Though, AIs based on secondary signs had acceptable pregnancy rates (45 % in low vs. 46 % in medium OI). Strong oestruses (NCV_OI) had 5.3-fold higher odds of pregnancy than weak and clear ones grouped. Non-lame had 4.8-fold higher odds of pregnancy than lame animals. Avoidance distance means were short (<1m), as a reflex of a good human-animal interaction at the farm. Although OBS_OI tended to correlate negatively with avoidance distance at the feeding rack in primiparous cows, the relationships between OI and avoidance distances were found inconclusive and statistically nonsignificant. Results of preliminary eProCheck® trials seem promising regarding early pregnancy diagnosis, due to high sensitivity with a single test on day 20. Although further testing is required, it is considered a valuable complement for on-farm reproductive management. In conclusion, OI and lameness were associated with pregnancy outcome, confirming the importance of these factors in modern dairy farming, although global animal welfare level was considered acceptable within the studied parameters. Yet, re-evaluation of the prevention programme for lameness is needed to address its high prevalence in primiparous cows.
RESUMO - Performance e Bem-estar Animal Intensidade do cio em bovinos de leite na Suécia – Existem relações com os parâmetros de bem-estar baseados no animal? - Foi realizado um estudo de campo numa vacaria experimental de leite na Suécia para determinar a presença e relevância das relações entre parâmetros de bem-estar com base no animal e fertilidade de novilhas e vacas primíparas com alto potencial genético para produção de leite. A principal hipótese testada admite que a sinalização intensa do estro é um bom indicador de bem-estar e que está relacionada com uma curta distância de fuga, um baixo grau de claudicação e uma taxa de gestação aceitável. Foi iniciada a validação de um instrumento comercial de medição automatizada de progesterona (eProCheck®) desenvolvido para facilitar o maneio reprodutivo. A amostra incluiu 68 fêmeas, sem diferenças significativas na proporção de raças e categorias (Vermelha Sueca, Holstein Sueca; novilha, vaca). Os animais foram incluídos no estudo após a detecção de cio e decisão da inseminação artificial (IA) pelo pessoal da vacaria. A intensidade de cio (OI) foi avaliada em paralelo pelo pessoal (NCV_OI) e pelo autor (OBS_OI). No dia 0, definido pela IA, o nível relativo de progesterona foi determinado no sangue (e leite–vacas). No dia 7, foram avaliados a distância de fuga (na manjedoura e dentro do estábulo), condição corporal, grau de claudicação e o nível de progesterona. No dia 20, o nível de progesterona foi determinado, assim como a gestação através de ultrasonografia transrectal. A gestação foi confirmada por palpação trans-rectal cerca do dia 50. Os sistemas de classificação NCV_OI e OBS_OI obtiveram resultados diferentes, tendo o segundo evidenciado OI mais elevada nas novilhas que nas vacas. A taxa de gestação global (55%) foi aceitável, tendo as novilhas maior performance que as vacas (70% vs. 37%), pelo que maior OI, em NCV_OI e OBS_OI, reflectiu-se em maior taxa de gestação. O comportamento de se deixar montar (alta intensidade de cio) correspondeu a 3.8 vezes maior probabilidade de gestação, em comparação com a detecção baseada em sinais secundários. No entanto, as IAs com base em sinais secundários, obtiveram taxa de gestação aceitável (45% baixa vs. 46% média intensidade de cio). Cios intensos (NCV_OI) corresponderam a 5.3 vezes maior probabilidade de gestação que o conjunto dos cios nítidos e fracos. Animais não-claudicantes mostraram 4.8 vezes maior probabilidade de gestação do que animais com claudicação. As distâncias de fuga foram curtas (<1m), como reflexo de uma boa interacção homemanimal na vacaria. Embora a intensidade de cio tenha tido tendência a correlacionar-se negativamente com a distância de fuga na manjedoura em vacas primíparas, as relações entre intensidade de cio e as distâncias de fuga foram consideradas inconclusivas, não sendo estatisticamente significativas. Os resultados dos ensaios preliminares do eProCheck® parecem promissores quanto ao diagnóstico precoce de gestação, devido à alta sensibilidade com um único teste ao dia 20. Ainda que seja necessário continuar a testagem, pode ser uma ferramenta complementar útil no maneio reprodutivo. Finalmente, a taxa de gestação encontrou-se associada à intensidade de cio e ao grau de claudicação, confirmando-se a importância destes factores em explorações de alta produção, embora o bem-estar animal tenha sido considerado aceitável ao nível dos parâmetros estudados. No entanto, é necessária uma reavaliação do programa de prevenção de claudicação, a fim de reduzir a sua alta prevalência nas vacas prímiparas.
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Hodge, Alison. "Farm animal welfare and sustainability." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10036/3674.
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This thesis is concerned with acknowledging farm animals and their co-presence in the more-than-human space of the livestock farm, and with accounting for them responsibly in sustainability debates. The enrolment of farm animals as actors in political agendas for environmental sustainability, and farm animal welfare suggests that there are new ways of seeing and being with farm animals that permit their relational presence and recognise their subjectivity. Indeed geographers have in recent years acknowledged animals and their relations with humans, and they have begun to recognise the nature of animal subjectivies. However, within the fundamental rethinking of animals that has been provoked by these discussions, I suggest that farm animals have remained relatively invisible. Occupying ethically confusing terrain, farm animals have nonetheless been visible in a set of philosophical positions regarding their moral status, yet these debates present a rather confusing picture in which the farm animal as an individual is conspicuous by its absence. In seeking to redress the invisibility of farm animals within these debates, and recast them in relation to humans and the broader farm ecology, this thesis attempts to set out an epistemological and methodological framework through which farm animals might become visible as individual fleshy beings. Drawing on the concept of agricultural stewardship and new agendas in farm animal welfare science, it makes use of new methodological tools that have emerged in the social sciences to conduct a relational study of the livestock farm; a study in which farm animals themselves participate. It also considers how the divisions that have been constructed between humans, farm animals and the environment can be reconfigured as a more unified political science of the livestock farm.
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Svärd, Per-Anders. "Problem Animals : A Critical Genealogy of Animal Cruelty and Animal Welfare in Swedish Politics 1844–1944." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Statsvetenskapliga institutionen, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-121356.
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Despite growing academic interest in the human–animal relationship, little research has been directed toward the political regulation of animal treatment. Even less attention has been accorded to the emergence of the long dominant paradigm in this policy area, namely, the ideology of animal welfare. This book attempts to address this gap by chronicling the early history of animal politics in Sweden with the aim of producing a critical, deconstructive genealogy of animal cruelty and animal welfare. The study ranges from the first political debates about animal cruelty in 1844 to the institution of Sweden’s first comprehensive animal protection act in 1944. Taking a post-Marxist and psychoanalytically informed approach to discourse analysis, the study focuses on how the “problem” of animal cruelty was articulated in the parliamentary debates and government documents throughout the period: What was the problem of animal (mis)treatment represented to be? What kinds of animal (ab)use were rendered uncontroversial? What kind of affective investments and ideological fantasies underpinned these discursive constructions, and how did the problematizations change over time? The book contains six empirical chapters that deal with the most important legal revisions in the period as well as the parallel debates about animal experimentation and slaughter. Two major discursive regimes—an early “anti-cruelty regime” and a later “animal welfare regime”—are identified in the material, and the transition between them is theorized in terms of discursive antagonism and dislocation. Focusing on the conflict between competing discursive logics, the study charts a century of ideological struggles through which our modern attitudes toward animals were born. The book also offers a critical reinterpretation of the success story of animal welfare. Against the assumption that modern animal welfarism progressively grew out of the preceding anti-cruelty regime, the central claim of this book is that the “welfarist turn” that took place in the 1930s and 1940s also functioned to re-entrench society’s speciesist values and de-problematize the exploitation of animals for human purposes.
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Jamieson, Jen. "Adolescents, education and farm animal welfare." Thesis, Royal Veterinary College (University of London), 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.572485.
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Hampton, Jordan. "Animal welfare for wild herbivore management." Thesis, Hampton, Jordan (2017) Animal welfare for wild herbivore management. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2017. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/38031/.
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This thesis describes an approach for scientific assessment of animal welfare relevant to the management of wild herbivores. The research identifies animal welfare risks and uses quantified animal-based measures to examine welfare outcomes. The requirement for evidence-based approaches is emphasised, particularly through transparent, independent assessments. The thesis is presented as a series of case studies assessing a variety of management techniques (lethal and non-lethal) applied to wild Australian herbivores. Case study species include European rabbits, feral horses, free-ranging cattle, and eastern grey kangaroos. Management techniques examined include ground-based and helicopter-based shooting, chemical immobilisation and fertility control.
Quantifying the duration of stress experienced by animals and the frequency of adverse animal welfare events for several management techniques permitted robust welfare assessment and comparison. Analysis of large datasets of animal-based measures allowed identification of explanatory variables (e.g. the skill of shooters) that may influence welfare outcomes. Limitations were identified for approaches currently used to assess welfare impacts, particularly for wildlife fertility control. An improved welfare assessment framework was developed that emphasised consideration of positive welfare states and the importance of natural behaviour. Animal welfare regulation was examined, and limitations were identified for a popular approach in wildlife management, use of procedural documents.
Two key recommendations are made for future studies in this field. Firstly, animal welfare assessment should be evidence-based and outcomes should be quantified using animalbased measures, rather than the eminence-based subjectivity inherent in deeming practices to be either humane or inhumane. Secondly, the duration of stress and frequency of adverse welfare events offer a robust template for quantifying welfare outcomes. This approach does not attempt to quantify intensity of stress (which is not easily measured) but is practical for field studies and could be used to compare techniques, to designate desirable welfare standards, and to facilitate incremental improvements.
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Corapi, Wayne Victor. "Every living thing a theological justification for the promotion of animal welfare /." Online full text .pdf document, available to Fuller patrons only, 2000. http://www.tren.com.
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Ali, Cairo F. "Animal rights and animal research." The Ohio State University, 1987. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1371556393.
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Eyers, Rebekah Frances. "A Regulatory Study of the Australian Animal Welfare Framework for Queensland Saleyard Animals." Thesis, Griffith University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366332.
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This thesis attempts to identify barriers to improved (regulatory) outcomes in Australian farm animal welfare regulatory frameworks, particularly the Queensland saleyard framework. In the context of this work, I interpret ‘improved outcomes’ to include improved animal wellbeing, for the benefit of the animals themselves. Drawing on literature from the regulatory, animal law and animal protection sectors, and finally the fieldwork findings, the thesis looks at ways to address, help prevent and/ or remove the barriers. In summary, the thesis proposes small changes to the overarching Australian farm animal welfare framework design, legal structures, regulatory approaches, regulatory culture and regulation to improve outcomes for animals. More specifically, changes to the Queensland saleyard framework could include for instance, initiatives to boost enforcement of animal users’ duty of care obligations (under ACPA 2001 (Qld)) and welfare compliance, particularly that concerning the framework’s most vulnerable (e.g., injured) and lowest dollar value animals (e.g., unwanted bobby calves). Vulnerable and low dollar value animals in the saleyard system may also include: very young animals (e.g., born during transport to saleyard or at yard); culled production animals (e.g., animals past ‘prime’ production); captured unwanted animals (e.g., wild cattle or goats) and physically or psychologically compromised animals (e.g., injured, crippled, distressed, sick or weak animals).Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith Law School
Arts, Education and Law
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Crawford, Kari L. "Organizational Compromise of Animal Protection and Welfare Laws." Youngstown State University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1347565387.
