2 - Introduction to Welfare Assessment Flashcards
Give the five freedoms.
a. freedom from hunger and thirst
b. freedom from discomfort
c. freedom from suffering, pain, and disease
d. freedom to express normal behavior
e. freedom from fear and distress
Who proposed the Five Freedoms and in what year?
UK’s Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1992
steady internal state that is necessary for the basic processes of life
Homeostasis
it is a state of stability that is achieved through change
Allostasis
Briefly explain the concept of stability through change.
Since the brain is capable of storing information such as memory, it can evaluate sensory input to its existing information thus animals can react immediately in the future. It can be a life cycle such as pregnancy, or a complete new experience like a cow milking by a machine. Without exception, animals have repertoire of physiological as well as behavioral adaptations that enable them to survive in an environment.
These play a central role in ‘driving’ adaptive changes in physiology and behaviour.
brain, memory, and emotion
Briefly explain how the brain evaluates sensory input.
If an animal see something, is it familiar or not? Then if it is familiar, is it associated with anything threatening, painful, or pleasant?
Since there is no easy way to measure the emotions and feelings of animals for welfare assessment, what else can we do? Explain briefly.
The brain’s evaluation to the sensory input give rise to emotions such as happiness and fear and to physical as well, for example nausea, excitement, or pain. The animal’s body responds to these feelings both physiologically and behaviorally such as increased heart rate, urinating, and vomiting. Since we can’t evaluate their emotions, we can observe and measure their responses for welfare assessment.
events and resources which give rise to sensory input
welfare inputs or resource-based measures
animal’s responses to the input
welfare outputs or outcome-based measure
the resources that are available to the animal
Welfare input
Give the three main categories of Welfare Input
a. Management/Stockperson
b. Environment Resources
c. Animal Resources
the animal’s genetic makeup and early experience, which affects disease resistance, fear thresholds
Animal Resources
the kind of housing; the quality and amount of the animals’ food; the use of vaccines, anthelmintics
Environment Resources
how well trained the stockperson is; how much time he or she has to care for the animals
management/stockperson resources
Give the three main categories of welfare output.
a. Measure of disease and of production
b. Measure of behaviour
c. Measure of physiology
the amount of time a cow spends lying down, or the presence of stereotypic behaviour
Measure of behavior
(e.g. heart rate)
Measure of physiology
(e.g. lameness, coughing and other clinical signs); (body weight; milk production)
Measure of disease and of production
Example of Output of Freedom for Hunger and Thirst
body weight; body condition score; evidence of dehydration on the skin pinch test
Output of Freedom from Discomfort
pressure sores on the skin
signs of injury from fighting; abnormal behaviours
Output of Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour
sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind
Inputs of Freedom to Express Normal Behavior
How should you estimate each freedom?
a. the percentage of animals affected
b. how badly they are affected
c. how long that compromise has being going on for
what will be the output of ready access to fresh water, and a diet that maintains full health and vigour, e.g. how often stockperson delivers feed
body weight, body condition score, evidence of dehydration in skin pinch test
output of an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area
pressures sores on the skin
conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering
inputs
the animal’s environment is such that the animal has largely negative experiences and constant suffering so that his/her life is not worth living
Poor welfare
refers to behavioural tests
outputs
For each freedom, you would estimate?
- the percentage of animals affected
- how badly they are affected
- how long that compromise has being going on for.
