13B. Animal Welfare

Question 1

Explain how material for buildings are chosen (3) and how decisions should be made (1)

Answer 1

1. Cost and durability
2. Availability
3. Consider suitability/functionality (e.g. visibility, safety, tall enough to deter jumping)
4. Decisions should be based on thermal and sanitary properties

Question 2

Static vs dynamic space

Answer 2

Static: space width, length and height of the animal.
Dynamic: space – needed to make normal postural adjustment.

Question 3

Explain the important aspects of physical environments (3)

Answer 3

1. Social space allowance – needed to allow animals to interact socially.
2. Stocking density of animals important.
3. Must avoid overcrowding.

Question 4

What is the impact of crowding on animal
performance? (4)

Answer 4

1. 3% decrease in pen space can lead to 1% decrease in feed intake.
2. This can lead to reduced growth rates.
3. Frequent disease outbreaks in group housing systems if poorly managed.
4. Increases in fighting/injuries.

Question 5

Explain how large groups affects social environment (4)

Answer 5

1. Level of social stress due to fighting.
2. Dynamic groups more affected than static.
3. More likely to be adversely affected in warm weather.
4. In cold weather, groups of animals conserve heat better than individually penned animals.

Question 6

Microbial environment is controlled by? (3)

Answer 6

1. Sanitation
2. Ventilation
3. Management of the social environment

Question 7

In terms of controlling the environment, what goes a long way toward reducing disease problems

Answer 7

Effective waste management program

Question 8

Where are microbes carried (2)

Answer 8

1. Water and dust particles
2. High RH and dusty conditions are undesirable

Question 9

What are the guiding principles for good animal welfare

Answer 9

1. Maintain basic health.
2. Reduce pain and distress.
3. Accommodate natural behaviors

Question 10

Indicators/measurements of basic health (4)

Answer 10

1. Body condition, growth rate
2. Dehydration
3. Performance - productivity - milk production
4. Stereotypies

Question 11

Animal behaviours in hot environments (related to housing and ventilation) (5)

Answer 11

1. Panting
2. Birds - flapping and spread-out wings
3. Lying on cooler surfaces (if available) and spread out
4. Seeking protection from direct sunlight
5. Growth performance/ productivity/ feed intake

Question 12

Animal behaviour in cold environments (related to housing and ventilation) (3)

Answer 12

1. Huddling,
2. Moving closer towards heat sources
3. Seeking protection from wind and inclement weather

Question 13

Housing/air quality indicators/measurements (5)

Answer 13

1. High concentration of gases such as ammonia:
   - Stressful to animals and workers,
   - Can lead to respiratory distress,
   - Increased stress can lead to susceptibility to diseases,
   - Reduced animal performance.

Question 14

5 examples to reduce pain and distress

Answer 14

1. Use of anesthetics/analgesics for dehorning or other painful procedures.
2. Preventing lameness.
3. Reducing bruises or injuries.
4. Eliminating rough stressful handling methods that cause fear or pain.
5. Also preventing hunger, thirst, heat and cold stress.

Question 15

4 examples of accommodating natural behaviours

Answer 15

1. Provide a nest box for hens, perch for chickens or birds in confinement or other forms on environmental enrichment,
2. Provide straw bedding for pigs (rooting),
3. Swinging cow brushes,
4. Access to pasture for horses.

Question 16

Assessing how animals cope within
an environment: health and fitness measures (2)

Answer 16

1. Mortality rate
2. Morbidity rate

Question 17

Assessing how animals cope within
an environment: behavioural responses (5)

Answer 17

1. Stereotypies
2. Preference and avoidance assessment
   - Avoidance of second encounters
   - Preference tests
   - Amount of effort willing to put into acquiring something

Question 18

Assessing how animals cope within
an environment: physiological measures (3)

Answer 18

1. include heart rate,
2. adrenal cortex activity,
3. Immunological measures, injury and
   disease (immunosuppression).

Question 19

Assessing how animals cope within
an environment: production measures (3)

Answer 19

1. growth rate and condition,
2. Productivity (milk, eggs, wool etc),
3. Reproduction

Question 20

Breakdown in animal welfare leads to… (8)

Answer 20

1. Poor performance (suboptimal growth & production),
2. Loss of reproductive efficiency,
3. Increased incidence of infectious and metabolic diseases,
4. Increased incidence of internal and external parasites,
5. Thriftiness,
6. Wide variation in same age groups,
7. High death losses,
8. Very unwise ways to spend money.

Question 21

For ease of movement we must consider (7)

Answer 21

1. Sharp, shadows, light
2. Noise and sound
3. Depth perception
4. People (visual and handling)
5. Physical environment: floor/ramp type
6. Previous experience
7. Lameness

Question 22

What is environmental enrichment

Answer 22

efforts aimed at improving the
living conditions for animals.

Question 23

The form of enrichment should take into account

Answer 23

normal environment for that species and how the species interacts with its
environment.

Question 24

Enrichment vs natural environment

Answer 24

It is not necessary, or even generally feasible, to duplicate exactly the
natural environment but the substitutes should allow the animal to perform
as many of its natural behaviors as possible.

Question 25

5 types of enrichment

Answer 25

1. Nutritional: Varied feeds or feeding methods
2. Social: Contact with other individuals
3. Physical: varied/novel objects, spaces, or toys.
4. Sensory: varied/novel smells, sounds, textures
5. Occupational/cognitive: encouraging exercise, problem solving.

Question 26

What are the 6 S’s for enrichment

Answer 26

1. Safe
2. Sanitary
3. Soft
4. Simple
5. Site
6. Suspended