Farm Animal Welfare. Katharina Zipp Farm Animal Behaviour and Husbandry

Transcription

1 Farm Animal Welfare

2 What is animal welfare? 2

3 Animal welfare two meanings description of the physiological and mental state of an animal as it seeks to meet it s physiological and behavioural needs. (Webster 2011, p. 6) Can be observed and measured expression of moral concern by humans towards animals Arises from the belief that animals are sentient beings Duty to protect and care fro animals Requires knowledge and experience (Webster 2011, p. 6) 3

4 Animal welfare in animal husbandry is the better, the more and the more reliable the animals feel well under this circumstances. 4

5 If the word animal welfare is used as a criteria, it describes to which extend the circumstances fulfill the requirements that the animal will not suffer, feel pain, or be harmed and that wellbeing of the animals is assured. 5

6 Animal welfare evaluates the risk that the animal will face pain, suffering or harm evaluates the possibility that wellbeing is assured 6

7 If the word animal welfare is used as a criteria, it describes to which extend the circumstances fulfill the requirements that the animal will not suffer, feel pain, or be harmed and that wellbeing of the animals is assured. pain, suffering, harm wellbeing 7

8 Animal welfare evaluates the risk that the animal will face pain, suffering or harm evaluates the possibility that wellbeing is assured is not a question of all or nothing, but a continuum: very little to very much can only be measured comparative pain, suffering, harm wellbeing 8

9 Stress is not the same as suffering animals can respond and adapt to challenges (coping) if circumstances allow it animals learn to cope, but individually differences animals suffer, if they can t cope with stress stress is too severe, too complex or too prolonged animal cannot perform the adequate behavior to cope (Webster 2011, p ) 9

10 Aims of animal welfare? 10

11 The five freedoms and provisions 1 Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition Ready access to fresh water and a diet t maintain full health and vigour 2 Freedom from discomfort Providing a suitable environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area 3 Freedom from pain, injury, disease Prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment 4 Freedoms from fear and distress Ensuring conditions which avoid mental suffering 5 Freedom to express normal behaviour Providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal s own kind (Farm Animal Welfare Council 1993) 11

12 Welfare Quality principles and criteria of good farm animal welfare Good feeding 1 Absence of prolonged hunger 2 Absence of prolonged thirst Good housing 3 Comfort around resting 4 Thermal comfort 5 Ease of movement Good health 6 Absence of injuries 7 Absence of disease 8 Absence of pain induces by management procedures Appropriate behaviour 9 Expression of social behaviors 10 Expression of other behaviors 11 Good human-animal-relationship 12 Positive emotional state (EU-project ; standards for on-farm welfare assessment) 12

13 How to measure animal welfare? 13

14 Animal pain suffering harm wellbeing 14

15 Wellbeing, suffering, harm and pain are feelings of the animals which can be measured by indicators or parameters of animal welfare by interpreting this parameters there is a probability of error, depending on how much we know about the parameter validation = do we measure what we want to measure 15

16 Influencing factors Animal Reactions Reaction stable-design management feeding human-animalrelationship pain suffering harm wellbeing behaviour health (physiology) (productivity) Ressource-based indicators Animal-based indicators 16

17 How to measure animal welfare? Animal based indicators: tell us directly about the state of the animal but often harder to assess if there is a strong relationship with resource-based indicators it is easier to assess these often a mixture of both is used 17

18 How to measure animal welfare? Problems if only resource-based indicators are assessed: Interactions between several factors of the animal-environment are often unknown Much influences e.g. feeding, human-animal-relationship can be variable, hard to assess Individual differences in reactions towards different influences, e.g. through different rearing conditions, or different fit e.g. body size and cubicle size Single husbandry and management elements may not reflect how the animals do animal-based indicators should be included 18

19 How to measure animal welfare? Problems if only resource-based indicators are assessed: Interactions between several factors of the animal-environment are often unknown Much influences e.g. feeding, human-animal-relationship can be variable, hard to assess Individual differences in reactions towards different influences, e.g. through different rearing conditions, or different fit e.g. body size and cubicle size Single husbandry and management elements may not reflect how the animals do animal-based indicators should be included 19

20 Animal-based indicators: animal health rate of dead animals or retention rate productive life span frequency of diseased animals or medical treatments injuries, scratches, swellings, lameness, dirt 20

