Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Gerald Reiner, Josef Kuehling, Frederik Loewenstein, Mirjam Lechner, Sabrina Becker
Summary: Tail biting in pigs is a sign of poor animal welfare, and recent studies have shown that injuries are not limited to the tail. This review introduces a new syndrome, swine inflammation and necrosis syndrome (SINS), and presents methods to combat it by improving pig husbandry and selecting less-susceptible breeding animals.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Marjorie Cellier, Birte L. Nielsen, Christine Duvaux-Ponter, Hannah B. R. Freeman, Rina Hannaford, Briar Murphy, Emma O'Connor, Kevan R. L. Cote, Heather W. W. Neave, Gosia Zobel
Summary: By studying the feeding habits and preferences of goats, their welfare can be improved. The results showed that goats prefer to eat leaves over grass, and the height and type of feeder can affect their feeding posture and choices.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Mona Lilian Vestbjerg Larsen, Lene Juul Pedersen
Summary: This study investigated the use of drinkers and water by finisher pigs and its relationship with drinker location, age, time of day, stocking density, enrichment provision, and tail damage. The results showed that water usage increased gradually over a 9-week period, with peaks during the pigs' active period. Decreasing stocking density increased water usage and activation frequency, suggesting that pigs may be restricted in their access to drinking cups under standard conditions. Pigs also appeared to prefer the drinking cup closest to the feeder.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Natalia Galoro Leite, Egbert Frank Knol, Stefanie Nuphaus, Roos Vogelzang, Shogo Tsuruta, Margit Wittmann, Daniela Lourenco
Summary: The swine inflammation and necrosis syndrome (SINS) is a visually characterized syndrome that affects specific body parts in pigs, causing inflammation and necrosis of the skin. This syndrome is believed to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Piglets affected by SINS are more susceptible to chewing and biting behaviors from pen mates and may experience reduced welfare throughout the production process. This study investigates the genetic basis of SINS and its relationship with post-weaning skin damage and production traits. The findings suggest that SINS is heritable and selecting against it can improve birth and weaning weights, but it has no significant impact on carcass traits. Selection against SINS is, however, correlated with reduced skin damage after weaning.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Anne-Madeleine Kranzbuehler, Hendrik N. J. Schifferstein
Summary: Eating meat has negative impacts on the environment, animal welfare, and health. Traditional information-based campaigns to reduce meat consumption have limited effectiveness. Vegan activists and pressure groups resort to emotion-based campaigns using meat-shaming techniques to change behavior. These campaigns trigger negative emotions and shame, leading to reduced purchase intentions.
FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Laura M. Dixon, Ian C. Dunn, Sarah Brocklehurst, Laurence Baker, Tim Boswell, Sarah D. Caughey, Angus Reid, Victoria Sandilands, Peter W. Wilson, Richard B. D'Eath
Summary: Broiler breeder chickens that are commercially feed restricted to slow their growth and improve their health and production may suffer from chronic hunger. The influence of time since last meal on hunger measures is minimal. Feed treatment has a significant impact on bird's physiological and behavioral measures with ad libitum fed birds weighing more and having lower plasma NEFA concentrations.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Claudimar Pereira da Veiga, Mirian Natali Blezins Moreira, Cassia Rita Pereira da Veiga, Alceu Souza, Zhaohui Su
Summary: Recent research has found that meat production and consumption are linked to environmental degradation, health issues, and harm to animal welfare. However, meat consumption remains prevalent due to cultural significance and the difficulty of changing eating habits. Despite this, there is a group of consumers who have successfully reduced their meat consumption. This study explores the factors that facilitate or hinder this reduction, aiming to contribute to knowledge on meat-reduced diets.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Patricia V. Turner, Kathryn Bayne
Summary: Continued evolution of research animal care is crucial for upholding the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement. Animals' feelings are fundamental to their behavior and welfare, and an updated behavioral management program that considers their needs and desired outcomes is proposed. This approach not only enhances animal welfare but also improves the scientific quality of research. The expansion of these programs to include all research species is necessary to reduce stress, encourage natural behaviors, and generate reliable scientific data. An umbrella-based model for research animal behavioral management programs is described, along with the importance of regular welfare assessments to ensure the program's effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
J. Kuehling, F. Loewenstein, S. Wenisch, M. Kressin, C. Herden, M. Lechner, G. Reiner
Summary: Inflammation and loss of tail integrity can lead to serious impairment of animal welfare, posing a major challenge for modern pig farming. Newborn piglets showing multiple pathological manifestations in different body parts suggest a potentially endogenous etiology of an inflammation and necrosis syndrome. Further studies are needed to establish the conditions for the emergence of such a syndrome and develop welfare indicators.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Maykel Andres Galloso-Hernandez, Mildrey Soca-Perez, Devon Dublin, Carlos Armando Alvarez-Diaz, Jesus Iglesias-Gomez, Cipriano Diaz-Gaona, Vicente Rodriguez-Estevez
Summary: The study shows that silvopastoral systems can improve thermoregulatory behavior of buffaloes, decrease heat stress, and reduce water usage in wallowing areas. Buffaloes in silvopastoral systems spend more time feeding, indicating the importance of trees for grazing behavior and animal welfare in tropical conditions.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Megan C. Niederwerder
