Association between plumage condition and fear and stress levels in five breeds of chickens.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 2001 | No Comments

This study examined the relationships among three traits often used in welfare assessment in five breeds of laying hens (all Spanish breeds). The birds were housed in group pens containing 75 hens and 15 roosters. Plumage was assessed at 72 wk of age, and 120 birds were selected that represented poor (60) and perfect (60) feather condition. These birds were then tested for their tonic immobility response, in which a higher value represents increased fearfulness. They were also blood sampled and the ratio of heterophils to lymphocyte ratio determined. This ratio is indicative of stress and increased in stressed birds. There were breed differences in all traits, but the relationships among the traits were similar in all breeds. Hens with poor feather condition showed shorter tonic immobility (less fearful), but higher heterophil/lymphocyte ratios (more stressed) than did well feathered animals.

Assessing cow comfort: effects of two floor types and two tie stall designs on the behaviour of lactating dairy cows

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Two studies were conducted to test the effects of stall design on cow behaviour and comfort. In the first study 16 cows were housed in stalls with concrete floors or mattress flooring. When on mattress floors the cows spent 1.8 h more time lying each day. However, cows had fewer lying bouts on the concrete, but they were longer than for those on mattresses. Cows on mattresses stood up lay down more often than on concrete. Cows spent similar amounts of time eating and consumed similar amounts of feed on both surfaces. The data were interpreted to indicate that cows on concrete found it more difficult to change postures than did those on mattresses, and that the concrete was less comfortable. In the second study the cows were housed in stalls with either a narrow or wide front opening to the stall. Cows in the wide opening spent more time with their head in the manger area, a posture that was facilitated by the stall design. However, again there were no differences in eating time or consumption. It was concluded that mattresses were an effective means of improving cow comfort in lactating dairy cows.

Dairy cows' fear of people: social learning, milk yield and behaviour at milking.

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The effects of the presence of an unfamiliar, gentle, or aversive handler during milking on behaviour and milk yield of dairy cattle were assessed along with whether the cows could learn to approach or avoid a handler by observing their neighboring cow’s response. The handling treatments were varied every week for the handled cows. Findings indicated that cows kept a longer distance from the aversive handler than the gentle handler during the first minute after being handled. Milk yield and residual milk yield was not affected by the type of handler standing in front of them at milking, although cows moved their legs and tail less when the aversive handler was present. The presence of an unfamiliar handler at milking did not differently affect the behaviour of the handled cows compared to that of the control cows. Observation of the aversive or gentle treatment of neighboring cows by the handler did not affect the observing cow’s distance kept from either type of handler. In the second experiment, however, cows who had observed their neighbors receiving gentle treatment by a handler kept a shorter distance to that handler after treatment of their neighbors. The distance they kept was correlated to the distance kept by the handled cow. The findings of this study indicate that the response of observer cows to a handler may be affected by how their neighbor was handled. The cows quickly learned to avoid an aversive handler, but presence of the aversive handler at their milking did not affect their milk yield.

Transgenesis may affect farm animal welfare: A case for systematic risk assessment

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A genetically modified animal (transgenic) is one whose genome contains DNA of exogenous origin that has been introduced through experimental manipulation. Although there is a growing concern about health and welfare of the animals involve in trasgenesis research, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the welfare of transgenic farm animals. In this paper the authors discuss (potential) welfare problems in farm animals associated with transgenic technologies, and they are examining the strategy of studying health and welfare of transgenic farm animals. There is evidence showing that treatments imposed in the context of farm animal transgenesis are by no means biologically neutral and may compromise animal health and welfare. Factors posing a risk for the welfare of transgenic farm animals include integration of a transgene within an endogenous gene with possible loss of host gene function (insertional mutations) and in vitro reproductive technologies employed in the process of generating transgenic farm animals that may results in an increased incidence of difficult parturition and fetal and neonatal losses and the development of unusually large or otherwise abnormal offspring. Critical components of a scheme for evaluating welfare of transgenic farm animals are identified and concrete steps with regard to breeding and testing of transgenic farm animals are presented in this paper. It is anticipated that systematic research into the welfare of farm animals involved in transgenesis will facilitate the use of the safest experimental protocols as well as the selection and propagation of the healthiest animals and, thereby, enable technological progress that could be ethically justified.

