Animal Welfare Flashcards
In what year and who pushed for the first anti-cruelty bill in the UK parliament, which granted cattle, horses, and sheep a degree of protection never provided before?
1822 Richard Martin
What year was the RSPCA formed?
1824
What are the five freedoms or duty of care?
- Freedom from hunger and thirst
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury, and disease
- Freedom to express normal behaviour
- Freedom from fear and distress
What is animal welfare?
The welfare of an animal is its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment
What is the first principle of housing?
Better to adapt the housing to the animal, rather than forcing the animal to adapt to the housing.
What are the basics of animal needs in housing?
Clean, dry, comfortable, and possibly thermally insulated place to rest (within thermoneutral range), access suitable feed and water without undue social competition or bullying
What gases are we preventing build up from adequate ventilation?
ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
What are stereotypic behaviours?
Repetitive and constant in form and orientation, abnormal body movements which are not displayed by the species in the “natural environment,” serves no obvious goal or function
What is ethology?
Scientific and objective study of animal behaviour, usually with a focus on behaviour under natural conditions.
For example, the cow laying down properly (front legs first, vs. unnaturally with back legs first)
What is animal cognitive psychology?
Animal cognition is the study of the mental capacities of animals. It has developed out of comparative psychology
For example, how badly does the sheep want the air conditioned chamber.
How do you assess behaviour (3 ways)?
Behavioural response (sow aggression in different housing systems or hunching after mulesing), behavioural preference (the animal choosing between two options), behavioural demand (strength of need or motivation)
What is cognitive bias?
Cognition- the ability to process a situation
Cognitive bias- the individual’s perception of a situation based on their emotional state
Cognitive bias is the alteration of an animal’s (or human’s) cognitive processing of a situation depending on underlying factors (particularly state of mind)
When an animal is in a positive mental state, it chooses a scenario that delivers a positive outcome. When it is in a negative mental state it chooses a scenario that prevents a negative outcome.
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed cattle?
Tongue rolling
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed horses?
Wind sucking, crib biting
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed pigs?
Tail biting, belly nosing
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed poultry?
Feather pecking, cannibalism
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed mink?
Wool biting
What helps stop wool biting in sheep?
Increase fibre content of food. Feed frequency did not change anything.
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in lab mice?
Barbering and whisker plucking in lab mice
Why measure physiology (3)?
Measurement of biological function, may directly reflect the environmental challenges of the animals, and can indicate further adverse welfare e.g. impaired health
What is the expanded model from adverse stimulus?
Adverse stimulus (physical, chemical, social, emotional, pain, disease)–> disruption of homeostasis or well-being–>animal response–> physiological (neural, endocrine), behavioural, emotional (anxiety, fear, suffering)–> adequate coping restoration of well being OR inadequate failure to cope –> pathology (growth, repro, lifespan, productivity, immunosuppression, disease)
What are the two systems involved with the neuro-endocrine responses to stressors?
- Sympathetic adrenomedullary- as much a neural as an endocrine response/ fight or flight (SA)
- Hypothalamo-pituitary- adrenocortical (HPA)- mainly endocrine, results in conservation/ withdrawal type response
What is the Sympathetic NS- Adrenal Medullary axis response?
Stressor–> brain–> adrenal medulla–> catecholamines (adrenalin/ noradrenalin)–> heart (brain to heart straight effects as well)
What are the effects of adrenaline and other catecholamine hormones?
Increased HR and CO, increased blood flow to muscles, decreased blood flow to GI system, dilation of pupils
WHat is the HPA response?
Stressor–> brain–> hypothalamus–> CRH release–> pituitary–> ACTH release–> adrenal cortex–> cortisol release
What are the effects of cortisol and other stress-induced glucocorticoid hormones?
Mobilization of body energy reserves and anti-inflammatory effects
How is the SA response in terms of measuring stress?
Catecholamines have a short half life and are difficult to measure, overall response may be short lived
How is the HPA response in terms of measuring stress?
Cortisol and corticosterone- longer half- life but care needed in interpretation
Post January 2001, how much space do layer hens get in a cage? How many hens per cage?
550 cm^2, 3 or more fowl per cage (<2.4 kg)
When is sexual maturity in a layer hen?
17-18 weeks
What is the mortality in the rearing phase (up to 16 weeks)
2-3%
How many eggs do hens lay per year?
250-330
When are hens culled? What are they used for?
68-72 weeks (1.5 years). Meat for commercial processed chicken products such as pet foods, pies, and other processed foods
What is the mortality in the laying phase?
3-15% (5% good performance)
How many eggs produced in AUS per year?
203 million dozen eggs
What are the benefits of the conventional cage?
Easier food hygiene, biosecurity (wild birds, parasites, microorganisms), less feather pecking, less cannibalism, more controlled diet, ventilation more controlled, thermal env. more controlled, better weight,less env. degradation, lower mortality
What are the benefits to the alternatives of cage systems?
Freedom of movement, dust-bathing, foraging in litter (Europeans believe the alternative systems are better)
What are the draw backs of all systems?
Beak trimming, fate of male chicks, end of lay handling and transport
What are male day-old chicks used for?
Rendered meat meal and used for purposes such as fish food
What is moulting?
Birds undergo moult (forced or natural)- feather loss and replacement. Stop laying during moult but after moult rate of lay is greater.
What is an AEC committee?
Animal Ethic Committee for using animals for research
Who is part of an AEC?
Cat A- vet, Cat B- recent experience science or teaching, Cat C- established experience in furthering animal welfare, cat D- independent person (lay) (must have one of each present), additional- charge of daily care or expertise e.g. large animal
What do labs have to comply with?
Australian code of practice for care and use of animals for scientific purposes, code of practice for the housing and care of lab mice, rats, GPs, Australian code for resp. conduct of research
What are the 3 Rs?
Replace (seek alternatives), reduce (reduction in numbers), refine (technique to lessen impact on animals)
What does therapeutic mean?
Of or relating to the treatment of disease or disorders by remedial agents or methods
What does prophylactic mean?
Guarding from or preventing the spread or occurrence of disease or infection
What state allows tail docking for prophylactic purposes?
WA
How many tails need to be docked to prevent one tail injury?
500 tails docked