Welfare implications of invasive piglet husbandry procedures,methods of alleviation and alternatives: a review

Abstract

Iron administration, teeth clipping, tail docking and castration are common invasive husbandry procedures performed on piglets on commercial farms, generally within the first week of life. These procedures are performed to prevent potential health and welfare problems of piglets and/or the sow, or, with respect to castration, to enhance meat quality. The objectives of this review were firstly, to provide the rationale and scientific evidence for performing these procedures, secondly, to describe the welfare implications of these procedures, and lastly, to describe mitigation strategies or alternatives that can be used to eliminate or reduce the pain caused by these procedures. Administering supplementary iron is necessary to prevent anaemia in piglets and the procedure has a low welfare impact. The stated benefits of teeth clipping to prevent udder lesions do not appear to outweigh the risk from injury and infection in piglets following the procedure. Tail docking reduces the prevalence of tail biting, but does not eliminate this behaviour and the practice of tail docking can cause acute pain. Castration is primarily performed to reduce the occurrence of boar taint, but alternatives are now available that negate the need to perform this procedure. Teeth clipping, tail docking and castration all cause behavioural and physiological changes indicative of acute pain and can have potentially long-term negative consequences such as causing abscesses, lesions and the formation of neuromas. Therefore effective pain mitigation strategies (e.g. analgesia, local or general anaesthesia) that markedly alleviate the pain caused by these procedures are necessary to improve the welfare of piglets. Alternatively, if management practices are available that eliminate the need for performing these procedures altogether, then they should be adopted.     

The face of conservation responding to a dynamically changing world

In its 40‐year history, the science of conservation has faced unprecedented challenges in terms of environmental damage and rapid global change, and environmental problems are only increasing as greater demands are placed on limited natural resources. Conservation science has been adapting to keep pace with these changes. Here, we highlight contemporary and emerging trends and innovations in conservation science that we believe represent the most effective responses to biodiversity threats. We focus on specific areas where conservation science has had to adjust its approach to address emerging threats to biodiversity, including habitat destruction and degradation, climate change, declining populations and invasive species. We also document changes in attitudes, norms and practices among conservation scientists. A key component to success is engaging and maintaining public support for conservation, which can be facilitated through the use of technology. These recent trends in conservation and management are innovative and will assist in optimizing conservation strategies, increasing our leverage with the general public and tackling our current environmental challenges.     

Relation between stockperson behavior toward cows in a holding area and milk yields

To assess the effects of negative and positive behaviors on milk yields, this study examined the attitudes and behaviors of stockpersons toward their cows and milk yields at a farm where 15 workers milked 67 cows as rotating shift work. At a holding area when moving cows to the parlor, stockperson behaviors were observed at 34 milkings. Behaviors were classified as negative (NEG) or positive (POS): NEG were attempts to move cows using touching (NT), vocalization (NV), and gestures (NG); POS were communications without attempting to move cows, consisting of touch (PT) or vocalization (PV). Numbers of NV and NEG were negatively correlated with milk yields of first parity (p < .05). Average milk yields of first parity and all cows were higher when PT were observed (p < .001, p < .0001) and POS were observed (p < .001 and p < .0001). Numbers of PT were positively correlated with milk yields of first parity (p < .05). Average milk yields of second parity were higher when PV was observed (p < .01). Positive behaviors, especially touching, are related to higher herd milk yields. Negative behaviors such as negative vocalizations are related to lower yields of younger cows.     

浅谈实验动物福利问题

动物福利问题形式多样,涉及科学进步和社会发展的多个层次。本文简要阐述了动物福利的由来、国内外动物福利情况、动物福利的3R理论及动物福利发展的必然趋势。     

高产奶牛福利

近20年，荷斯坦牛成为优势奶牛品种，营养改善促使奶牛产奶量大幅度增加，工厂化管理致使奶牛运动量减少、生产性疾病频发，奶牛康乐受到严重威胁，因此，改善高产奶牛福利的呼声高涨。本文以生产性疾患为中心，从规模化生产、遗传改良、畜舍环境等角度讨论了高产奶牛的福利问题。     

养殖企业从业人员“动物福利”社会态度研究

1 525份有效问卷的调查表明,中国畜牧行业大多数从业人员对动物福利有基本的认知。如75.4%的从业人员听说过动物福利,76.5%的从业人员赞成就动物福利立法,强迫生产者为猪鸡提供良好的生长和生存条件等。从业人员普遍认同动物的生理福利和环境福利,但对行为福利等却认知不足。从业人员在赞同动物福利的同时,又不太愿意因推行动物福利而承担过大的成本,如59.8%的从业者只愿意承担因遵守动物福利而导致5%及以下的成本增加。     

Behaviour in one fast-growing and one slower-growing broiler (Gallus gallus domesticus) hybrid fed a high- or low-protein diet during a 10-week rearing period

This study compared behavioural time budgets, presence of comfort behaviours and social behaviours in two different broiler genotypes (the fast-growing Ross 308 (R) and the slower-growing Rowan Ranger (RR)) fed organic diets with high (17.0% crude protein (CP)) or low (14.5% CP) protein content during a 10-week rearing period. 429-day-old chicks (218 R and 211 RR, respectively) were included in the study and behaviour was recorded at 2, 6 and 9 weeks of age. The results showed no effect of diet treatments but that R broilers were less active and sat, ate and drank more frequently than RR broilers, which stood and perched more frequently. However, both hybrids showed decreasing activity and foraging behaviour with increasing age, while time spent eating and sleeping was approximately similar over the entire rearing period.     

柳杉凋落物自毒作用研究

采用种子萌发法对浙江天目山柳杉Cryptomeria fortunei凋落物的自毒作用进行了研究,以探究这种凋落物的自毒作用对柳杉天然更新障碍的影响。结果表明,柳杉凋落物及其表层土壤浸提液在质量体积比为1 ∶ 10时,对柳杉种子萌发具有抑制作用。随着浸提液比例的降低（1 ∶ 100）,抑制作用减弱,甚至消失（1 ∶ 250）。自毒作用强度为未分解凋落物＞半分解凋落物＞表层土壤。而且未分解凋落物浸提液的化感作用强度随着样品含水率的增大而增强。通过高效液相色谱仪测定发现,柳杉凋落物和表层土壤中均含有酚酸类化感物质阿魏酸、肉桂酸和对羟基苯甲酸,而且未分解凋落物中的这3种物质的含量均是最高的。综合推测,这3种化感物质主要来自于未分解的柳杉凋落物。图2表4参22