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Lombard, Chereé. "Animal welfare and the law : towards legal regulation of the welfare of laboratory animals in South Africa / Chereé Lombard." Thesis, North-West University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/8718.
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The current legal framework pertaining to animals does not sufficiently address the welfare of animals. The Animal Protection Act 71 of 1962 does not specifically regulate the welfare of animals contained in research laboratories. Animals utilized for experimental research purposes endure tremendous “unnecessary suffering” due to legislative inaptitude. Experimental animals suffer inherent abuses associated with experimental research because of the methods, procedures and processes relevant to the experiments. The most controversial method of experimental research is vivisection. The method of vivisection is not only invasive but also causes “unnecessary suffering” to animals. The non-inherent abuses animals suffer during confinement in a laboratory solely relates to uncontrolled and unregulated conduct of staff.
Continuing the application of the current legislative framework may also be detrimental to the health and well-being of humans. Animals are specifically utilized as objects of science in research laboratories. The data obtained from research experiments conducted on animals are for the benefit of humankind rather than the animals. Scientific research concluded that not only are invasive methods of research conducted on live animals generally regarded as useless but extrapolating data from animals to humans can also be misleading, unnecessary and dangerous. False results and questionable methodologies are some of the other problems that seem to require urgent attention. Ethically, neither human nor animal should be utilized at the expense of the other and therefore it would be reasonable to recommend that legislative reform takes place.
The human perception of animals in terms of the relationship we have with them is the reason why legislative inaptitude in terms of animal welfare exists. The current approach followed is the philosophy of Utilitarianism. Utilitarians believe that neither humans nor animals have rights but interests. Utilitarianism focuses on the permissibility of an act (the use of animals) by weighing the benefits of such an act to the costs suffered because of such act. If the benefits outweigh the costs suffered, the act is permissible. The application of Utilitarianism seems to be the crux of our legislative inaptitude. The human perception and view of animals must therefore be re-directed to develop a sufficient legal framework in terms of animal welfare. A solution offered is to apply an alternative interpretation to the concept of “dignity” (capabilities approach) and progressive realisation. In terms of this solution a species capabilities in terms of its value, capabilities and worth are considered. Inherent to its value, capabilities and worth, is its “dignity”. Once the alternative interpretation of “dignity” is acknowledged, the progressive realisation of its interests can be achieved.Thesis (LLM)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013
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Kalafut, Kathryn Lynn. "The Captive Animal Activity Tracking System: A Systematic Method for the Continuous Evaluation of Captive Animal Welfare." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2009. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc12137/.
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Optimal animal welfare has been a long-term goal for captive animal institutions. To measure welfare a definition and identification of elements that make up welfare need to be established. Further, a method to measure welfare's elements that can be implemented into staff's daily routine is necessary to establish baseline levels and track changes in welfare. The goal of the proposed captive animal activity tracking system is to allow for the measurement of each element of welfare quickly, while providing information regarding the animal's current state of welfare and how changes to the animal's environment affect welfare. The data show that this system is effective in revealing behavioral patterns and changes in behavior that occurred in response to environmental changes.
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Lund, Vonne. "Ethics and animal welfare in organic animal husbandry : an interdisiplinary approach /." Skara : Dept. of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, 2002. http://epsilon.slu.se/8803573.pdf.
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George, Kelly Ann. "Human-Animal Relationships: Exploring human concern for animals." The Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1479703600182288.
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Rabier, Camille. "Evaluating Mending Mamre: An Animal Welfare Intervention." Master's thesis, Faculty of Commerce, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31203.
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The need to improve animal welfare and control companion animal populations is necessary for South Africa, especially in impoverished communities lacking resources and education to care for their pets responsibly. These programmes are often multi-dimensional in nature and aim to improve animal welfare in different ways. Sterilisation is often the first step but is not enough. Consequently, education is often used in combination, to teach responsible pet care and ownership to pet owners. By increasing their understanding and knowledge of animals it is hoped that the pets’ overall quality of life and welfare improve. The following dissertation presents the findings of an evaluation conducted for the Mending Mamre Mass Education and Sterilisation Programme. This programme had four components: surgical sterilisation of pets and feral cats, basic veterinary care, education sessions and the rehoming of stray dogs. Three evaluations were performed (as requested by the clients): a programme theory evaluation of the education sessions, a process evaluation to understand why some residents refused sterilisation and an outcome evaluation to measure if the pets’ living conditions and body scores had changed 16 months after the programme. Overall, the results of the programme theory evaluation demonstrated that: the activities and outcomes of the education sessions were consistent with similar programmes but the two causal pathways underlying the programme are not plausible. The results of the process evaluation highlighted that the most common reason why pet owners refused sterilisation was due to fear. Finally, the results of the outcome evaluation indicated mixed results; with an increase observed in the pets’ physical wellbeing but an overall decrease observed in their quality of living conditions. With the results, the evaluator was able to make recommendations to the client and highlight considerations for programme improvement. Overall this study contributes to the paucity of research on evaluations of animal welfare interventions at the community level.
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Fontana, I. "SOUND TECHNOLOGY IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY TO ASSESS ANIMAL WELFARE, BEHAVIOUR AND PRODUCTION." Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Milano, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2434/340793.
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This thesis describes a methodology of Precision Livestock Farming, to investigate animal health and welfare, through the monitoring of animal behaviours and vocalisations using image and sounds analysis instead of the visual observation methods. The main purpose of PLF is to improve the production efficiency, increasing animal and human health and welfare, through the application of advanced information and technologies, to control the entire production process. This thesis was particularly dedicated to the importance of using new technologies and methodologies to improve animal health, welfare and production.
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Zanella, Adroaldo Jose. "Sow welfare indicators and their inter-relationships." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.334184.
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Kalafut, Kathryn Lynn Rosales-Ruiz Jesús. "The captive animal activity tracking system a systematic method for the continuous evaluation of captive animal welfare /." [Denton, Tex.] : University of North Texas, 2009. http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc12137.
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Marchesi, G. "IMPROVING ANIMAL WELFARE, ANIMAL PRODUCTION QUALITY AND FOOD SAFETY WITH ADVANCED SENSOR SYSTEMS." Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Milano, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2434/217452.
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The livestock production main purpose is to satisfy the customer requirements at a price that enables the producer to make a profit. This trend moved the farm concept to the new control and monitoring technology system to support its operations. This new idea of the farm takes the name of “Precision farming technology” (PFT). The objective of the researches described in this thesis is to study and evaluate different type of technologies used in the PFT. To achieve this objective, six different trials were done; in the first trial, it was evaluated the use of an electronic system for automatic calving detection; in the second trial, it was designed, developed and tested a GPS/GSM birth alarm for cattle-grazing; in the third trial, it was evaluated the oestrus detection in a dairy cattle farm with the Herd Navigator™; in the fourth trial, it was analysed the reproduction and economical performances in a dairy cattle farm with the Herd Navigator™; in the fifth trial, it was designed and tested a low cost GPS/GPRS collar to combat cattle rustling; in the sixth trial, it was studied a GPS collar to trace the epidemiological issues in a flock.
In the first study, the technical performance of the C6 birth control system® was analysed. The C6 birth control system® is an electronic device that detects the time of the expulsion phase during the calving. A number of 53 Holstein was fitted on the day 280±5 of gestation with the C6 birth control system®, which was left in place until confirmation of calving. Sensitivity and positive predictive value of the system were calculated as 100% and 95%, respectively. The partum events occurring at the group fitted with the system were compared with the analogous occurred at 59 animals without device. When alarmed by the system the farm staffs were in the calving barn during the expulsion phase in the 100% of the cases. On the contrary the cows without the device were assisted only in 17% of the cases (P<0.001).
The aim of the second trial was the development of a GPS/GSM birth alarm for cattle-grazing (GPS-CAL). At the expulsion phase, during the calving, the system sent a Short message Service (SMS) to the farmer’s phone. In the SMS there were indicated the GPS coordinates where the cow was calving. Three tests were done: a) laboratory test to evaluate the battery life and the GPS’s accuracy; b) field test in a commercial dairy farm with small pasture; c) field test in a commercial cattle farm in the Apennines. The laboratory tests showed a battery life of one month. The GPS accuracy was 1,237 m. In field “b” were tested 18 calving. In field “c” were tested 8 calving. In the total of 26 calving the GPS-CAL sent the SMS with the correct cow calving position.
The third study was related to the Herd Navigator™ monitoring of cows reproduction performances. The Herd Navigator™ is a system that automatically programs the analysis of milk progesterone samples from selected specific cows of the herd. In a commercial dairy farm, the same 156 cows were monitored with both a Herd Navigator™ and a DeLaval® activity system. Sensitivity and positive predictive value of the systems were calculated as 100% and 96% for Herd Navigator™, and as 49% and 70% for activity meter. The test definitely, demonstrates a significant difference (P<0.001) between the two-oestrus detection systems both for sensitivity and positive predictive value, with higher performances for the Herd Navigator™ system.
The aim of the fourth trial was verify the Herd Navigator™ benefits on the reproduction management in a commercial dairy farm - with automatic milking system - located in mountain areas. Reproductive and economical data were recorded before and one year after the Herd Navigator™ installation. The number of days open (DO) was reduced from 166 to 103 days. The same reduction has been identified in the number of days between the first and the second insemination that was passed from 45 days before the Herd Navigator™ introduction, to 28 days.. Another important value was the 80% reduction in the number of days required to identify an abortion (from 31 to 6 days). The preliminary results obtained confirm the usefulness of the system for the reproduction management. A model was developed using literature and commercial data to evaluate the potential economic benefits of the introduction of this technology. The model considers the benefits deriving from the decrease of reproduction problems and the reduction of days open. Considering the effects related to the above aspects, in a case study involving 70 dairy cows a 5 year time of investment return has been calculated.
In the fifth trial, it was developed a low-cost GPS/GSM collar, using commercial hardware and implementing specific software, to track animals’ movements within a grazing area and get alert from animals’ trespassing of virtual fences. A Phase I study was conducted from September 2008 to June 2009 to build the GPS/GSM collar, while a Phase II study was conducted in July 2009 to test the GPS collar under real operating conditions. The GPS/GSM collar production costs did not exceed € 1.000, including software and labour required for its construction. Field tests highlighted the potentiality of the GPS/GSM collar as anti-theft system. Battery life was the most limiting factor of the system due to the high power consumption of the GPS receiver and the high frequency GPS sampling (30-s intervals) required by anti-theft monitoring.
The aims of the last trial were study and evaluate a new system for the epidemiological monitoring in a flock. The OVItrace collar was a GPS / GPRS device connected to the management software. The system tracks and traces the path of the flock in real time. An OVItrace collar was placed onto a donkey in a flock. During the test stability and functionality of the system were verified. In particular, a number of 1563 location data has been recorded, with the exact definition of the location and the flock identification. Position requests were sent either via software (web-app) or via smartphone. In both cases the collar has promptly sent the position, ensuring a quick test for the field epidemiological analysis. However the OVItrace gives a number of further information in real time of the flock’s path. The OVItrace collar use can be considered a good system for the epidemiological monitoring.
