Relationships between human-animal interactions and productivity of commercial dairy cows.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 2000 | No Comments

This study examined the relationships among stockperson and cow variables of 66 commercial farms. Stockpersons were assessed in terms of their attitudes toward cows and their behaviour while handling animals. The cows were assessed in terms of their response to humans and their productivity. Stockpersons with a positive attitude toward cows were less likely to use forceful, negative, tactile (touching) interactions with the animals. Cows that were handled with fewer such interactions were more willing to approach humans. Animals that were willing to approach humans had higher reproductive performance (conception rate). Also, cows that received a higher number of forceful interactions produced less milk and had higher cortisol levels. The results of this study illustrate the complex relationship among stockperson attitude, handling, cow productivity and welfare. Although causal relationships could not be determined, the area offers considerable potential for research on human-animal relationships that positively affect animal welfare.

Electrical stunning and exsanguinations decrease the extracellular volume in the broiler brain as studied with brain impedance recordings.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

This study examined the effects of three methods of stunning and exsanguinating (bleeding out) chickens. The first method involved electrical stunning of the whole body, followed by exsanguinations. This method was always effective in achieving an immediate reduction in brain impedance (a measure of degree of function). Birds reached a criterion of A? original impedance within 4 minutes with this method. The second method was electrical stunning of the head only, followed by exsanguinations. Some birds showed similar responses as the whole body stunning, while others were similar to the third treatment. The conclusion is that this method did not always yield an adequate stun. The third method was exsanguinations only. The drop in brain impedance was slower, and the criterion of A? original level was only achieved after 5 minutes. However, by 10 minutes all treatments were similar. The conclusion is that whole body stunning induced immediate brain damage indicating an adequate stun. Head only stunning was not reliable in this study.

The Influence of Restraint Immobilization Stress on the Concentration of Bioamines and Cortisol in Plasma of Pietrain and Duroc Pigs

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Forty-five Duroc (recognized as not susceptible to stress) and 34 Pietrain (susceptible to stress) pigs were subjected to immobilization stress in a prone position for 5, 15, 30 and 60 min. Plasma concentrations of epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and cortisol (C) were determined in response to restraint stress. The concentrations of E, NE and DA were different between the two strains of pigs (some significant interactions); the highest response was seen after 5 min of stress. The concentration of plasma C increased with duration of stress and there was a significant interaction between strain of animals and the time of stress. Our data substantiate the use of E, NE, DA and C as indicators of stress in swine as early as 5 min after exposure to the stressor. It is also shown that stress-susceptible Pietrain pigs had higher plasma concentrations of E, NE and DA than Duroc pigs.

Furnished cages and aviaries:production and health.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Relationship between feather pecking and ground pecking in laying hens and the effect of group size.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

This experiment attempted to determine the effect that group size has on feather pecking as well as, examine the relationship between feather pecking and ground pecking in laying hens. The group sizes examined were 15, 30, 60 or 120 hens per group. At four different ages (22, 27, 32, 37 weeks of age) the number of feather pecks and aggressive pecks given and received were recorded. The part of the body that was pecked, the location of the birds within the pen during a pecking incident and the number of pecks directed towards the floor, feeder and drinker were also recorded.

Influence of the stocking density and rearing season on incidence of sudden death syndrome in broiler chickens.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a disease characterized by an acute death of well-nourished and seemingly healthy broiler chickens after abrupt and brief flapping of their wings. This disease represents a major economic loss to the broiler industry. Influences of the stocking density and rearing season on the incidence of SDS were investigated in commercial broiler chickens, which were reared until 63 d after birth. The SDS mortality and total mortality were measured at three different stocking densities of 12, 15, and 18 birds/m2 in rearing seasons of summer, autumn, and winter. At stocking densities of 15 and 12 birds/m2, neither SDS mortality nor total mortality was significantly different throughout the rearing season. However, at 18 birds/m2, SDS mortality significantly increased in summer and winter. The increased SDS mortality was accompanied by a significant increase in total mortality in summer but not in winter. Irrespective of the stocking density, body weight gain and feed intake were lower in summer with no significant change in feed efficiency. The data suggested that stocking density can act as a factor affecting the incidence of SDS in summer and winter, independent of feed efficiency.

Effects of space allowance on the grazing behaviour and spacing of sheep

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Four groups of 10 Scottish Blackface sheep each grazed at four different space allowances of 80, 100, 133 and 200 m2 per head in experiment 1 and 50, 67, 100 or 200 m2 per head in experiment 2. The group spent two weeks at each space allowance. To avoid confounding space allowance with grazing pressure, a rotational grazing system was used. Throughout the studies, the average distance between the sheep was measured from video recordings. As well, the distances that would occur based upon chance were also calculated based on simulations in which sheep were located within the plot in random chosen areas. The total amount of time spent grazing was higher when the sheep were provided 200 m2 per head. The total amount of time spent grazing was lower when the sheep were only provided 50 m2 of space. The space allowance did not appear to affect herbage intake, digestibility, biting rate or the proportion of grazing time spent performing investigative behaviours. There was not a difference between the inter-animal distances observed and those expected based on chance when the sheep were provided 50 to 133 m2 of space per sheep. At a space allowance of 200 m2 per sheep, the inter-animal distances were lower than what was expected based on chance. Regardless of space allowance, the average distance between a sheep and their nearest neighbour was always lower than the distance that was expected by chance. Based upon the results from this study, when female Blackface sheep graze on high quality, homogenous vegetation, there is enough space between individuals when provided from 50 to 200 m2 of space per sheep. There was not clear evidence of the sheep remaining in a group until they were provided with 200 m2 per sheep. Therefore, the relationship between grazing time and space allowance may be indicative of the extra time and effort the sheep must put into maintaining group cohesion when the space allowance increases.

Extrusion of wheat or sorghum and/or addition of exogenous enzymes to pig diets influences the large intestinal microbiota but does not prevent development of swine dysentery following experimental challenge

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

A study was made of dietary inA?uences on the large intestinal microbiota of pigs and on the
incidence of swine dysentery (SD) after experimental infection with Brachyspira
hyodysenteriae, the aetiological agent of SD. Animals were fed diets based either on wheat
(expts 1 and 2) or sorghum (expt 2). Grains were ground and fed either raw or after high
temperature and pressure extrusion and/or after addition of exogenous enzymes to the
whole diet to reduce the starch and soluble non-starch polysaccharides available for
fermentation in the large intestine. Limiting fermentation creates conditions that apparently
reduce the incidence of SD after infection with B. hyodysenteriae. The diets were fed to
weaned pigs for 4A

The behaviour of broiler chickens and its modification by lameness.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Behavioural response to humans and the productivity of commercial dairy cows.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

This was a study of cows and stockpersons at 31 commercial dairy cows. Data were collected on the attitude of the stockperson, the actions of the stockpersons towards the cattle, the fear of humans displayed by the cattle, and the milk yield of the cows over one lactation. The variables related to fear of humans, as demonstrated by the cows, were correlated to milk yield, and accounted for about 19% of the variation among farms in milk yield. Fearful herds produced less milk. A number of stockperson attitude and behaviour variables were moderately correlated to milk yield, but not to cow behaviour. This preliminary study demonstrates that human animal relationships on dairy farms affect productivity, in a similar way as they do on pig farms. Additional research is needed to determine the devlopment of these relationships.