Summary: African swine fever poses a significant threat to global pig populations, with feed potentially serving as a route for introducing and spreading the virus. Negative countries must implement mitigation strategies to protect pigs from infection.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Junyi Niu, Hongli Xu, Guosheng Zeng, Pengpeng Wang, Bakint Raciheon, Shah Nawaz, Zhibo Zeng, Jiewei Zhao
Summary: This study examined the impact of music intervention during feeding on the growth performance and gut microbes of mice using clinical symptoms and 16S rRNA sequencing techniques. The results showed that feeding mice with music significantly increased body weight and altered the composition of gut microbiota. The intervention led to an increase in beneficial bacteria and a decrease in pathogenic bacteria.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Andreia Vitorino, George Stilwell, Jose Pais, Nuno Carolino
Summary: The decrease in proximity between humans and animals due to the increase in farm size and extension of animal-keeping areas highlights the importance of good management for better performance and animal welfare. This study evaluated the behavior of Mertolenga breed young bulls during exiting the chute, novel object reaction, and human approach tests, and examined the potential relationships between these tests. Data from 29 Mertolenga-bred young bulls showed that older animals tended to exit the chute calmly, took longer to interact with the novel object, and had reduced likelihood of playing with it. Bulls that exited the chute calmly also allowed closer human approach. Further research on these behavior tests could enhance docility and manageability of indigenous beef breeds.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Charles Carslake, Francesca Occhiuto, Jorge A. Vazquez-Diosdado, Jasmeet Kaler
Summary: The study examined individual differences in calf feeding behavior, finding significant between-individual differences in feeding rate and total meals, while meal size showed more homogeneity among individuals. The results also suggested a positive correlation between the behavioral types of feeding rate and total meals in calves, indicating a potential underlying factor driving the expression of these behaviors.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
K. L. Proudfoot
Summary: During the transition period, dairy cows face challenges in terms of social, nutritional, and physical changes, which can affect their quality of life. This period is also when cows are at the highest risk of becoming ill compared to any other time in their adult life. Therefore, studying the welfare of transition cows goes beyond just their health and requires inter- and transdisciplinary approaches.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Franco Nicolas Nazar, Lena Skanberg, Kirste McCrea, Linda Jane Keeling
Summary: This small-scale experimental study found that giving chicks the possibility to express choices between different variants of the same resource could improve their ability to cope with challenges and make the most of new opportunities. Chicks with access to different types of litter and perches were found to be less fearful, less chronically stressed, and better prepared to cope with pathogenic challenges. Additionally, they exhibited improved learning ability. These findings suggest that providing chicks with access to variation in relevant resources could enhance their adaptive capacities and resistance to infection.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Catherine Ollagnier, Claudia Kasper, Anna Wallenbeck, Linda Keeling, Giuseppe Bee, Siavash A. Bigdeli
Summary: Tail biting is a harmful behavior that affects the welfare and health of pigs. This study aimed to develop a machine learning algorithm using feeding behavior data to detect upcoming tail biting outbreaks in real-time. Seven machine learning algorithms were evaluated, and the K-nearest neighbor algorithm achieved a prediction accuracy of 96%, correctly predicting 78% of upcoming events when previous data was available. These findings suggest that machine learning models could be implemented in automatic feeder systems for real-time prediction of tail biting events.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Astrid Soderquist, Anna Wallenbeck, Cecilia Lindahl
Summary: None of the approved stunning methods for pigs prior to slaughter are ideal from an animal welfare perspective. A method involving the use of high-expansion foam to encapsulate nitrogen gas has been proposed as an alternative, but it causes distress to the exposed pigs. This study found that companionship, especially with familiar individuals, can reduce pigs' distress during foam exposure and highlights the importance of maintaining stable pig groups for their welfare.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lena Skanberg, Ruth C. Newberry, Inma Estevez, Linda J. Keeling
Summary: Standard rearing of laying hen chicks in non-changing environments with limited choices impairs their ability to learn new routines, use new equipment, and exploit new resources. However, rearing in a changing environment that offers a choice of resource variants improves spatial skills, exploration, and reduces fear response in novel environments. The combination of environmental change and choice does not have a greater impact on adaptability potential compared to providing one or the other alone.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Maria Vilain Rorvang, Sarah-Lina Aagaard Schild, Johanna Stenfelt, Rebecca Grut, Moses A. Gadri, Anna Valros, Birte L. Nielsen, Anna Wallenbeck
Summary: This study aimed to investigate pigs' sensory ability and behavior response to non-social odors. The results showed that pigs expressed significant interest and behavior response when exploring odors, including sniffing duration, feeding-related behavior, and agonistic behavior. These findings suggest that odors may serve as relevant enrichment material for pigs.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lidija Arapovic, Yi Huang, Elin Manell, Else Verbeek, Linda Keeling, Li Sun, Rikard Landberg, Torbjoern Lundh, Jan Erik Lindberg, Johan Dicksved