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Ackelman, Emma. "Cognitive Judgement Bias as an Indicator for Animal Welfare." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för fysik, kemi och biologi, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-166576.
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Animal welfare has long been a subject under debate. Since animals are unable to voice concerns about their living standards it is of interest to find other ways to secure their wellbeing. A new measurement has been introduced where animals’ own judgement can act as an indicator for their emotional state and welfare. This study summarizes key elements from previous literature and research in order to explain the connection between welfare and judgement bias. Emotions have been defined as either an observable reaction to a stimulus or a subjective conscious experience of the stimulus. The second has been difficult to assess in animals since they cannot vocalise their own interpretations, hence emotions in animals are assessed based on the first definition. The study of animal welfare is in short the study of animal’s judgement of the world, which in turn indicate how animals feel. Cognitive judgement bias has been defined as whether an animal assess an ambiguous stimulus as negative or positive, a common method used to demonstrate this concept is the go no-go method. Animals learn to discriminate between two stimuli and is then presented with an ambiguous stimulus. The response to the ambiguous stimulus is recorded and determine if the animal is optimistic or pessimistic in its judgement. Research has been rather successful in determining factors which can affect animal welfare, opening up for deeper discussions concerning animal cognition, awareness and their effect on welfare, but further refinements are required to assess the influence of judgement bias.
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Healy, Sally. "Australian Consumers' Awareness of Animal Production." Thesis, Griffith University, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/382024.
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Changes in animal production over the last several decades, whilst enabling a reliable supply of animal-based protein, have caused concern among consumers and stakeholders within the food industry regarding the impacts of farming on animal welfare, the environment, and human health. Many people consider animal welfare a public good, yet the role of government intervention to protect it is limited and therefore market forces are currently acting as the major driver of improvements to welfare standards. It is important to understand consumer attitudes towards animal welfare and whether concerns and preferences are directly translated into purchasing behaviours and demand for higher welfare products. Consumers receive information about animal welfare from a wide range of sources yet the capacity for information to change attitudes, beliefs, and purchasing behaviours remains undetermined.
This dissertation presents an examination into consumer awareness of, and attitudes towards, farm animal welfare in Australia. Through questionnaires, a quasi-experimental study, and stakeholder interviews, I collected quantitative and qualitative data to inform an analysis of consumer and stakeholder perspectives of the farm animal welfare issues resulting from intensive production.
A questionnaire completed by 894 people (chapter three) was utilised to determine the current level of awareness that consumers have of farming in Australia among other variables of interest such as concern for animal welfare, product preferences, attitudes, and social climate. Responses were collected using online and mail sampling. The quasi-experimental component of this dissertation (chapter four) analysed the change in key variables pertaining to consumer decision-making over time across a sample of 106 participants. The participants were provided information on the labelling standards, animal welfare, and environmental and health impacts of modern farming systems. Subsequently, they provided feedback on the effect of this information both directly and indirectly. In the final phase of data collection (chapter five), nine stakeholder representatives from the farming industry, retailers, and advocacy groups were interviewed and their perspectives on farming were interpreted using content analysis.
The findings from the research presented in this dissertation show that consumers generally lack awareness of livestock production and its implications for the welfare of animals. Consumers are familiar with some welfare issues and indicate concern for the ethical dimensions of modern food production but experience confusion over suitable alternatives to intensively farmed foods and the meanings behind product labels. The stakeholder interviews furthered this conclusion by affirming that an improvement in farm animal welfare requires effective communication between producers, retailers and consumers whilst ensuring animal welfare legislation is comprehensive, enforceable and made clear to consumers.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Environment and Sc
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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Richmond, Susan Emily. "Assessing the welfare of extensively managed sheep : an evaluation of animal-based welfare indicators." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/28677.
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The increased public interest in the welfare of animals used in food production has led to the emergence of welfare assessment schemes for a range of livestock species. There are currently over 100 million sheep in the EU which are primarily bred for milk, meat and wool production and the majority of these animals are managed extensively. The general perception of sheep in extensive systems living “natural lives” with few welfare compromises, along with the practical challenges of adequately assessing their welfare, has caused them to be largely ignored in comparison to other species. It was only relatively recently that the lack of animalbased welfare assessments for extensively kept small ruminants was recognised. Thus, the aim of this project was to evaluate potential animal-based welfare indicators for use during on-farm welfare assessments of extensively managed sheep. The current project used the Welfare Quality® 4 principles and 12 criteria as a foundation for selecting indicators for the assessment of extensively managed sheep. Following a comprehensive review of the scientific literature and a meeting attended by experts from across the EU, 16 indicators were selected for evaluation. Each principle and criteria were covered by at least one of these 16 indicators ensuring the main aspects of sheep welfare were addressed. The indicators selected for investigation could either be applied without handling or gathering the animals during an 'Assessment in the Field', or during a more thorough hands-on 'Assessment at Gather'. The reliability, feasibility and validity of some indicators (e.g. body condition scoring) are already established. However for others (e.g. Qualitative Behavioural Assessment approach), at least one of these criteria required further investigation before the indicator could be accepted. The reliability of selected measures was evaluated by assessing their repeatability and inter-observer agreement. Face validity was assumed for the indicators selected during the expert meeting, and further cross validation was performed when appropriate using additional information collected on the animal’s physical health status. During the Assessments at Gather blood samples were collected for the assessment of metabolic profiles, and faecal samples provided gastro-intestinal parasite counts. The Assessments at Gather were performed on the same 100-135 Scottish Blackface ewes across a two year period (2011-2013) on a Scottish hill farm. The Assessments at Gather occurred five times a year coinciding with key points in the ewes’ reproductive cycle: pre-mating, mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy, mid lactation and weaning. During the assessments data were collected on the ewe’s body condition, coat cleanliness, faecal soiling score, respiratory conditions, anaemia, lameness and udder condition (udders assessed during lactation only). Current stage in the reproductive cycle and seasonality were found to have significant impacts upon the long-term reliability of the following measures: body condition score, tooth loss, nasal discharge and anaemia scores (P < 0.001) with variation both within, and between years. On commercial farms older and less productive ewes tend to be removed from the flock once a year prior to mating. Of the indicators applied to the ewes during the Assessments at Gathers, tooth loss and body condition score were the best predictors for the ewe’s exclusion from the flock, predicting the future removal of a ewe from the flock 12 months in advance of the shepherd’s decision. For the Assessments in the Field, indicators which did not necessitate close contact were required. A whole-animal method (Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA) was therefore particularly useful as it can be performed with minimal disturbance. Rather than quantitatively scoring the behaviour patterns of an animal the assessor focusses on how the animal interacts with their environment. This information is translated in to qualitative descriptors such as “calm” or “agitated”. Good interobserver reliability was found when three observers assessed 49 individual ewes on two occasions (W=0.77, P < 0.001). When QBA was applied 13 times to 50 individual ewes over a six-month time period (spanning late pregnancy to post-weaning) four meaningful Principal Components were identified; the first two accounted for more than half of the explained variation between sheep. The two main components were ‘General Mood’ (PC1), describing the overall affective state of the ewe, and ‘Arousal’ (PC2) reflecting energy levels. General Mood scores significantly increased in the post-lambing period compared to pre-lambing observations, and significantly increased again post-weaning (P < 0.001). Ewes were significantly experiencing significantly higher Arousal in post-lambing and post-weaning conditions compared to pre-lambing (P < 0.001), but there was no difference between post-lambing and post-weaning. During the Assessments in the Field data were also collected on: the ewe’s response to human approach, a surprise test, the ewe’s social group size, group demographics and behavioural synchrony. Ewes with lower mood scores tended to have larger distances between them and other ewes (P=0.023). The distance to which a human could approach before the ewe fled was significantly related to Arousal (P=0.05), as ewes in a higher energy state fled from the approaching human sooner than those who were in lower Arousal states. Ewes in social groups with higher numbers of ewe and lamb vocalisations tended to have lower General Mood scores (P=0.014), and lower Arousal scores (P < 0.001) than those in smaller groups. Indicators which met the conditions of feasibility, reliability and validity (for example, those reported above) proved to be suitable for use when assessing the welfare of extensively managed sheep. The effect of time on the reliability of the indicators applied during the assessments have important implications for understanding temporary fluctuations in the animal’s welfare caused by either internal (reproductive state) or external (environmental) factors. These fluctuations may not be representative of a farm’s overall welfare levels in the long term and therefore further careful consideration of the most appropriate time to apply the selected indicators is required.
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McMurray, Kimberly. "But can they suffer? the militant wing of the contemporary animal rights movement and agenda-setting in congress /." Click here for download, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1703233341&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=3260&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Merry, Erin K. A. "Animal abuse and human violence." Thesis, McGill University, 2006. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=100743.
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Social Work professionals are recognizing the problematic trend among young offenders who have a history of being cruel to animals.A sample of 118 files from a youth serving agency were examined to determine the potential relationships between demographics and background variables, selected items from the Child Behavior checklist (Achenbach, 1991), types of crimes and styles of aggression and animal cruelty. Reported styles of aggression consisted of proactive aggression (violent youth who planned their offences) and reactive aggression (youth who commit less serious crimes and would overreact to problems).
In a stepwise regression analysis of a theoretical model, two significant predictors of cruelty toward animals were found: (1) the youths' history of proactive aggression and (2) youths' exposure to physical abuse, this latter both directly, and also as a significant predictor of proactive aggression.
Further education and training for children, caregivers and professionals is needed to increase awareness of the link between animal cruelty and human violence.
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Welchman, D. de B. "The production, health and welfare of veal calves." Thesis, University of Bristol, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.373858.
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Rochlitz, Irene. "The welfare of cats kept in confined environments." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.271003.
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Guimarães, Maria Fernanda Martin do Amaral [UNESP]. "Human-calf relationship and its implications on animal welfare." Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/115771.
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000811488.pdf: 596989 bytes, checksum: 3de1973b7f316ceea82925cd20ef00ed (MD5)Bezerros leiteiros são separados de suas mães geralmente em algumas horas após o parto e, a partir deste momento, há um aumento expressivo da interação com os seres humanos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as atitudes dos tratadores para com os bezerros leiteiros, e os efeitos dessas atitudes no bem-estar desses animais. Foram realizadas observações diretas do manejo de aleitamento por três dias consecutivos, e as ações dos tratadores foram registradas em dez diferentes fazendas produtoras de leite nos estados de São Paulo (9) e Minas Gerais (1). Para avaliar o temperamento dos animais, três testes comportamentais foram realizados: escore de distância de fuga (FDS), teste de aproximação voluntária (VA) e avaliação qualitativa do comportamento (QBA). Um questionário contendo 21 questões foi aplicado para cada tratador. Um total de 12 tratadores e 328 bezerros foi avaliado. Para diminuir a dimensionalidade dos dados e entender as múltiplas associações entre as variáveis, foram realizadas: Análise de Componentes Principais (PCA), Análise de Fatores (FA) e Análise de Correspondência Múltipla (MCA), com uso do programa estatístico Statistica 7. Análises de variância confirmatórias foram realizadas usando o programa estatístico SAS; junto com a estimação dos coeficientes de correlação de Spearman (rs) para as variáveis não paramétricas. Diferenças significativas foram encontradas para os descritores do QBA entre as 10 fazendas avaliadas (F = 11.48, P < 0.0001). De acordo com a PCA, as fazendas 1, 2, 3 e 5 tiveram os animais com pior temperamento. As fazendas 3 e 5 apresentaram os tratadores que menos se preocupavam com os bezerros, de acordo com as respostas no questionário. Após a FA, foi possível fazer um ranking dos ‘bons’ e ‘maus’ tratadores, demonstrando que os tratadores 1, 2a e 2b foram aqueles que mais apresentaram ações positivas em relação aos bezerros, mas também um maior ...