Enzyme Activities, Protein Content and Cellular Variables in the Pulmonary Epithelial Lining Fluid in Selected Healthy Pigs

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Reference values of cellular and non-cellular components in the bronchoalveolar lavage A?uid
(BALF) were established from the BALF specimens obtained from 52 healthy pigs. Using urea as an
endogenous marker of dilution, the reference values in the epithelial lining A?uid (ELF) were
calculated: total cell count 2.71 A? 109A

Formula-Derived versus Observed Market Prices: An Application for Segregated Early Weaned Pigs

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A formula (the a

The nutritive value of ensiled cassava leaves for young Mong Cai pigs fed high levels of protein

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Amendment of nitrogen and phosphorus in swine manure by nutrition

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A rapid expansion of swine production in prairie provinces increased the public awareness of the
possible environmental risks of swine manure. The odours and water quality deterioration being
the main concerns, and an excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excreted in manure are
responsible for adverse effect on water quality. Some of the large swine production units do not
have sufficient land base for an effective utilization of manure as fertilizer resulting in manure
storage and disposal problems. The new provincial environmental regulations require nutrient
management plans from the farms when the swine production exceeds certain number of animal
units. Some feeding strategies were developed for an amendment of the N and P content of
swine manure to minimize the adverse effects on environment.

Covers and Others: The Latest Technologies in Manure Processing, Handling and Storage

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Straw covers
In the early 1990s, the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI, 1993) tested a variety of coverings to control odours associated with earthen manure storages. Their tudies examined: 1. Performance of various straw types and qualities 2. Performance of artificial flotation devices for straw support 3. Performance of a shredder/blower device for straw application 4. Problems during pump-out caused by straw or flotation devices 5. Costs of straw-covering systems

Results showed good quality barley straw to be the most effective material for unsupported cover. Flax and oat straw sank too quickly. Wheat straw lasted about one third of the time of barley straw. As flotation devices, polystyrene sheets and empty plastic bottles performed satisfactorily although leaking bottles caused pump problems during agitation. These devices were found to be too cumbersome and the covera

The Nutrient Loading Model for Agricultural Soils

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When manure is applied to supply crop nutrients, the application rate is based primarily on the nitrogen (N) content. As a result, the situation arises where manure as applied
contributes more phosphorus (P) to the soil than is required by the crop. This has a potential environmental consequence: runoff and erosion may eutrophy streams and
ponds. Few analytical tools are available to facilitate the establishment of application limits for P on agricultural land. The task is complex because the impact is usually
downstream of the farmland and can be episodic in nature. A modeling approach is best suited in order to integrate all of the factors. The Nutrient Loading Model (NLM) is a simple representation of the environment as a topsoil compartment, a subsoil compartment and a water compartment. Nutrient, both background (historic) and applied, is lost from the topsoil by leaching, erosion and crop removal. In the water compartment, the model includes processes of sedimentation to the stream bed and flushing. When reasonable input parameter values are used, representative of Manitoba farmland, the model indicates that over an average year, P contributions to water result in acceptable water concentrations. However, after severe storm events, the water P concentrations will be markedly higher than the annual average and the potential for impact is greater. Present soil fertility recommendations may lead to decreased soil P with time, but the current guidelines for manure application may result in accumulation of P in the soil. This accumulation coupled with periodic severe storm events has a significant potential to result in impacts such as eutrophication. The NLM can compute estimates of impacts following specific inputs (forward computation), but is intended to provide reverse computation, where P loading limits are defined based on the
criteria for acceptable water concentrations.