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Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
A note on hair whorl position and cattle temperament in the auction ring.
Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 2001 | No Comments
The relationship between facial hair whorls and temperament was investigated. The height and position of the whorl and the temperament while in the auction ring was recorded for 1636 cattle. Cattle with a high whorl position or no whorl had higher temperament scores (highly agitated and used its head to hit the ring fence, walls, partitions or people). Greater lateral displacement of whorls was more likely in cattle with low whorls than in cattle with middle or high whorls. Cattle with low whorls and those located off the centerline were more likely to have abnormally shaped whorls. More variable temperament scores came from cattle with whorls on the centerline. Abnormal whorls were more common in beef cattle than Holsteins. Holsteins had lower temperament scores (were calmer) than beef cattle. Reactions to novel environments may be predicted by using facial hair whorls in cattle.
Can cows discriminate people by their faces?
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Many studies have demonstrated that influence of people on animal production and welfare. Aversive handling reduces production, increases animals’ fear of people and increases the risk of injuries for the stockperson. To improve animal handling, it is important to evaluate the extent to which animals can distinguish between different people and the extent to which they generalize their experience with one person to other people. This experiment examines the cues used by cattle to discriminate between people, particularly the role played by facial cues. We trained and tested eight Holstein cows 5 days each week for 2 months. For each cow, we used two people, a rewarder and a non-rewarder, of different size and dressed in overalls of the same colour. The operant chamber was a large box within which stood the two people. The cow could see, smell and touch each person. A lever was placed in front of each person. When the cow pushed the lever in front of the rewarder, it received 75 g of concentrate feed and nothing when it pushed on the other one. For each test session, the cows made 10 choices. The placement of the people was determined randomly. The success criterion was defined as at least eight correct choices out of 10 trials for two consecutive sessions. During the shaping, seven cows out of eight learned to press the lever to obtain the food. The cows were then tested in a series of 10 trials with only the rewarder present. Seven out of seven cows succeeded in reaching the success criterion. In experiment 1, both the rewarder and the non-rewarder were present and standing upright at normal height and in full view of the cow. Five out of seven cows achieved the success criterion. In experiment 2, the cows could see only the faces of the two people. None of the cows were able to reach the success criterion. In experiment 3, both people were present standing up and wearing identical masks that completely covered their heads. Five cows out of five achieved the success criterion. In experiment 4, we changed the relative height of the people. Five cows out of five succeeded when the two people stood so they were of equal height but with their faces visible. However, no cows succeeded when the people were both of equal height and had their faces covered. This study suggests that cows seem to use multiple cues to discriminate between people. Cows appear able to use either body height or the face to discriminate between people but use of the face alone is more difficult when the cows cannot see the rest of the body.
Evaporative cooling of ventral regions of the skin in heat-stressed laying hens.
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Laying hens held in battery cages in naturally ventilated poultry houses in hot countries usually develop hyperthermia, which adversely affects their performance. The present means of cooling alleviate to some degree, but cannot eliminate, the stress imposed by heat. A new approach to cooling of laying hens was developed, based on wetting the skin and promoting evaporation of water from the ventral regions of the bird. The type of plumage in the ventral regions and the exposed skin of the apteria enable more efficient wetting than is possible with dorsal cooling. A ventral cooling regime, comprising an initial period of frequent wettings followed by intermittent wetting for 10 s every 30 min was able to maintain normothermia of laying hens subjected to a 10-h period of heat exposure. Dorsal cooling was less efficient; body temperature and respiration rate were higher and skin temperatures were lower than in ventrally cooled hens. During 10 d of heat exposure, ventrally cooled hens maintained egg weight and shell index, whereas their food intake decreased moderately. In contrast, egg weight, shell index, and food intake all decreased markedly in uncooled or dorsally cooled hens. Transient alterations in plasma concentrations of corticosterone, progesterone, and estradiol were noted in uncooled and dorsally cooled hens but not in ventrally cooled hens. Results indicate that ventral cooling is an efficient method to alleviate heat stress in laying hens during summer. Successful implementation of ventral cooling in poultry houses will depend on optimal installation of sprinklers and on minimal wetting of manure.
Some effects of repeated handling and the use of a mask on stress responses in zebu cattle during restraint.