Dairy calves are usually separated from their dams within few hours after birth, when calves start their relationship with humans. The aim of this study was to assess the handler attitudes toward dairy calves and their effects on calf welfare. Direct observations during milk feeding period were made for three consecutive days, and all actions from the handlers were recorded in ten different commercial dairy farms in the states of São Paulo (9) and Minas Gerais (1). Calf temperament traits were assessed by performing three behavioural tests: flight distance score (FDS); voluntary approach test (VA); and qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA). A questionnaire containing 21 questions was applied for each handler. A total of 12 handlers and 328 calves were assessed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Factor Analysis (FA) and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) were held, using Statistica 7 software package, for shrinking the data dimensionality and understanding the multiple association among the variables. Confirmatory data analyses of variance (ANOVA) were carried out using SAS software program; and the Spearman coefficients of correlation (rs) were estimated for the non-parametric variables. Significant differences were found among the 10 farms regarding the QBA descriptors (F = 11.48, P < 0.0001). According to the PCA farms 1, 2, 3 and 5 presented calves with undesirable temperament descriptors. In addition, farms 3 and 5 showed handlers who least cared for the calves according to their answers in the questionnaire. After the FA, it was possible to make a ranking of the ‘good’ and ‘poor’ handlers, showing that handlers 1, 2a and 2b were the handlers who performed most positive actions, but were also the ones who performed most negative actions (in lower proportions); handlers 3 and 5 had the most ill calves under their care, and also animals which did not approach the test person. According to the MCA, it was possible ...
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Guimarães, Maria Fernanda Martin do Amaral. "Human-calf relationship and its implications on animal welfare /." Jaboticabal, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/115771.
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Orientador: Linda Jane KeelingCoorientador: Mateus José Rodrigues Paranhos da Costa
Banca: Carla Forte Maiolino Molento
Banca: Marcelo Simão da Rosa
Resumo: Bezerros leiteiros são separados de suas mães geralmente em algumas horas após o parto e, a partir deste momento, há um aumento expressivo da interação com os seres humanos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as atitudes dos tratadores para com os bezerros leiteiros, e os efeitos dessas atitudes no bem-estar desses animais. Foram realizadas observações diretas do manejo de aleitamento por três dias consecutivos, e as ações dos tratadores foram registradas em dez diferentes fazendas produtoras de leite nos estados de São Paulo (9) e Minas Gerais (1). Para avaliar o temperamento dos animais, três testes comportamentais foram realizados: escore de distância de fuga (FDS), teste de aproximação voluntária (VA) e avaliação qualitativa do comportamento (QBA). Um questionário contendo 21 questões foi aplicado para cada tratador. Um total de 12 tratadores e 328 bezerros foi avaliado. Para diminuir a dimensionalidade dos dados e entender as múltiplas associações entre as variáveis, foram realizadas: Análise de Componentes Principais (PCA), Análise de Fatores (FA) e Análise de Correspondência Múltipla (MCA), com uso do programa estatístico Statistica 7. Análises de variância confirmatórias foram realizadas usando o programa estatístico SAS; junto com a estimação dos coeficientes de correlação de Spearman (rs) para as variáveis não paramétricas. Diferenças significativas foram encontradas para os descritores do QBA entre as 10 fazendas avaliadas (F = 11.48, P < 0.0001). De acordo com a PCA, as fazendas 1, 2, 3 e 5 tiveram os animais com pior temperamento. As fazendas 3 e 5 apresentaram os tratadores que menos se preocupavam com os bezerros, de acordo com as respostas no questionário. Após a FA, foi possível fazer um ranking dos 'bons' e 'maus' tratadores, demonstrando que os tratadores 1, 2a e 2b foram aqueles que mais apresentaram ações positivas em relação aos bezerros, mas também um maior ...
Abstract: Dairy calves are usually separated from their dams within few hours after birth, when calves start their relationship with humans. The aim of this study was to assess the handler attitudes toward dairy calves and their effects on calf welfare. Direct observations during milk feeding period were made for three consecutive days, and all actions from the handlers were recorded in ten different commercial dairy farms in the states of São Paulo (9) and Minas Gerais (1). Calf temperament traits were assessed by performing three behavioural tests: flight distance score (FDS); voluntary approach test (VA); and qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA). A questionnaire containing 21 questions was applied for each handler. A total of 12 handlers and 328 calves were assessed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Factor Analysis (FA) and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) were held, using Statistica 7 software package, for shrinking the data dimensionality and understanding the multiple association among the variables. Confirmatory data analyses of variance (ANOVA) were carried out using SAS software program; and the Spearman coefficients of correlation (rs) were estimated for the non-parametric variables. Significant differences were found among the 10 farms regarding the QBA descriptors (F = 11.48, P < 0.0001). According to the PCA farms 1, 2, 3 and 5 presented calves with undesirable temperament descriptors. In addition, farms 3 and 5 showed handlers who least cared for the calves according to their answers in the questionnaire. After the FA, it was possible to make a ranking of the 'good' and 'poor' handlers, showing that handlers 1, 2a and 2b were the handlers who performed most positive actions, but were also the ones who performed most negative actions (in lower proportions); handlers 3 and 5 had the most ill calves under their care, and also animals which did not approach the test person. According to the MCA, it was possible ...
Mestre
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Temple, Déborah. "Animal welfare assessment on intensive and extensive pig farms." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/96720.
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L’objectiu d’aquesta tesi és avaluar i discutir l’aplicació pràctica, la validesa i la repetibilitat d’un sistema d’avaluació del benestar en granges comercials de porcs d’engreix. La capacitat d’aplicació, la sensibilitat, selectivitat, validesa contextual i repetibilitat al llarg del temps de les mesures basades en l'animal incloses al protocol Welfare Quality® es van avaluar mitjançant cinc estudis. A més a més, al llarg de la tesi es va considerar la utilització del protocol com a eina d’assessorament per resoldre problemes de benestar. En el primer estudi es presenta una anàlisi descriptiva de les mesures basades en l’animal incloses al protocol d’avaluació del benestar. En aquest treball es va avaluar tant l’aplicació pràctica del protocol en 30 granges intensives com la seva capacitat per discriminar-les entre sí. Tanmateix, el treball proposa una metodologia pràctica per identificar granges que presenten algun problema de benestar. Al segon i tercer estudi, es van avaluar un total de 11,647 porcs allotjats en 91 explotacions comercials provinents de tres sistemes intensius (convencional a França i Espanya, sobre palla a França, i Ibèric intensiu a Espanya) així com dos sistemes extensius (Ibèric en extensiu, Porc Negre Mallorquí) mitjançant el protocol Welfare Quality®. Tot dos estudis descriuen dades sobre la prevalença i distribució de diversos indicadors de benestar en una gran varietat d’explotacions amb la finalitat d’identificar una sèrie de factors causals. Els resultats corresponents als principis de bona alimentació i bon allotjament es presenten en el segon estudi mentre que els de salut es descriuen en el tercer. El quart estudi es centra en l’avaluació del benestar mitjançant mesures de comportament en porcs Ibèrics en condicions intensives i extensives. En aquest treball, el quart principi del Welfare Quality®, titulat “comportament adequat”, es va avaluar en 21 granges (11 extensives i 10 intensives), les quals allotjaven una totalitat de 25,856 porcs Ibèrics. Finalment, el cinquè estudi avalua, en una mostra de 15 granges intensives convencionals, la repetibilitat després d'un temps perllongat de les mesures basades en l’animal incloses en el protocol Welfare Quality®. Els resultats es van discutir des d’un punt de vista discriminatiu i avaluatiu.
Com a comentari general, el protocol Welfare Quality® per porcs d’engreix es pot aplicar fàcilment en una gran varietat d’explotacions comercials. Tot i així, la durada total del protocol pot ser percebuda com a massa llarga per part d’alguns dels agents implicats (com ara ramaders, industria o empreses certificadores). La sensibilitat dels indicadors de salut és aparentment massa baixa. La interpretació d’alguns resultats en termes de benestar animal, especialment els de comportament, s’ha de realitzar amb molta cura sobretot quan es comparen explotacions provinents de sistemes de cria molt diversos. Una interpretació equivocada d’un resultat pot erròniament afavorir o perjudicar un ramader o un sistema. Finalment, el protocol Welfare Quality® pot tenir enfocaments diversos que poden ser pràctics i complementaris com a eina d’assessorament, tot i que es va dissenyar com una eina per auditar.The objective of the present thesis is to evaluate and discuss the feasibility, validity and repeatability of a welfare assessment system for growing pigs on commercial farms. The feasibility, sensitivity, selectivity, contextual validity and repeatability over time of several animal-based measures of the Welfare Quality® (WQ®) protocol were evaluated in five studies. Furthermore, across the thesis, the use of the protocol as an advisory tool is considered. The first study presents a descriptive analysis of several animal-based measures of the welfare assessment protocol for pigs kept under intensive conventional conditions on 30 farms in Spain. It evaluates the feasibility of the protocol on intensive farms and its capacity to discriminate among intensive conventional farms. It also aims to propose a practical methodology to identify farms with a particular welfare problem. On the second and third studies, a total of 11,647 pigs housed on 91 commercial farms of three intensive systems (conventional in France and Spain, straw bedded in France, and Iberian intensive in Spain) as well as two extensive systems (Iberian extensive, Mallorcan Black pig) were assessed applying the overall WQ® protocol. Both studies yielded data about the prevalence and distribution of several welfare outcomes on a wide variety of commercial farms with the aim to identify possible causal factors. The results from the good feeding and housing principles are presented in the second study whereas those of health are given in the third study. The fourth study focused on the assessment of welfare through behavioural measures in Iberian pigs in intensive and extensive conditions. The fourth principle of the WQ® protocol, labelled “Appropriate behaviour”, was assessed on 21 farms (11 extensive and 10 intensive) housing a total of 25,856 Iberian pigs. Changes in occurrence of behaviour and qualitative measures were evaluated and discussed when comparing Iberian pigs either in intensive or extensive rearing conditions. Finally, the fifth study evaluated the test-retest repeatability over a long period of time of the mean prevalence of several measures from the WQ® protocol on a sample of 15 intensive conventional farms of growing pigs. The results were discussed from a discriminative approach and from an evaluative approach. As a general comment, the WQ® protocol for growing pigs is feasible in a wide range of commercial conditions even though the overall duration may be perceived as too long by stakeholders. The sensitivity of health indicators appears to be low. Interpretation of several outcomes, especially behavioural ones, in terms of animal welfare, must be cautious, especially when comparing farm units from diverse rearing systems. An erroneous interpretation of an outcome can wrongly favour or prejudice a farmer. Several approaches of the WQ® protocol can be practical and complementary to be used for advisory purposes.