21 Typical locations of injuries, scratches and swellings and reasons vulva (c) teats (b) udder (c) a) Cubicle does not fit: 1-4 c) Feeding rack does not fit b) Hard lying surface: 5-9 d) Horn butts According to Wandel, ALB-Fachtagung Hohenheim, photos: March et al. 21

22 Typical locations of injuries, scratches and swellings and reasons Pictures: Gudrun Plesch 22

23 Typical locations of injuries, scratches and swellings and reasons Pictures: Winckler 2009, p. 89 and Menke 23

24 Plumage damages in laying hens (C. Keppler) 24

25 Body condition for example skinny animals 25

26 Animal-based indicators: physiology Mainly used in scientific studies heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate hormone concentration e.g. cortisol immune response 26

27 Animal-based indicators: productivity Parameters: daily weight gain, feed conversation, number of piglets, laying performance, milk yield, Animals are only productive if they feel good? Feeding and genetics are major factors High genetic potential can lead to animal welfare problems Discriminate: herd or individual performance No linear correlation between animal welfare and productivity 27

28 Possible correlation between animal welfare and productivity best productivity bad bad animal welfare best 28

29 Animal-based indicators: animal behavior completeness of normal behavior indicators of impaired welfare: e.g. abnormal behavior, increased aggression, apathy indicators for good welfare: e.g. exploration- or play-behavior, cohesive behavior in social groups 29

30 Animal-based indicators: animal behavior completeness of normal behavior indicators of impaired welfare: e.g. abnormal behavior, increased aggression, apathy indicators for good welfare: e.g. exploration- or play-behavior, cohesive behavior in social groups 30

31 What is normal behavior? The behavior which can be observed by the majority of animals in an environment and under circumstances which are very similar to the one the wild ancestors lived in. Some normal behavior we don t want farm animals to perform, e.g. brooding in laying hens Caution in comparing: do animals in a stable in winter don t feel well because they don t stand next to each other to keep warm like the ones outdoor? Adequate behavior, depending on situation! 31

32 Feral pigs: Stolba and Wood-Gush 1989: 32

33 Motivation If a behavior is motivated by internal causal factors: Rebound will occur after release to an unconstrained environment, e.g. no feeding/water higher food/water intake little locomotion during winter locomotion play at first time on pasture (cattle and horse) comfort behaviors in birds after confinement lying behavior in sheep and cattle the animal is motivated to perform the behavior, but cannot/or not the extent due to the circumstances before the rebound welfare problem (Nicol 2011) 33

34 locomotion play at first time on pasture: Video Weideaustrieb 34

35 Motivation If an behavior is elicited by external cues: Like anti-predator or aggressive behavior Remove the cues (like predators) Or allow the behavior to induce animal welfare Exploration, foraging, social and parental behavior is caused by an interplay of internal and external cues (Nicol 2011) 35

36 How aversive is a threat? Classical conditioning: threat plus stimulus (signal), observed behavior after signal Not used in farm animals yet Avoiding of threats e.g. ammonia or gases for stunning Turkeys avoid carbon dioxide more than argon or a mixture of both Animals could be too scared or confused to show reaction Animals learn to give a signal to stop the threat Electroimobilization, isolation of sheep during shearing, some motion during transport (Nicol 2011) 36

37 Which behavior is more important? Preference tests: behavioral patterns or substrates Duration measured Can be confounding drinking does not take long, but is very important for the animal a shorter use of one exploratory substrate may be comparable as the longer use of another substrate for the animal Preference may be influenced by experiences not generalizable Short- and long-term effects of preferred resource may be different or even adverse for the animal e.g. eating a lot of concentrate (Nicol 2011) 37

38 (Nicol 2011) 38

39 Which behavior is more important? Consumer demand theory originally by Dawkins let animals work (press a button) for having access to substrates or areas where they can perform special behaviors Bought amount coffee inelastic demand apples fish elastic demand (Nicol 2011) Price 39

40 Pigs Which behavior is more important? Sows: nesting material prior farrowing Sows: additional space prior farrowing (Kretschmer and Ladewig 1993) 40

41 Which behavior is more important? Laying hens: inelastic: squeeze through gaps, open doors Food (also broilers) Nest-boxes Perches for roosting Additional space (> 450 cm²) area for scrachting and pecking Inconsistent: dust-bath-material; animals perform sham-dust-bathing without adequate material (Nicol 2011) 41

42 Dust-bathing and sham-dust-bathing 42

43 Which behavior is more important? Cattle: lying food social contact Problem: Few time for social contact may not be satisfying? Is the social partner in the test motivation enough to work for? (Nicol 2011) 43

