THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS IN THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS IN

PRODUCTION SYSTEMSPRODUCTION SYSTEMS

David FraserDavid FraserAnimal Welfare ProgramAnimal Welfare ProgramUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia

General Principles and Underlying Research

General principles for the welfare General principles for the welfare of animals in livestock production of animals in livestock production

systems systems

1. Genetic selection should always take into 1. Genetic selection should always take into account the health and welfare of animals.account the health and welfare of animals.

TraditionalTraditional geneticsgenetics

• Production gains (growth, yield, reproduction)

TraditionalTraditional geneticsgenetics

Animal welfareAnimal welfare researchresearch

• Production gains (growth, yield, reproduction)

• Correlated health effects• Fit between genetics and environment

• mastitis • lameness• metabolic disorders• short life span

• mastitis • lameness• metabolic disorders• short life span

Solutions:Solutions:•broader selection indicesbroader selection indices•counter-selectioncounter-selection•use of indigenous use of indigenous

geneticsgenetics

2. The physical environment, including the 2. The physical environment, including the substrate (walking surface, resting surface substrate (walking surface, resting surface etc.), should be suited to the species and etc.), should be suited to the species and breed, so as to minimise risk of injury and breed, so as to minimise risk of injury and transmission of diseases or parasites to transmission of diseases or parasites to animals.animals.

Ragnar TausonRagnar Tauson

• foot lesionsfoot lesions• neck lesionsneck lesions• feather damagefeather damage• overgrown clawsovergrown claws

Ingvar Ekesbo, c. 1972

3. The physical environment should allow3. The physical environment should allow• comfortable resting, comfortable resting, • safe and comfortable movement includingsafe and comfortable movement including normal postural changes, and normal postural changes, and • the opportunity to perform types of naturalthe opportunity to perform types of natural behaviour that animals are motivated to behaviour that animals are motivated to performperform

Suck + Frequent MealsSuck + Frequent Meals

Suck + Frequent MealsSuck + Frequent Meals• • stimulates digestivestimulates digestive hormones hormones

Suck + Frequent MealsSuck + Frequent Meals• • stimulates digestivestimulates digestive hormones hormones • • greater intake greater intake

Suck + Frequent MealsSuck + Frequent Meals• • stimulates digestivestimulates digestive hormones hormones • • greater intake greater intake • • allows group housing allows group housing

4. Social grouping of animals should be 4. Social grouping of animals should be managed to allow positive social behaviour and managed to allow positive social behaviour and minimise injury, distress and chronic fear.minimise injury, distress and chronic fear.

Photo: Ingemar Hansson

Mounting by intact males kept in groups of similar age

High Low

F. Brouns & S.A. Edwards, 1994. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 39: 225–235

Body weight gain of sows (kg)

High Low

5. Air quality, temperature and humidity in 5. Air quality, temperature and humidity in confined spaces should support good animal confined spaces should support good animal health and not be aversive to animals. health and not be aversive to animals.

Where extreme conditions occur, animals Where extreme conditions occur, animals should not be prevented from using their should not be prevented from using their natural methods of thermo-regulation. natural methods of thermo-regulation.

AmmoniaAmmonia Deaths Deaths (%)(%)

Reduction Reduction in body wt in body wt (%)(%)

0 ppm0 ppm 5.85.8 --

25 ppm25 ppm 2.82.8 22

50 ppm50 ppm 10.610.6 1717

75 ppm75 ppm 13.913.9 2121

Performance of broiler Performance of broiler chickenschickens

D.M. Miles et al. 2004, Poultry Science 83: 1650-D.M. Miles et al. 2004, Poultry Science 83: 1650-16541654

Other issues:Other issues:• Poor air quality can increase the Poor air quality can increase the risk ofrisk of infectious diseasesinfectious diseases• Hot, humid conditions can suppressHot, humid conditions can suppress growth, reproduction and growth, reproduction and survivalsurvival

6. Animals should have access to sufficient 6. Animals should have access to sufficient feed and water, suited to the animals’ age and feed and water, suited to the animals’ age and needsneeds• to maintain normal health and productivity, &to maintain normal health and productivity, &• to prevent prolonged hunger, thirst,to prevent prolonged hunger, thirst, malnutrition or dehydration.malnutrition or dehydration.

Traditional Traditional

NutritionNutrition

• Diet composition (protein, energy, micro-nutrients)

Traditional Traditional

NutritionNutrition

Animal welfareAnimal welfare

researchresearch

• Diet composition (protein, energy, micro-nutrients)

• Access to feed and water• Effects of feeding systems

Franklin Loew 1939-2003Franklin Loew 1939-2003

Polioencephalomalacia in cattle

Other problems:Other problems:• rumen acidosis from high-grain rumen acidosis from high-grain dietsdiets for cattlefor cattle• behavioural abnormalities from behavioural abnormalities from low-fibre diets for pigs or horseslow-fibre diets for pigs or horses• poor feeder and drinker designpoor feeder and drinker design

7. Diseases and parasites should be 7. Diseases and parasites should be prevented and controlled as much as prevented and controlled as much as possible through good management possible through good management practices. practices.