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Annen, Dominic Norbert [Verfasser]. "Farm Animal Welfare : Measurement and Compliance / Dominic Norbert Annen." Bonn : Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Bonn, 2012. http://d-nb.info/104305538X/34.
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Clarke, Nancy. "Assessment of attitudes towards animal welfare within veterinary education." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.627985.
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The objectives of both human and veterinary medicine are to ensure optimal well-being of human and animal patients. However objectification processes have been identified as endemic within human medical contexts, whereby practitioners increasingly view and interact with patients as machine-like objects, lacking capacity for mental experiences. As objectification processes might also exist in veterinary medicine, potentially impacting upon quality of patient care, it is essential that tools exist to measure such processes and what additional factors may be influential. The main aim of the experimental research was to develop tools that could be predominantly used within veterinary education to assess students ' belief in animal sentience, and thus determine whether factors such as knowledge of animal welfare, gender, stage of veterinary education and empathizing and systemizing personality traits account for individual variation in such attitudes. In chapter 2 an animal welfare knowledge progress test was developed to assess veterinary students' knowledge of core areas of animal welfare, science, ethics and law. In Chapter 3 a questionnaire was used to measure belief in animal sentience, and gender as a source of variation, among first year veterinary students and over the course of the veterinary degree. In Chapter 4 a questionnaire was used to measure the possible role of empathizing and systemizing personality traits in determining both inter- and intra-gender variability in belief in animal sentience. In Chapter 5 a novel computer-based task was developed to investigate people's implicit tendencies to categorise animals as either object-like or person-like. Overall, the questionnaire-based tools were developed and used with adequate success. There was no evidence of objectification within veterinary medicine. However further research is needed using the tools, refilled where appropriate, in order to determine whether objectifications processes occur amongst wider populations of veterinary students and, if so, whether such processes impact upon animal welfare.
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Murray, Karen Christina. "The relationship between livestock distribution channels and animal welfare." Thesis, University of Plymouth, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/2494.
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Major changes are taking place in all sectors of the livestock and meat producing industries from farm to consumer which impinge on the processes and patterns of livestock distribution from farm to slaughter. These changes are identified and described. A survey of the complete journeys from farm to abattoir of 18,393 slaughterweight lambs sold direct from farm to abattoir, via livestock auction markets and via electronic auctions was conducted. Lambs sold direct from farm to abattoir experienced shorter journeys (in terms of both median duration and distance) than lambs sold through either of the other two channels. Lambs sold through electronic auctions, on average, travelled longer distances but for shorter times than lambs sold through livestock auction markets. Although these results are broadly consistent with the common perception of direct sale lambs experiencing simpler journeys than lambs passing through the other channels, they do not support this view unequivocally. The journeys were diverse in all three distribution channels and ranged from direct and uninterrupted transfer from farm to abattoir (n=4,888) to highly complex itineraries including up to three periods of transportation interspersed with two holding periods at assembly points, staging posts or auction markets (n=l,034). Journeys also included those with between 2 and 8 pickups en route (n=2,369), and those involving holding at assembly points, staging posts or livestock auction markets before transfer to abattoir (n=10,102). A total of 26 different journey structures were identified: 18 in direct farm to abattoir sales, 9 in sales via livestock auction markets and 13 within the electronic auction system. The effect of journey structure on the welfare of slaughterweight lambs (90 transported and 45 non-transported controls) was investigated in an experiment comprising 3 journey types (direct transfer from farm to abattoir, a journey involving 3 additional pickups en route and a journey incorporating holding at a livestock auction market) with non-transported controls held in a pen for the duration of the transport period. Transportation per se affected the liveweight and behaviour of the lambs: transported lambs lost more weight during the transport period and spent less time ruminating and less time lying down than non-transported lambs. Multiple pickup and Market lambs lost more weight and spent less time ruminating whilst lying than Direct lambs. Ultimate carcase pH (pHu) was higher for Multiple pickup and Market lambs than Direct lambs. There were no differences in liveweight loss, ruminating behaviour or pHu between Multiple pickup and Market lambs. Direct and uninterrupted transfer from farm to abattoir is preferable to more complex itineraries, but it is essential to consider journey structure, rather than simply the marketing channel, when judging the impact of livestock transport on animal welfare.
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Wells, Deborah L. "The welfare of dogs in an animal rescue shelter." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.337052.
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Harding, Emma J. "Novel methods for assessing mental states and animal welfare." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.269369.
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Da, Mata Fernando J. R. "Employing epidemiological approaches to animal welfare problems : a treatise." Thesis, Anglia Ruskin University, 2016. http://arro.anglia.ac.uk/703506/.
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From the point of view of an animal welfare scientist, animal welfare science is seen as transdisciplinary as it establishes a conceptual framework, using disciplines shared by other scientists (e.g. physiology, anatomy, behaviour, nutrition and pathology). From the point of view of other scientists, animal welfare is interdisciplinary as other scientists collaborate in the field, bringing expertise in their disciplines. This thesis aims to contribute to knowledge by demonstrating the benefit of applying a coherent framework of epidemiological standard techniques, to address a variety of animal welfare issues. The objectives are: 1 - to explore the different epidemiological study designs and biostatistical approaches and put them in an animal welfare scientific context, developing a coherent framework of useful standard techniques; 2 - to identify, discuss and assess novel animal welfare risk factors in a full range of animal settings: production, captive, companion and equine. The potential offered by different epidemiological study designs and analytical procedures is explored and put in an animal welfare context. The illustration of this integration is made using the submitted papers and therefore the methodologies used therein are discussed and justified. The full range of epidemiological study designs is used with the application of several biostatistical approaches. This fulfils the first objective of this thesis. The identification of different types of risk factors posed to animal welfare (genetic, environmental, husbandry and management) is one of the advantages in the use of epidemiological approaches to research animal welfare science. The identification and discussion of risk factors in a range of species (farm, companion, equine and captive) after the research contained in the publications submitted with this thesis, fulfils the second objective of this thesis. Other advantages in the use of epidemiological approaches to research animal welfare science are also discussed: introduction of standardised procedures allowing further studies; use of complex and real animal settings outside the laboratory environment; and contributions to animal welfare assessment.
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Stephens, Margaret Eryan. "Evaluation of animal welfare issues in the beef industry." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/20408.
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Master of ScienceBiomedical Sciences
Daniel U. Thomson
Two studies were conducted to evaluate two animal welfare issues in the beef industry today. The welfare of animals has become a major discussion among consumers and producers. The objective of these studies was to evaluate if certain production practices are beneficial to the wellbeing of the animals in a production setting. The first study evaluated if castration and implementation of growth promotion technologies of physically mature male beef cattle, which failed the breed soundness exam (BSE), improved carcass quality compared to male beef cattle left intact. Sixteen month old Angus bulls (n = 24; 606 + 11.4 kg) were stratified by weight and randomly assigned to 2 treatments: intact control (BULL) and castrated with growth promotion technology (STR) to evaluate performance and carcass quality. Cattle assigned to STR treatment were implanted with 120 mg trenbolone acetate (TBA) and 24 mg estradiol on d 0, and were fed ractopamine hydrochloride (300 mg/d) the final 28 d prior to slaughter. Cattle were fed a dry-rolled corn-based finishing diet (1.41 Mcal/kg NEg) for 62 d (final wt = 697 +/- 24.3 kg) then harvested at a commercial abattoir. Carcass characteristics were recorded and longissimus muscle samples were obtained. There were no differences between treatments for quality grade, yield grade, HCW, back fat thickness, or dressing percent. Steak tenderness values based on Warner Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and sensory panel evaluation showed no difference between BULL and STR steaks in myofibrillar tenderness, juiciness, beef flavor intensity, connective tissue, overall tenderness, and off flavor intensity. Cattle within the BULL treatment tended to have improved average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency, with no difference in carcass characteristics, WBSF, or sensory panel measurements compared to STR administered growth promotion technology. The second study evaluated if cohorts with horns within a pen lot of cattle caused an increase in carcass bruising, and to determine if horn tipping and dehorning is necessary. Carcasses from (n = 4,287) feedlot cattle were observed at one commercial beef packing plant in southwest Kansas to investigate the relationship between the presence and size of horns in cattle and the prevalence, anatomical location, and severity of bruising of carcasses. Horn measurements taken were the length of the longest horn from base to tip and the tip-to-tip distance between the tips of both horns. Bruises were evaluated by location and severity. Bruise severity was scored at 3 levels: minor: ≤ 5 cm, moderate: 5 to 15 cm, and severe: > 15 cm. Within pen lots of cattle, the percentage of cattle with horns ranged from 0 to 26%. There were 4,287 carcasses evaluated and 2,295 had one or more bruises for a total, overall bruise prevalence of 53.5%. Of the total number of bruises, 25.6% were severe, 35.6% were moderate, and 38.8% were minor. The majority of bruises (61.8%) occurred on the dorsal mid-line with similar rates of bruising occurring on the left (18.6%) and right (19.5%) sides. There was no relationship found between the prevalence of horns and prevalence of bruising in a pen lot of cattle (P = 0.90). These two studies conclude that feeding of bulls that fail the BSE could eliminate an animal welfare concern while removing the cost and management of growth promotion technology administration. Additionally to that there may be other factors causing carcass bruising at other than cohorts with horns.
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Da, Mata Fernando J. R. "Employing epidemiological approaches to animal welfare problems: a treatise." Thesis, Anglia Ruskin University, 2016. https://arro.anglia.ac.uk/id/eprint/703506/8/Da-Mata_2016.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
From the point of view of an animal welfare scientist, animal welfare science is seen as
transdisciplinary as it establishes a conceptual framework, using disciplines shared by other
scientists (e.g. physiology, anatomy, behaviour, nutrition and pathology). From the point of
view of other scientists, animal welfare is interdisciplinary as other scientists collaborate in
the field, bringing expertise in their disciplines.
This thesis aims to contribute to knowledge by demonstrating the benefit of applying a
coherent framework of epidemiological standard techniques, to address a variety of animal
welfare issues. The objectives are: 1 - to explore the different epidemiological study designs
and biostatistical approaches and put them in an animal welfare scientific context,
developing a coherent framework of useful standard techniques; 2 - to identify, discuss and
assess novel animal welfare risk factors in a full range of animal settings: production,
captive, companion and equine.
The potential offered by different epidemiological study designs and analytical procedures
is explored and put in an animal welfare context. The illustration of this integration is made
using the submitted papers and therefore the methodologies used therein are discussed and
justified. The full range of epidemiological study designs is used with the application of
several biostatistical approaches. This fulfils the first objective of this thesis.
The identification of different types of risk factors posed to animal welfare (genetic,
environmental, husbandry and management) is one of the advantages in the use of
epidemiological approaches to research animal welfare science. The identification and
discussion of risk factors in a range of species (farm, companion, equine and captive) after
the research contained in the publications submitted with this thesis, fulfils the second
objective of this thesis. Other advantages in the use of epidemiological approaches to
research animal welfare science are also discussed: introduction of standardised procedures
allowing further studies; use of complex and real animal settings outside the laboratory
environment; and contributions to animal welfare assessment.