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of early supplementation with oat beta-glucan on the gut microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid concentrations, and gut physiological markers in suckling piglets. The results showed that piglet age had a greater influence on the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in plasma and the microbiota composition than the supplement. There were significant differences in microbiota composition between litters, and correlations between short-chain fatty acid concentrations and specific microbial taxa were observed. Overall, beta-glucan supplementation did not have a clear impact on the gut environment in suckling piglets, while an age-related pattern emerged.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Arianna Comin, Anita Jonasson, Ulrika Rockstroem, Arja Helena Kautto, Linda Keeling, Ann-Kristin Nyman, Ann Lindberg, Jenny Froessling
Summary: Before using meat inspection data, it is crucial to ensure consistency in registering post-mortem findings across different abattoirs. A study conducted in Sweden examined the variations in the most frequent findings in official meat inspections of pigs and beef cattle. The results showed that some findings, such as liver parasites and abscesses, had low variation between abattoirs, while others, like injuries and nonspecific findings, had higher variation. Calibration and training of meat inspection staff are necessary for accurate conclusions and fair deductions for producers.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Soren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gortazar Schmidt, Mette S. Herskin, Miguel Angel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Paolo Pasquali, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop, Christoph Winckler, Inga Tiemann, Ingrid de Jong, Sabine Gabriele Gebhardt-Henrich, Linda Keeling, Anja Brinch Riber, Sean Ashe, Denis Candiani, Raquel Garcia Matas, Michaela Hempen, Olaf Mosbach-Schulz, Cristina Rojo Gimeno, Yves Van Der Stede, Marika Vitali, Elea Bailly-Caumette, Virginie Michel
Summary: This Scientific Opinion examines the welfare of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) in relation to meat production, specifically broilers. It covers the care of day-old chicks, broiler breeders, and broiler chickens. The opinion identifies 19 welfare consequences (WCs) such as bone lesions, stress, feeding disorders, movement restrictions, and sensory stimulation issues. It provides detailed descriptions of these WCs and their animal-based measures (ABMs). Furthermore, it offers recommendations for preventing or mitigating the hazards associated with different husbandry systems and proposes indicators for monitoring broiler welfare at slaughter.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Linda Marie Backeman Hannius, Linda Keeling, Patricia Ask-Gullstrand, Else Verbeek, Anna Wallenbeck
Summary: This study investigated the behavior of female piglets intended for breeding in terms of activity, preferred pen location, and social interactions. The results showed that piglets who had access to the neighboring pen spent more time there and spent less time lying down before weaning compared to those without access. After weaning, piglets without access to the neighboring pen increased their time in the piglet corner and spent less time lying down. The study confirmed the positive effects of early social mixing on piglets' behavioral responses to weaning, even when the sows are individually loose-housed.
ACTA AGRICULTURAE SCANDINAVICA SECTION A-ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Anders Glimskar, Jan Hultgren, Matthew Hiron, Rebecka Westin, Eddie A. M. Bokkers, Linda J. Keeling
Summary: This study evaluates the attitudes of Swedish farmers towards sustainable grazing and its impact on grassland preservation and sustainability. It suggests that environmental payment schemes should be targeted towards the most valuable grasslands, emphasizing the need for better classification of grasslands. The study also highlights the need for more accurate methods to monitor the preservation of semi-natural grasslands due to insufficient quality of official statistics.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Qasim Mashood, Anders H. Karlsson, Anna Wallenbeck, Susanne Eriksson, Anna M. Johansson, Katarina Arvidsson Segerkvist
Summary: This review examines the multi-factor problem of PSE-like zones in pork, including slaughter weight, chilling regime, and post-slaughter pH and temperature. Genetic factors are also found to affect PSE incidence.
ACTA AGRICULTURAE SCANDINAVICA SECTION A-ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Linda J. Keeling, Elizabeth A. Marier, Gabriela Olmos Antillon, Harry J. Blokhuis, Birgitta Staaf Larsson, Leopoldo Stuardo
Summary: This study analyzes data from key stakeholders and organizations in animal welfare to examine the impact of improving animal welfare on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and vice versa. It confirms the expected co-benefits of improving animal welfare and achieving the SDGs. The study also identifies regional and economic differences in these associations. The findings can guide organizations interested in improving animal welfare to identify potential allies for strategic partnerships and facilitate policy implementation.
FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jan Hultgren, Matthew Hiron, Anders Glimskar, Eddie A. M. Bokkers, Linda J. Keeling
Summary: This study evaluated the relationship between environmental quality and animal welfare on Swedish farms. The results showed that cattle farms that received agricultural environmental scheme (AES) payments for special value grasslands were more likely to comply with animal welfare standards. The presence of Natura 2000 habitats on cattle farms was also associated with higher compliance. However, these associations could not be observed in sheep farms.