44 Social environment Is at least in sheep and cattle a very important factor of wellbeing The place in herd hierarchies affects animal welfare But stable rank order is better than changing Management and housing: Reduce regrouping ensure space for low ranking animals: 10% feeding and lying places more than animals, no blind alleys, space for avoidance reduce situations with competition e.g. during concentrate feeding, space around the drinkers 44

45 Which behavior is more important? Through consumer demand theory: Only information about the tested resources Maybe a resource or behavior important is not tested Difference between behavioral need and resource need: Sows show nest building even though they are given a perfect nest Mice spend same time burrowing even if they get a burrow provided But gerbils spend less time burrowing in this case (Nicol 2011) 45

46 Animal-based indicators: animal behavior completeness of normal behavior indicators of impaired welfare: e.g. abnormal behavior, increased aggression, apathy indicators for good welfare: e.g. exploration- or play-behavior, cohesive behavior in social groups 46

47 Behavioral signs of disease, pain, frustration Early stage of disease: stop exploratory behavior Pain: vocalization in castrated piglets vs. sham-castrated Difficulties in walking in cattle and broilers Self-medication with analgesia in broilers Lack of resources or space for special behaviors can lead to more exploration behavior (Nicol 2011) 47

48 (Nicol 2011) Stereotypies and redirected behavior Redirected behavior: often foraging/feeding behavior Hunger and sucking motivation: cross-sucking in calves Rooting in pigs: tail biting Training in 7 languages: Scratching and pecking in hens (beside other factors): severe feather pecking (pig-pictures: euwelnet, hen: Keppler) 48

49 Stereotypies and redirected behavior Stereotypies Repetitive, invariant and apparently functionless behavior Farm animals often oral stereotypies: tongue-rolling, bar-biting, crib-biting Reason? Coping with current or past aversive situation Crib-biting (horses) and tongue-rolling (cattle) because of low fiber diets production of saliva for buffering are stereotypies a sign of impaired animal welfare? way of coping, sign that there was a problem, but it might be already solved how do the animals without stereotypies under the same conditions? (Nicol 2011) 49

50 Stereotypies and redirected behavior (Nicol 2011) 50

51 Animal-based indicators: animal behavior completeness of normal behavior indicators of impaired welfare: e.g. abnormal behavior, increased aggression, apathy indicators for good welfare: e.g. exploration- or play-behavior, cohesive behavior in social groups 51

52 How to measure animal welfare? Multi-dimensional Many aspects and indicators should be considered But: There are no totally objective ways how to weigh results against each other and therefore often influenced by personal view Important to explain procedure 52

53 Welfare Quality Cattle protocol ( Good feeding 1 Absence of prolonged hunger Body condition score Welfare Quality principles and criteria of good farm animal welfare 2 Absence of prolonged thirst Water provision, cleanliness of water points, water flow, functioning of water points Good housing 3 Comfort around resting Time needed to lie down, animals colliding with housing equipment during lying down, animals lying partly or completely outside the lying area, cleanliness of udders, cleanliness of flank/upper legs, cleanliness of lower legs 4 Thermal comfort No measure developed yet 5 Ease of movement Presence of tethering, access to outdoor loafing area or pasture Good health 6 Absence of injuries Lameness, integument alternations Appropriate behavior 7 Absence of disease Coughing, nasal discharge, ocular discharge, hampered respiration, diarrhea, vulvar discharge, milk somatic cell count, mortality, dystocia, downer cows 8 Absence of pain induces by management procedures Disbudding/dehorning, tail docking 9 Expression of social behaviors Agonistic interactions 10 Expression of other behaviors Access to pasture (EU-project ; 11 Good standards human-animal-relationship for on-farm welfare assessment) Avoidance distance 12 Positive emotional state Qualitative behavior assessment 53

54 Welfare Quality Pig protocol ( Good feeding 1 Absence of prolonged hunger Sows: Body condition score; piglets: age of weaning Welfare Quality principles and criteria of good farm animal welfare 2 Absence of prolonged thirst Sows and piglets: Water supply Good housing 3 Comfort around resting Sows: Bursitis, shoulder sores Sows and piglets: Absence of manure on the body 4 Thermal comfort Sows and piglets: panting, huddling 5 Ease of movement Sows: Space allowance, farrowing crates Good health 6 Absence of injuries Sows and piglets: lameness; sows: wounds on the body, vulva lesions Appropriate behavior 7 Absence of disease Sows and piglets: mortality, coughing, sneezing, pumping, rectal prolapse, scouring Sows: Constipation, metritis, mastitis, uterine prolapse, skin condition, ruptures and hernias, local infections Piglets: Neurological disorders, splay leg 8 Absence of pain induces by management procedures Sow: Nose ringing, tail docking Piglets: castration, tail docking, teeth clipping 9 Expression of social behaviors Sows: social behaviour 10 Expression of other behaviors Sows: stereotypies, exploratory behaviour 11 Good human-animal-relationship Sows: fear of humans (EU-project ; 12 Positive standards emotional for on-farm state welfare assessment) Sows and piglets: Qualitative behavior assessment 54