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Farrand, Alexandra. "The effect of zoo visitors on the behaviour and welfare of zoo mammals." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/300.
Full textAbstract:
There is evidence that the presence of the visiting public affects the behaviour of zoo-housed mammals. Understanding the effect of visitors is important in improving animal welfare, achieving zoo conservation goals, increasing visitor education/entertainment, and facilitating interpretation of data on zoo animal biology. A series of studies and experiments focusing on the effect of zoo visitors on captive mammal behaviour is presented. The influence of visitor density on a range of primates and large carnivores is examined. Methodological concerns regarding the operational definition of visitor density in the literature are expressed and a clarification of terms which may be helpful when comparing previous research is provided. Visitor noise data, using an objective measure of the variable, and its relationship to visitor density are also presented. External and internal visual barriers between visitors and zoo animals were hypothesised to moderate the visitor effect and enrich the environment of the study groups. Camouflage nets mounted on the outside of enclosure viewing windows had little impact on primate or felid behaviour, with the exception of the Sumatran orangutan group, who showed a trend toward decreased social play in the presence of the external barrier. Polar bear behaviour showed evidence of an enriched environment, with trends toward increased levels of swimming and decreased levels of resting. An internal visual barrier, which prevented visitors from having visual contact with the golden lion tamarins when the nonhuman primates were behind it, was also tested and elicited more extensive trends toward behavioural change than did the nets. Both Sumatran orangutans and zoo visitors were provided with a similar puzzle feeder in an effort to enrich the orangutan enclosure, and improve the visitor experience. It was hypothesised that the orangutans might be stimulated by watching visitors manipulate the device, but this did not occur. Orangutan use of the puzzle feeder within their enclosure was also unaffected. Olfactory stimuli were introduced into primate and felid enclosures and visitor viewing areas to investigate the role olfaction may play in the visitor effect. Although olfactory stimuli had an extensive significant effect on the behaviour of the study groups when it was introduced into the enclosure, there was little change when visitors were associated with the olfactory stimuli which suggest there may not be an olfactory visitor effect in primates or felids. The effect of visitors on petting zoo-housed mixed-breed goats, llama, and Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs was studied and compared to their behaviour without the presence of visitors. The goats were unaffected and the llama showed only a trend toward decreased levels of sitting in the presence of visitors. The Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs were significantly affected by the presence of visitors, exhibiting decreased inactivity and social behaviour. The hypothesis that a sustained absence of visitors would result in a more intense visitor effect was tested and was not supported by the data. An additional experiment investigating the effect of visitor grooming on the petting zoo study species showed that, while visitors spent more time interacting with the animals in the grooming condition, xiv the behaviour of the study animals indicated that they did not find visitor grooming rewarding. Data on the interaction between visitor density and the various experimental techniques tested here indicate that visitor density may impact animal response to environmental enrichment, supporting previous findings in the literature. In the presence of visual barriers, foraging devices, and olfactory stimuli, the relationship between animal behaviour and visitor density changed significantly, both qualitatively and quantitatively. These results suggest that collecting visitor density data when testing environmental enrichment techniques could be helpful when assessing their effectiveness, ultimately improving the welfare of zoo-housed mammals. Based on the data presented here, in conjunction with the literature, a closing discussion outlines proposed refinements to the visitor effect research guidelines published by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (2005).
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McCune, Sandra. "Temperament and the welfare of caged cats." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.259756.
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Pretorius, Leandri. "The economics of animal welfare: an appraisal of welfare issues ifn the South African poultry industry." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12191.
Full textAbstract:
Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.
Growing consumer awareness of animal welfare has co-evolved with increases in intensive farming, particularly of battery chickens. This rise in consumer awareness recently saw bans on battery farming in parts of Europe. This thesis addresses the difficulties that would follow any similar attempt to curtail battery farming in South Africa. It examines the literature on animal rights and the welfare issues generated by intensive animal farming, particularly of battery chickens. Thereafter it summarises the findings of surveys into local consumer preferences and retail strategies regarding chicken products.
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Björkbom, Camilla. "Respect for animals - with what implications? : A critical policy analysis of the Swedish Animal Welfare Act." Thesis, Stockholms universitet, Statsvetenskapliga institutionen, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-189515.
Full textAbstract:
In this thesis I interrogate the concept of respect for animals, or intrinsic value, in the new Swedish Animal Welfare Act adopted in 2018. I draw on poststructural theory and conceptual input from political theory as well as Martha Nussbaum’s capability approach. Through the WPR method I analyze government propositions and official government reports between 2011 and 2018, related to the new animal welfare act. The previous Animal Welfare Act from 1988 is used to assess conceptual change in the thirty years that have passed between the two animal welfare acts. Even though respect for animals does not have material legal impact for the animals and cannot be said to constitute a conceptual shift compared to the previous law adopted in 1988, I draw attention to the political implications of the introduction of respect for animals. By analyzing the problem representations and the conceptual logics in the documents, I show how discourses around competitiveness, profitability and productivity in the animal-based food sector were aligned with the global threats of climate change mitigation and antimicrobial resistance, and how these values were seen as state responsibilities while the protection of animals’ intrinsic value became seen as an individual moral responsibility. As a consequence the policy question of what the recognition of animals’ intrinsic value in the law ought to mean as a political issue of justice remained unaddressed. I also show how the emphasis on science in the balancing of animal interests against economic interests has limiting effects on citizens’ political agency.
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Fargo, Timothy Joseph. "Farm animal sanctuaries postdomestic activism and the transformative power of place /." Diss., Restricted to subscribing institutions, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1723178161&sid=12&Fmt=2&clientId=1564&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Rose, Paul Edward. "Investigating the behaviour and welfare of captive flamingos (Phoenicopterformes)." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/33595.
Full textAbstract:
When a species is housed in captivity there are facets of the managed environment that can impact on individual and population welfare. A key component of an individual’s environment is its social environment, which can have important implications for animal health and welfare. Highly social species may experience impoverished welfare if kept in captive groups that differ in size, structure and demographic to that experienced by free-living animals. Amongst the most common of social animals to be housed in captivity are the flamingos (Phoenicopteridae). The unique evolutionary biology of these birds means that key aspects of their behaviour depends upon group living. A positive relationship between breeding success and increasing flock size has previously been noted, but how flamingo flocks are structured socially remains mysterious. All six species of flamingo are currently found in captive collections. The three more generalist species, greater (Phoenicopterus roseus), Caribbean (P. ruber) and Chilean (P. chilensis) flamingos are found commonly in zoos and can, under the right conditions, breed well. The other flamingo species are much more specialised in their habitat and dietary requirements and have proved more challenging with regards to their captive management. These three species are the Andean (Phoenicoparrus andinus), James’ (P. jamesi) and lesser (Phoeniconaias minor) flamingos. All six species are included in the experimental work presented in this thesis. This research aimed to evaluate specific elements of flamingo group living using social network analysis (SNA). It also aimed to assess influences of the captive environment (i.e. enclosure style and visitor number) and climate on enclosure usage, time-activity budgets and behavioural diversity to provide, as far as possible, a complete insight into how to measure, assess and evaluate captive flamingo welfare. A synthesis of the relevance of SNA to zoo animal management, and a review of current literature to identify research needs that could evidence good flamingo husbandry form the basis of the first two chapters. These two overview chapters support the questions asked in the following data-based sections of the thesis. Flamingos were observed at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre from March 2012 to July 2016 with data on patterns of social associations being collected four times daily (depending upon weather and bird husbandry). Associations were defined as birds within one neck length of each other and, using photos, the affiliations of each bird in the group were recorded. For assessment of bond strength, network position and identification of preferred/avoided partners a Half-Weight Index was applied to these data. Permutation testing was applied to association matrices to determine the difference between the number of observed preferential bonds (and avoided bonds) and Mantel tests were used to compare matrix correlations to assess differences between seasons, species, years and enclosures (where appropriate). The SNA programmes Socprog, UCInet and Netdraw were used to analyse network data. These network data form the basis of three chapters and show that flamingos associate preferentially with non-random bonds occurring in all flocks observed. Influences of social bonds on courtship display were also examined, and temporal changes in association were considered across time, season and year. Finally, to see any influence of animal health on bond preferences, scores of foot condition (used to identify and evaluate the presence and severity of pododermatitis on an individual bird) were analysed alongside of network measures for three flocks of flamingos. To measure enclosure usage, each species’ exhibit was measured and zones accessible to the birds were defined. As exhibit use can be based on resource use (and these resources can form differently-sized areas within an exhibit) a modified Spread of Participation Index (SPI) was used to provide an outcome between 1 (one area or resource used more than others) and 0 (equal use of all resource zones). Time-activity budgets were calculated for all flocks over daytime, and for one flock (measured using remote camera traps) over night. These data are presented in two chapters and demonstrate that captive flamingos can change their activity patterns in a similar manner to that noted in wild birds. Interestingly, flamingos are very active during the night and this provides useful data for zoo personnel to consider when re-assessing husbandry and management plans for these most ubiquitous of zoo birds.
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Mostafavi, Anahita. "Humane Architecture to Befriend the Animals we Live with: Animal Shelter in beautiful Alexandria, Virginia." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/82236.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is a study of architecture on how to improve the life of homeless animals through strengthening the relationship between us, humans and the animals we live among.
There are millions of shelter animals being killed every year which is both dreadful and expensive. This number can be decreased greatly if people acted more responsibly towards the creatures they have domesticated. It is true that most people enjoy taking care of animals, they usually feel a strong emotional connection with them, specially those who share their homes with their pets. The problem is that many find the animal shelters a depressing place filled with sick unwanted animals.
How can we, design professionals, encourage people to interact more with animal shelters? How can the design affect both physical and emotional health of these animals? Can architecture raise awareness about the creatures in our urban civilization?
This project explores a few design approaches that can teach people about shelters and urban animals and how physically different we are from them. The building is also a study of an animal shelter as a system that can improve their day-to-day life to become healthier and happier. It is proposed that these architectural changes would aid the adoption rate as well as creating a happier pet and owner.Master of Architecture
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Hawkins, Roxanne D. "Psychological factors underpinning child-animal relationships and preventing animal cruelty." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/31500.