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The effect of repeated handling and the use of a mask to cover their eyes on responses during restraint were investigated. Two experiments were conducted. During the first experiment, 18 cows were habituated to being restrained in a squeeze chute for three minutes. Blood samples were taken to determine cortisol levels. Habituation was indicated by a decrease in cortisol concentration over the test period. Six months later, the second experiment was conducted. Cows were randomly assigned to two groups, alternating the mask over test days. Cows were restrained as in the first experiment. At the beginning and end of each period of restraint, heart and respiratory rates were measured. A blood sample was taken at the end of the restraint. Respiratory rates, heart rates and cortisol concentrations were lower for masked cows than unmasked cows. Masked cows tended to be calmer than unmasked cows. The order of entrance was consistent over test days. In conclusion, Brahman cattle habituate to repeated experience in the squeeze chute, are calmer during the process when wearing a mask, and establish a consistent entrance order into the chute.
The 'New Perception' of animal agriculture: Legless cows, featherless chickens, and a need for genuine analysis
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Commerical animal production has been characterized in increasing popular literature as: 1) detrimental to anima welfare, 2) controlled by corporate interests, 3) motivated by profit rather than by traditional animal care values, 4) causing increased world hunger, 5) producing unhealthy food, and 6) harming the environment. This is referred to as the ‘New Perception’ debate of animal agriculture. In response to these accusations, agricultural organizations have used information that denies these six claims and have promoted a positive image of animal production. Unfortunately, the general public is left to make decisions based on two simplistic and opposing viewpoints. In this situation, scientists and ethicists need to step in and provide objective research and analyses that could serve as a foundation for public policy and individual choice. However, even when given this task, some scientists and ethicists have given opposing accounts, which have included unreliable information, generalizations, simplistic analysis of complex issues, and lack of emphasis on important ethical problems. Both scientists and ethicists need to consider the issues outlined in the New Perception debate as research problems requiring genuine investigation and analysis. This information is required by policy makers and the general public in order to make sound decisions about appropriate animal production practices.
The farmers' influence on calves' behaviour, health and production of a veal unit.
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The methods of production of veal have become quite standardized, however there is still a large amount of variability in terms of productivity between different farms. Those working with the calves may impact the productivity, how a stockperson interacts with the animals can affect the calves fear responses, productivity and health. To determine the extent of the impact stockmen have on the variability in productivity amongst veal units, 50 commercial farms affiliated with the same company were surveyed. The units surveyed had similar number of individual crates to house the calves, the calves were fed the same diets and all units were given the same management advice. Comparisons that were made amongst farms were as follows: the building and general farm characteristics, stockpersons’ background, attitudes about their work and the calves, the stockpersons’ behaviour with the calves, how the calves reacted to people and the health status of the calves. The units were classified as either high- or moderate-producing farms based on the growth rate and feed efficiency of the calves, along with the mortality rate. Farms with stockpeople that had a positive attitude towards the calves had lower disease levels and the calves were less reactive to human presence. The calves also showed a weaker reaction to human presence when there was more stockpeople working. The productivity of the veal units was related to the health status of the animals, while the calves’ reaction to human presence was not. Therefore, farmers can have an impact on the productivity of veal calves as they can control the health status of the herd. When the stockpeople working with the calves have a more positive outlook about their job, it can improve the care provided to the animals and increase detection of health problems within the herd. Also a positive attitude that results in improve herd health will result in a more welfare-friendly environment for the calves.
Day-old chicks categorised on latency to peck, exhibit a stable fear pattern until 15 days of age.
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Both male and female day-old chicks were categorised as high latency (HL), moderate latency (ML), or low latency (LL) based on their latency to peck pebbles. The latency of the HL category decreased with anxiolytic doses of diazepam, a drug designed to reduce fearful behaviour and release suppressed behaviour, but the latency did not decrease in the ML or LL treatments. This data suggests that HL chicks were the most anxious. In an open-field test, the 15-day-old LL chicks showed the lowest latency to walk. They showed the lowest immobility duration in the tonic immobility test, and they showed insensitivity to anxiolytic doses of diazepam in both behavioural tests. Their insensitivity to diazepam suggests that the 15-day-old LL chicks were the least anxious. The increase in the density of the central benzodiazepine receptor (the receptor that binds with diazepam) induced by acute stressors was highest in the most anxious and/or fearful HL group. Since there were more females in the LL category, and more males in the HL category, the data suggest that the fear pattern depends on the sex and inter-individual differences within a same sex, which are stable across life. This test could be a useful method for determining fear and/or anxiety state, and useful for choosing birds with the best performance later in life.