55 Welfare Quality Poultry protocol ( Good feeding 1 Absence of prolonged hunger Measured at the slaughterhouse 2 Absence of prolonged thirst Drinker space Good housing 3 Comfort around resting Plumage cleanliness, litter quality, dust sheet test 4 Thermal comfort panting, huddling 5 Ease of movement Stocking density Good health 6 Absence of injuries Lameness, hock burn, foot pad dermatitis 7 Absence of disease On farm mortality, culls on farm 8 Absence of pain induces by management procedures Not applied in this situation Appropriate behavior 9 Expression of social behaviors No measure developed yet 10 Expression of other behaviors Cover on the range 11 Good human-animal-relationship Avoidance distance test 12 Positive emotional state Qualitative behavior assessment (EU-project ; standards for on-farm welfare assessment) 55

56 Example: Tied housing Can the cow perform apropriate normal behavior? Are there risks of behavioral problems? Are there risks for physical damages? Are there risks for diseases or death? 56

57 References Kretschmer, M. and Ladewig, J., Zur quantitativen Messung der Nachfrage nach Umweltfaktoren beim Schwein mit Hilfe der operanten Konditionierung. KTBL-Schrift. Nicol, C., Behaviour as an indicator of animal welfare. In: Webster, J. (Ed.). Management and welfare of farm animals. Wiley- Blackwell, p Webster, J., Husbandry and animal welfare. In: Webster, J. (Ed.). Management and welfare of farm animals. Wiley-Blackwell, p

58 Organic animal husbandry 58

59 Example: Brodowin organic farm What do you see or hear? What is organic? 59

60 Example: Brodowin organic farm What do you see or hear? What is organic? 60

61 Example: Brodowin organic farm What did you see or hear? What is organic? More Space Calf fed by bucket Not tethered Straw bedding for lying Own fodder Grazing Less milk yield Horns Bull instead of artificial insemination Cows 7 years old instead of 4 years Own dairy and direct marketing of products 61

62 Categories More space space allowance Calf fed by bucket weaning Own fodder feeding Not tethered housing Straw bedding for lying litter Grazing outdoor access Horns mutilations Bull instead of artificial insemination breeding Less milk yield productivity Cows 7 years old instead of 4 years health care Own dairy and direct marketing of products 62

63 Group work Groups: 5 people 1. Laying hens EU minimum standards 2. Broilers EU minimum standards 3. Calves EU minimum standards 4. Pigs EU minimum standards 5. Laying hens EU organic regulation 6. Broilers EU organic regulation 7. Cattle EU organic regulation 8. Pigs EU organic regulation 9. Transport IFOAM, EU organic regulation, EU protection of animals during transport 10. Slaughter IFOAM, EU organic regulation, EU protection of animals at the time of killing 63

64 Group work: animal husbandry 30 min. time Read the material and summarize the important issues regarding the categories: space allowance, weaning, feeding Important parts in the text are marked E.g. each person 2 categories, but help each other Sometimes no information may be provided in the text Write down the important issues on a poster Presentation of the poster: 5 min. per group Discussion 64

65 Group work: transport and slaughter 30 min. time Compare IFOAM, EU organic regulations and EU protection of animals during transport/killing Are there differences? Important parts in the text are marked Write down the important issues on a poster Presentation of the poster: 5 min. per group Discussion 65

66 Material IFOAM Norms for Organic Production and Processing, Version 2014 EC No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling EC No 889/2008 detailed rules for the implementation of EC No 834/2007 EC No 120/2008 minimum standards for the protection of pigs EC No 43/2007 minimum standards for the protection of chickens kept for meat production EC No 74/1999 minimum standards for the protection of laying hens EC No 119/2008 minimum standards for the protection of calves EC No 1/2005 protection of animals during transport EC No 1099/2009 protection of animals at the time of killing 66