Animals with serious health problems Animals with serious health problems should be isolated and treated promptly should be isolated and treated promptly or killed humanely if treatment is not or killed humanely if treatment is not feasible or recovery is unlikely.feasible or recovery is unlikely.

Preventive veterinary medicine / Preventive veterinary medicine / Animal hygiene Animal hygiene

• individual treatmentindividual treatment• hygiene practiceshygiene practices• disease barriersdisease barriers• regional and global programsregional and global programs

Illustration: Jan Shearer, Iowa State UniversityIllustration: Jan Shearer, Iowa State University

8. Where painful procedures cannot be avoided, 8. Where painful procedures cannot be avoided, the resulting pain should be managed to the the resulting pain should be managed to the extent that available methods allow.extent that available methods allow.

N.J. Petrie et al. 1996. N.Z. vet. J. 44: 9-14N.J. Petrie et al. 1996. N.Z. vet. J. 44: 9-14

Other research has led to:Other research has led to:• less painful alternatives less painful alternatives • elimination of certain procedureselimination of certain procedures

9. The handling of animals should foster a 9. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear or avoidable stress.lasting fear or avoidable stress.

Paul Hemsworth Paul Hemsworth

VariableVariable CorrelationCorrelation PPAvoidance of handlerAvoidance of handler +0.33 +0.33 <0.01<0.01

Cortisol in milkCortisol in milk +0.34+0.34 <0.01<0.01

Yearly milk yieldYearly milk yield -0.36-0.36 <0.01<0.01

Hemsworth et al. 2000. J. Anim. Sci. 78: 2821-2831Hemsworth et al. 2000. J. Anim. Sci. 78: 2821-2831

Negative handling of dairy cows: Negative handling of dairy cows: slaps, hits, pushes, tail-twistsslaps, hits, pushes, tail-twists

Based on Hemsworth and Coleman, 1998Based on Hemsworth and Coleman, 1998

Negative handling

Chronic fear

Reduced:- Growth- Reproduction- Immune competence

Classicstress

response

Based on Hemsworth and Coleman, 2011Based on Hemsworth and Coleman, 2011

Negative handling

Chronic fear

Reduced:- Growth- Reproduction- Immune competence

Classicstress

response

Selection,

Training

10. Owners and handlers should have sufficient 10. Owners and handlers should have sufficient skill and knowledge to ensure that animals are skill and knowledge to ensure that animals are treated in accordance with these principles.treated in accordance with these principles.

Selection and training of staff can: Selection and training of staff can: ● ● avoid the cascade of fear, stress and itsavoid the cascade of fear, stress and its effects on performanceeffects on performance● ● allow animals to be moved without injuryallow animals to be moved without injury● ● eliminate most use of electric prods andeliminate most use of electric prods and other fear-producing equipmentother fear-producing equipment

Animal welfare, animal Animal welfare, animal husbandry, veterinary husbandry, veterinary

sciencescience

Animal Animal HusbandryHusbandry

● ● FeedingFeeding

● ● BreedingBreeding

● ● Health careHealth care

● ● HandlingHandling

● ● ManagementManagement

● ● HousingHousing

Animal Animal HusbandryHusbandry

● ● FeedingFeeding

● ● BreedingBreeding

● ● Health careHealth care

● ● HandlingHandling

● ● ManagementManagement

● ● HousingHousing

Animal/Vet. Animal/Vet. ScienceScience

● ● NutritionNutrition

● ● Genetics/reproductionGenetics/reproduction

● ● Vet. ScienceVet. Science

Animal Animal

behaviourbehaviour

Konrad Lorenz, 1903-1989

Stress Stress

PhysiologyPhysiology

Hans Selye, 1907-1982

Animal Animal HusbandryHusbandry

● ● FeedingFeeding

● ● BreedingBreeding

● ● Health careHealth care

● ● HandlingHandling

● ● ManagementManagement

● ● HousingHousing

Animal/Vet. ScienceAnimal/Vet. Science● ● NutritionNutrition

● ● Genetics/reproductionGenetics/reproduction

● ● Vet. scienceVet. science

Animal Welfare ScienceAnimal Welfare Science

Animal Animal HusbandryHusbandry

● ● FeedingFeeding

● ● BreedingBreeding

● ● Health careHealth care

● ● HandlingHandling

● ● ManagementManagement

● ● HousingHousing

Animal/Vet. ScienceAnimal/Vet. Science● ● NutritionNutrition

● ● Genetics/reproductionGenetics/reproduction

● ● Vet. scienceVet. science

Animal Welfare ScienceAnimal Welfare Science