Thermotolerance Acquisition in broiler chickens by temperature conditioning early in life-The effect of timing and ambient temperature
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Thermal conditioning of chicks results in improvements in performance and thermotolerance at marketing age. Conditioning has been found to be a sensitive process, dependent on age and the temperature used. The objective of this study was to assess the optimal timing and temperature for the conditioning process. Six separate trials were conducted on male broiler chickens: the first two aimed to find the optimal age for thermal conditioning (1 to 5 days of age); the other four evaluated the optimal thermal conditioning temperature between 36 and 40.5 C. At 42 day of age chickens were thermally challenged to evaluate their ability to cope with acute heat stress. The highest body weight was achieved when thermal conditioning had been applied at the age of 3 days, and it coincided with low feed intake and higher to significantly higher feed efficiency. These treated chickens showed relatively lower mortality rate under thermal challenge and lower to significantly lower Ttiiodothyronine (T3) concentration in Trial 2. Chicks that had been thermally conditioned at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 36 and 37.5 C at the age of 3 days demonstrated the best performance characteristics and the ability to reduce T3 concentration to the lowest levels during thermal challenge. It can be suggested, therefore, that a Ta between 36.0 and 37.5 C, applied at 3 days of age is optimum for thermal conditioning of broiler chickens.
Performance and feeding behaviour of calves on ad libitum milk from artificial teats.
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The way in which dairy calves are offered milk or milk replacer after separation from their mothers can have marked effects on many aspects of their behaviour, performance and welfare. In this study, weight gain, milk intake, starter intake and number of days with diarrhoea were measured for individually housed Holstein calves offered milk twice daily by bucket at 5% of body weight per feeding or ad libitum from a teat from birth until 4 weeks of age. Mean weight gains during the first 2 weeks were 0.36 and 0.85 kg/day and during the next 2 weeks were 0.58 and 0.79 kg/day for bucket fed and teat fed calves respectively. These differences were probably the result of higher milk consumption by teat-fed versus bucket fed calves, which occurred in all 4 weeks. Starter consumption was negligible until 3 weeks of age for both groups, but the bucket-fed calves consumed more than teat-fed calves (0.25 vs. 0.11 kg/day) during week 4. No difference on the occurrence of diarrhoea was observed between the two groups. Milk drinking behaviour was studied in detail for eight calves over 24 h. Total feeding time was 47 min. All individuals took their largest meals after new milk was provided in the morning and after milk was added in the afternoon. Calves that drank more also drank faster. Intake rate varied little over the course of large meals, although it tended to decelerate towards the end of the meal. Calves consumed the first meal of the day in 13 min, during which they were attached to the teat for 80% of the time. These meals comprised, on average, 25 individual sucking events of 25 s duration, interspersed by gaps of 7 s. Calves occasionally butted the teat, normally during the middle of the meal, and the frequency of butting correlated positively with intake rate. In conclusion, feeding calves ad libitum from teats allows them to determine their own intake patterns while improving performance compared to conventional bucket feeding.
Behaviour, performance and health indicators of welfare for dairy cows housed in strawyard or cubicle systems.
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Objective methods are required to assess the welfare of livestock in different environments. Two experiments were conducted to determine comparative indicators of welfare in the two most common loose-housing systems for dairy cows, strawyards and cubicles. Experiment I examined the animals responses to the two housing systems with 16 high- and 16 low-yielding Holstein Friesian cows in a changeover design over two, 4-week periods. Experiment II was carried out over 17 weeks to assess the longer-term responses to the two systems with 24 Holstein Friesian cows. In experiment I cows in the strawyard system had a significantly greater lying time, ruminating time and synchronization of lying behaviour than the cubicle system. The cows were significantly cleaner in the cubicle system but there were no significant differences between systems in milk production, cell count or locomotion score. High yield cows had a shorter lying time but longer feeding time than low yield cows. The cows of different milk yield level responded similarly to the housing systems, indicating that cows of high milk yield do not require different housing systems from low yield cows. In experiment II there were no significant differences between housing systems in lying, ruminating or synchronization of lying behaviour. Milk yields were significantly lower in the strawyard than in the cubicle system due to a significantly higher incidence of clinical mastitis. Cell-counts were significantly lower and cows were significantly cleaner in cubicles. There were no significant effects of housing system on hoof dimensions, locomotion score or clinical lameness. It was concluded that total lying time, lying synchrony, milk cell count and locomotion score are potential indicators for the assessment of dairy cow welfare in different housing environments.