Full textAbstract:
Despite a growing increase in popularity of human-animal interaction research, there remains a lack of understanding of the reasons why children are cruel to animals and whether early intervention is effective in preventing cruelty and neglect. The aims of this thesis were to deepen our understanding of the psychology of child-animal interactions, and to test whether targeted educational interventions improve the mechanisms which underlie these interactions. A review of the literature found that current research is heavily biased towards the positive impact of animals, identifying a need for more research into the complex web of psychological factors that impact these relationships. The systematic review included in this thesis provides the first narrative meta-synthesis of empirical research on the psychological risk factors for childhood animal cruelty and highlights a decrease in publications over more recent years, as well as a lack of high quality research. Studies have largely overlooked the fact that most cruelty in childhood is unmotivated and accidental and so further research is essential to understand how to prevent different types of childhood animal cruelty. Three studies investigated the fundamental mechanisms that underlie child-animal interactions, focusing on attachment to pets, beliefs about animal minds, and attitudes towards animal cruelty. These studies highlighted the importance of teaching children about animal sentience through education, and that educational interventions should focus on preventing unmotivated cruelty and neglect in the general population. Animal welfare education aims to promote positive relationships between children and animals, thus preventing cruelty. However, few scientific evaluations of these programs exist. This thesis evaluates a cruelty prevention education programme, 'Prevention through Education', developed by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Knowledge, attachment to pets, attitudes towards animals, attitudes towards animal cruelty, compassion towards animals, reported humane behaviour, and beliefs about animal minds were assessed at pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test using a self-report questionnaire, comparing test schools to control schools. The questionnaire was administered to 1,217 Scottish children aged 6 to 13 years. The results found that cognitive factors were influenced by the intervention, but affective factors were more resistant to change. A novel cruelty prevention iPad game that was theoretically driven and evidence based, was designed, developed and evaluated. The evaluation involved a pre-test, post-test, test-control design using a self-report questionnaire with 184 primary-school children in Scotland, UK. The results indicated a positive impact of the game on increasing knowledge about animal welfare needs and appropriate and safe behaviour towards pets, increasing children's beliefs about pet minds, and decreasing acceptance of cruelty to pets. The intervention had no impact on compassion. This study demonstrates the potential of developing interactive iPad games to promote cognitive dimensions of positive child-animal interactions. This thesis highlights the importance of evidence-based animal welfare education for early prevention of animal cruelty, and the potential of computer game-based learning to promote positive child-animal interactions. This thesis further addresses major gaps in psychological research and deepens our understanding of how to prevent animal cruelty and neglect. The findings have implications for practice and policy and will impact upon the educational strategies of organisations wishing to develop early prevention strategies.
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Näsström, Moa Jessica Linnea. "Farm animal welfare in the European Union : a critical analysis." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2016. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/15328/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis examines the causes behind why England and Sweden, as European Union (EU) Member States that share a higher concern for animal welfare, suffer similar financial drawbacks and a decrease of their farmers’ competitive strength, in spite of their fundamentally different regulatory approaches to transposing EU law. This complex situation is investigated by tracing the issue to its origin: the inherent tension stemming from the dual classification of the animals in EU primary law as both sentient beings and tradable goods. Farm animal welfare is regulated by minimum harmonising EU Directives, which permit Member States to implement stricter domestic regulatory standards. This thesis argues that these stricter standards, while being zoocentrically important in terms of enabling a higher level of farm animal welfare, also have a substantial negative economic impact upon the affected farmers, due to the higher input costs. The issue arising is that minimum Directives effectively negate the competitive strength of the farmers in ‘stricter’ Member States, as their domestic produce competes directly against imported products from Member States whose national legislation is closer to the minimum standard established by the EU Directives. This thesis critiques this situation as untenable and submits that the farmers’ competitive strength in stricter Member States can be improved by a shift in consumer purchasing behaviour, achieved by a programme that raises public awareness. The research outcome is a recommendation of the introduction of an EU-wide farm animal welfare labelling policy, one that would allow consumers to distinguish high-welfare products from low-welfare ones, where the elevated price commanded by the former would offset the higher costs incurred in their production. The benefits of this solution are that it facilitates increased competitiveness within the EU’s internal market, while maintaining and promoting higher farm animal welfare standards.
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Millar, Louise Natalie. "Improving captive animal welfare through the application of cognitive enrichment." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/15020.
Full textAbstract:
Welfare for captive animals in laboratory, farm, companion and zoo settings is difficult to assess and subject to interpretation. The perceived needs of animals change over time and according to budget, fashion and policy. The assessment of the value of environmental enrichment for captive animals is hampered by the lack of consistent, quantitative, objective and methodical research. Enrichment devices and other welfare improvement strategies lack long-term assessment or implementation. The concept of cognitive enrichment, or enabling captive animals to use their cognitive abilities to solve problems and meet challenges in their environment, is in the initial stages of development. Preliminary findings indicate that cognitive enrichment seems to be an effective method of improving captive animal welfare. In the research described in this thesis, several welfare measurement techniques including changes in activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and cognitive bias were compared and used to measure the effects of cognitive enrichment upon captive pigeons and dogs in order to obtain a useable cognitive enrichment paradigm that can be extrapolated to many types of captive animals. Key findings were that cognitive enrichment improved captive group-housed pigeon welfare and individually-kennelled dog welfare, indicated by significant changes in activity budget, increases in ‘optimism’, and reduction of stereotypic behaviour in subjects. Subjects used both low-tech and high-tech cognitive enrichments as intended and showed no sign of habituation. It is hoped that these findings will be used to improve captive animal welfare, and that the cognitive enrichment and cognitive bias paradigms developed will add to this field of research.
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Pejman, Niloofar. "Animal welfare in Europe and Iran: policy perspective and society." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/673996.
Full textAbstract:
Intensive animal production systems are compromising current animal welfare standards. Societies' growing concerns regarding how animals are raised have resulted in continuous policy reforms and regulations that have banned certain intensive farming methods. However, these concerns toward animal welfare can vary across different countries and cultures. In many developed countries, EU policymakers are continuously identifying and implementing more restrictive regulations driven by social changes that go beyond the current minimum animal welfare requirements. However, animal welfare is also an emerging concern in developing countries. In this context, the main objectives of this thesis are threefold:
Firstly, to analyze the EU consumers' and citizens' attitudes towards more restrictive animal welfare (AW) regulations. The Logit Model (LM) regression was used in eight European countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Italy, and Sweden) on a sample of 3860 respondents. The results showed that consumers are more reluctant to adopt more restrictive regulations than respondents in their role of citizens. Respondents from northern European countries (Poland and Sweden) are more likely to support more restrictive animal welfare regulations than respondents from southern countries (Spain and Italy). Women were found to be more concerned with the welfare of pigs and laying hens, giving credibility to the Internet as an information source and more likely to support more restrictive animal welfare legislation. Secondly, the students' opinions towards the inclusion of the AW subjects in their educational program were analyzed. The Logit Model (LM) from eight European Union (EU) countries with 1,952 secondary students and 1,929 graduate students was also used. The results showed that female university students with a high level of subjective and objective knowledge on AW and who required more restrictive AW regulations gave support to include the concept in their educational programs. However, students who support medical experiments that use animals to improve human health were less likely to accept the inclusion of the AW in their educational curricula. Furthermore, students in Italy compared to those in Sweden were prone to support AW educational programs.
Thirdly, in order to have a comparative view of a developing country compared to results in EU, Iranian citizens' and consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for animal welfare (AW) milk products were analyzed using the choice experiment. The results indicate that citizens are willing to pay the highest price for traditional AW milk but not for industrial and traditional milk without AW certification. Moreover, individuals in their role as consumers exhibit a higher WTP for all types of milk but with a marked preference for industrial AW than traditional. Citizen's women and those who rely on the Internet were more concerned with dairy cattle farms and were more likely to choose AW milk. Citizens below 55 years of age were more reluctant to pay a premium to choose industrial and traditional milk without AW certification. Furthermore, consumer women and those who do not have children show a higher preference for industrial AW milk with lower animal welfare standards. However, consumers who support using animals for sport and those who assign high credibility to the television as an information source were less likely to pay a premium for AW products. Our results highlighted that both consumers and citizens are demanding higher standards regarding animal welfare. Consumers by purchasing animal welfare-friendly products and citizens by adopting a holistic approach to society legislation to achieve a minimum standard of welfare conditions. Finally, our results highlight the importance of policymakers adopting reforms that are in accordance with societal preferences and concerns to create more effective and acceptable animal welfare policies.Los sistemas de producción animal intensiva están comprometiendo los estándares actuales de bienestar animal. La creciente preocupación de las sociedades con respecto a cómo se crían los animales ha dado lugar a continuas reformas políticas y regulaciones que han prohibido ciertos métodos de cultivo intensivo. Sin embargo, estas preocupaciones sobre el bienestar animal pueden variar entre diferentes países y culturas. En muchos países desarrollados, los formuladores de políticas de la UE están identificando e implementando continuamente regulaciones más restrictivas impulsadas por cambios sociales que van más allá de los requisitos mínimos actuales de bienestar animal. Sin embargo, el bienestar animal también es una preocupación emergente en los países en desarrollo. En este contexto, los principales objetivos de esta tesis son tres: En primer lugar, analizar las actitudes de los consumidores y ciudadanos de la UE hacia normas más restrictivas sobre el bienestar de los animales (AW). La regresión del Modelo Logit (LM) se utilizó en ocho países europeos (España, Reino Unido, Polonia, Grecia, Lituania, Rumania, Italia y Suecia) en una muestra con una muestra de 3860 encuestados. Los resultados mostraron que los consumidores son más reacios a adoptar regulaciones más restrictivas que los encuestados en su papel de ciudadanos. Los encuestados de los países del norte de Europa (Polonia y Suecia) son más propensos a apoyar regulaciones de bienestar animal más restrictivas que los encuestados de los países del sur (España e Italia). Se descubrió que las mujeres estaban más preocupadas por el bienestar de los cerdos y las gallinas ponedoras, lo que da credibilidad a Internet como fuente de información y es más probable que apoye una legislación de bienestar animal más restrictiva. En segundo lugar, se analizaron las opiniones de los estudiantes hacia la inclusión de las asignaturas AW en su programa educativo. También se utilizó el modelo Logit (LM) de ocho países de la Unión Europea (UE). Los resultados mostraron que estudiantes universitarios con un alto nivel de conocimiento subjetivo y objetivo sobre AW y que requerían regulaciones de AW más restrictivas dieron apoyo para incluir el concepto en sus programas educativos. Sin embargo, los estudiantes que apoyan los experimentos médicos que utilizan animales para mejorar la salud humana tenían menos probabilidades de aceptar la inclusión del AW en sus planes de estudios educativos. Además, los estudiantes de Italia, en comparación con los de Suecia, eran propensos a apoyar los programas educativos de AW. En tercer lugar, para tener una visión comparativa de un país en desarrollo en comparación con los resultados de la UE, se analizó la disposición a pagar (DAP) de los ciudadanos y consumidores iraníes por productos lácteos de bienestar animal (AW) utilizando el experimento de elección. Los resultados indican que los ciudadanos están dispuestos a pagar el precio más alto por la leche AW tradicional, pero no por la leche industrial y tradicional sin certificación AW. Además, los individuos en su rol de consumidores exhiben una DAP más alta para todos los tipos de leche, pero con una marcada preferencia por la AW industrial que la tradicional. Las mujeres ciudadanas y las que dependen de Internet estaban más preocupadas por las granjas de ganado lechero y eran más propensas a elegir la leche AW. Además, las mujeres consumidoras y las que no tienen hijos muestran una mayor preferencia por la leche industrial AW con un estándar de bienestar animal más bajo. Sin embargo, los consumidores que apoyan el uso de animales para el deporte y aquellos que asignan una alta credibilidad a la televisión como fuente de información tenían menos probabilidades de pagar una prima por los productos AW. Nuestros resultados destacaron que tanto los consumidores como los ciudadanos exigen estándares más altos en materia de bienestar animal. Los consumidores compran productos respetuosos con el bienestar animal y los ciudadanos adoptan un enfoque holístico de la legislación de la sociedad para lograr un estándar mínimo de condiciones de bienestar. Finalmente, los resultados muestran que la enseñanza del concepto de AW en las universidades y programas escolares, principalmente en los países mediterráneos en las escuelas secundarias, es necesaria.
Sostenibilitat
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Marcet, Rius Miriam. "Physiological and behavioural indicators of positive animal welfare in pigs." Thesis, Toulouse, INPT, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019INPT0013.
Full textAbstract:
Le premier pas pour assurer une bonne qualité de vie des animaux de production pourrait être la possibilité d’évaluer correctement leur bien-être. Pour cela, il serait essentiel de ne pas seulement inclure la détection de quelques problèmes de bien-être, mais aussi la détection des états de bienêtre positifs, comme l’émission d’émotions positives. En parallèle, être capable de mesurer l’apparition d’émotions négatives reste aussi essentiel, car, en définitive, il serait envisageable de considérer que le bien-être animal positif devrait inclure l’émission fréquente d’émotions positives associée à l’émission moins fréquente d’émotions négatives. Ainsi, la présence d’émotions positives et négatives devrait aussi être incluse dans l’évaluation du bien-être animal afin de tenir compte non pas seulement de la santé physique mais aussi de la santé mentale. Aujourd'hui, peu d’indicateurs existent mais seraient essentiels pour une meilleure compréhension de l’adaptation ou non à plusieurs pratiques effectuées dans les élevages et actuels systèmes de production. De plus, ce peu d’indicateurs ou mesures déjà existants ne sont pas toujours faisables et objectifs à évaluer. En conséquence, il existe un besoin d’investiguer des nouveaux indicateurs de bien-être animal positif, et particulièrement, des réponses émotionnelles. Ainsi, cette thèse a pour but principal d’examiner de potentiels indicateurs physiologiques et comportementaux du bien-être animal positif. Pour cela, nous avons mis en place cinq études, quatre avec portant sur des miniporcs et une portant sur des porcs domestiques commerciaux. Les quatre études avec les miniporcs ont été développés dans un cadre expérimental, tandis que la dernière le fut en conditions d’élevage. Une situation positive pour les animaux, en accord avec la littérature, a été créé dans toutes les études, et également, une situation contrôle, où plusieurs mesures ont été prises pour comparer les deux groupes. Ce travail a permis d’obtenir plusieurs résultats sur des potentiels indicateurs physiologiques et comportementaux de bien-être animal, qui pourraient être utilisés pour améliorer les actuelles méthodes d’évaluation de bien-être du porc. Concernant les indicateurs comportementaux, il a également apporté une caractéristique importante : la faisabilité des mesures. De plus, le travail a fourni une meilleure connaissance du vrai état des animaux et une meilleure compréhension de leurs émotions. Il a aussi contribué à avoir plus d’informations sur les différentes typologies de matériaux d’enrichissement, fait qui pourrait aider à résoudre l’actuelle difficulté à trouver le matériel le plus adéquat pour le porc, qui doit aussi être facile à gérer en élevage par les éleveurs ou techniciens. Finalement, ce travail est un exemple du lien entre différentes sciences, comme la physiologie, l’éthologie et le bien-être, entre autres, pour décrire scientifiquement l’état des animaux dans un contexte précisThe first step for ensuring a good quality of life for farm animals may be the ability to assess their welfare correctly. To do this, not only is it essential to include the detection of welfare problems but it is also essential to detect positive welfare states, such as the emission of positive emotions. The ability to measure the appearance of negative emotions is important, and positive animal welfare should also include frequent emissions of positive emotions and less frequent emissions of negative ones. Therefore, the presence of positive and negative emotions should be included in animal welfare assessments, and not only their physical health but also their mental health should be considered. Currently, few indicators of emotions exist, and such indicators are essential to better understand the adaptation or not of several husbandry practices in current production systems. Furthermore, the few existing indicators or measures are not always feasible and objective to evaluate. Therefore, research identifying new indicators of positive welfare, more specifically, indicators that reflect emotional responses, is needed. Thus, the present work mainly aimed at investigating potential physiological and behavioural measures of positive animal welfare. For this investigation, we conducted five studies: four with mini-pigs and one with domestic commercial pigs. The four studies with mini-pigs were performed in an experimental setting, whereas the last study was performed under farm conditions. In each study, a positive situation was created for the animals according to the literature as well as a control situation, and several measurements were taken to compare both groups. This work provides many interesting results about the potential physiological and behavioural indicators of welfare that could be used to improve current welfare assessments of pigs. The present behavioural indicators are important because they provide measures that are feasible. Furthermore, this work provides further knowledge of the real state of animals and a better understanding of their emotions. This work also provides information about different types of enrichment materials, which could help stockpersons and others who provide for and manage pigs find adequate material for enrichment. Finally, this work is an example of the way many different sciences, such as physiology, ethology and welfare, among others, can be linked to scientifically describe the state of animals in a specific context
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Adams, Leanne. "Animal welfare in South Africa : a multi-component programme design." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15565.
Full textAbstract:
The ongoing international atrocity of animal abuse is a persistent and widespread social problem within human society. The maltreatment of animals, particularly in rural impoverished contexts in South Africa continues to be a pertinent challenge facing local animal welfare organisations. Upon identifying the need to improve the conditions of animals living in the Darling community, the Swartland SPCA approached the evaluator in order to design a plausible humane education programme. The evaluator began this research by reviewing the history and underlying principles of humane education, the efficacy of humane education, as well as formalised humane education programmes. Findings from the review revealed that humane education programmes hold diminished capability for the achievement of improved animal welfare when implemented in isolation. Although these programmes aim to affect behavioural change in order to respond to the problem of animal welfare, behavioural change is not easily achieved with a simple intervention such as humane education. Thus, designing a programme for the Swartland SPCA based solely on the logic of humane education with the expectation of behavioural change was deemed problematic. Subsequently, the evaluator endeavoured to develop a novel programme design to target the problem of animal welfare in Darling. Increasingly, research points to the need for a multifaceted approach in dealing with the problem of animal maltreatment due to its complex nature as well as the fact that it is based on a large number of confounding personal, familial, social, cultural and psychological factors. To address this need, the evaluator, in consultation with the SPCA, identified a number of possible reasons as to why the problem of animal welfare was a prevalent issue within the Darling community. This highlighted the need for additional interventions that could be employed holistically to alleviate the problem of animal abuse. Given that this research concerns the welfare of animals in terms of human-directed behaviours, it was decided that humane education as a form of intervention should be investigated further in its ability to affect attitudinal change in conjunction with violence prevention and peer education / modelling interventions as additional programme components. In order to affect interpersonal violence at a behavioural level, a violence prevention component was selected with the hope that reductions in interpersonal violence may extent toward the reduction of violence and abusive behaviour towards animals. Finally, peer education / role modelling was selected as a means of involving community members in the promotion of animal welfare via the concepts developed from the humane education programme component. Since an improvement of animal welfare conditions is essentially dependant on the performance of individual behaviours, grounding the programme in a theory of behaviour change was identified as an important first step in the programme design. As such, Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour was utilised as a behaviour change model in order to guide the programme's design framework and to ensure that the programme components corresponded with theoretically identified mechanisms of behavioural change. It was anticipated that utilising a multidimensional programme design rooted in a theory of behaviour change would increase the likelihood of achieving the link between attitudinal change and behavioural change. Therefore, this evaluation provides the Swartland SPCA with a broad-based programme design which provides a variable-oriented insight into the proposed mechanisms of change and can be utilised as a framework in the adaption of programme components. It is envisioned that this tool be used by the programme stakeholders to decide on intended outcomes, select the programme activities, and further define the design details thereof. A number of recommendations are also made in order to assist with the successful implementation of this programme and its sub-components in the long term. These include lobbying for the inclusion of animal welfare and violence prevention content as part of national school curricula, obtaining a violence prevention partner organisation to assist with certain implementation considerations, and finally the importance of continuous community engagement and involvement prior to and during the programme’s roll out.
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WATANABE, T. T. NEGRAO. "ANIMAL-BASED INDICATORS FOR ON-FARM WELFARE ASSESSMENT IN POULTRY." Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Milano, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2434/243538.
Full textAbstract:
Improvements in poultry welfare are essential to ensure the quality of bird’s lives, but also may have fruitful outcomes to industry for minimizing the economic losses impacts under better bird performance, and carcass quality with reductions of mortality and condemnations. In fact, adopting a valid, reliable, and feasible welfare assessment protocol on-farm is fairly valuable method not only addressed to poultry welfare, but also, to industries interests, and consumer demands. Several array internal and external identified factors can largely influence the welfare and health evaluation of turkey flocks. The present study focuses mainly on the development of a welfare assessment protocol on-farm based on animal-based indicators. These parameters were carefully reviewed and critically tested. In Chapter 1 and 2, the aim was to do a literature review on animal-based indicators for turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), gathering information about promising indicators that could be included into an on-farm welfare assessment protocol. Social, environmental variables and pathological findings were pointed out as factors affecting behavior and welfare of turkeys that may be relevant economically to the commercial production systems. In Chapter 3, the walks through following line transect methodology used in wildlife studies was adapted to explore their feasibility as a welfare assessment tool. The aim of this study was to compare broiler welfare assessed by individual sampling and transect walks. Six managed flocks were evaluated. Measures on 150 birds were carried out for the individual sampling. Observers walked slowly on random order paths and recorded the incidence of immobility, lameness, dirtiness, sick, agony and dead birds. It was possible to detected small variations across farms (P < 0.003) in the prevalence of most welfare indicators and consistency in inter-observer reliability (P ≥ 0.05). Surprisingly, both methods differed greatly in the frequency of the studied parameters. Possibly, the transect walks might have overlooked walking impairs due to a large number of birds. Another hypothesis may be related to biased individual sampling procedures. In Chapter 4, the study investigated the feasibility of the transect walks method as a novel approach to on-farm welfare assessment of male and female commercial turkey flocks in Italy. This is the first report of welfare assessment using the transect walks method in Europe at turkey farms. A total of 25 commercial [B.U.T.] - Big 6) turkey flocks (15 male and 10 female) with similar management standard procedures were evaluated. Incidence of birds falling into any of the welfare categories was recorded. The studied indicators were: immobility, lameness, wounds, featherless, small size and serious health issues in the flocks, for instance, sick, terminally ill and dead. In addition, behavioral variables as aggression towards mate, interaction with humans and mating were also considered. Sensitivity of the method was noted by effect of sex (P < 0.001) for immobility, lameness, wounds and dirtiness indicators. In addition, inter-observer reliability (P ≥ 0.05) was also consistent for almost the studied variables. Male birds showed high incidence of immobility (0.14% ± 0.02% vs. 0.02% ± 0), lameness (9.06% ± 0.41% vs. 4.34% ± 0.20%), wounds (3.54% ± 0.19% vs. 1.38% ± 0.09%) and dirtiness (0.20% ± 0.02% vs. 0.07% ± 0.01%) than female flocks, respectively. Transect walks approach is an essential component, indeed, to improve the welfare assessment on-farm level. It showed to be a valuable alternative method at commercial strains of meat turkeys. Thus, this innovative method fulfills some industries and producers requirements, such as, no bird disturbing or animal catching with decreased of time-consuming and personnel involved, and no extra costs required, at its application at commercial practices. Some further research should be done to fill the complex gaps and improve the welfare protocol introduced herein.