Human - animal relationship: stockmanship and housing in organic livestock systems (3rd NAHWOA Workshop)

content: Part A: Human-animal relationship: stockmanship and housing Part B: Reports on on-going research and new research concepts Part C: Posters Part D: Farm visit The theme of the 3 rd NAHWOA Workshop was Human-animal relationship: stockmanship and housing in organic livestock systems . The stockperson s ability to understand livestock and to respond to the needs of the domesticated animals is probably the most important building block of animal health and welfare in any livestock production system. It is clear, from the papers presented in the Workshop, that great demands are put on the herdsperson's, shepherd's or flockmaster's ability to adopt new techniques and approaches to husbandry, when a livestock unit converts from intensive, conventional management to organic production system. The importance of stockmanship was notably emphasised also by all presentations discussing housing. These Proceedings include two reports of the discussions from the Workshop and a few papers presented on ongoing research among the NAHWOA partners. It is hoped that the publication of such papers will encourage and inspire research collaboration in the future. In these Proceedings, are also included abstracts from posters presented both in the ClermontFerrand Workshop and in the previous Workshop in Cordoba. precise content: Part A: Human-animal relationship: stockmanship and housing X. Boivin*, B. J. Lensink and I. Veissier: The farmer and the animal: a double mirror F. Wemelsfelder: Qualitative welfare assessment: reading the behavioural expressions of pigs M. F. Seabrook: The effect of the operational environment and operating protocols on the attitudes and behaviour of employed stockpersons M. Vaarst: Daily practice and dialogue - aspects of stockmanship and interhuman relations between farmers and their partners F. H. De Jonge, M.N.C. Aarts, C.D.M. Steuten and E.A. Goewie: Strategies to improve animal welfare through "good" stockmanship E. Ofner, B. Amon, Th. Amon & J. Boxberger: Improvement of human-animal relationship needs a reliable measurement tool for animal welfare L. Schrader: The behaviour of farm animals and its significance for housing design 52 S. Waiblinger, T. Baars, C. Menke: Understanding the cow - the central role of human-animal relationship in keeping horned dairy cows in loose housing M.W.P. Bestman: The role of management and housing in the prevention of feather pecking in laying hens M. Rist, L. Rist and S. Rist: Scientific principles and practical examples of species-specific husbandry M. Hovi and S. Padel: Discussion report: Stockmanship: Constraints, evaluation and suggestions for improvement S. Roderick, B. Henriksen, C. Fossing and M. Thamsborg: Discussion report: Human animal relationship and housing: How to translate research into better standards and practice? Part B: Reports on on-going research and new research concepts R. Keatinge, D. Gray, C. Marley and B. Coop: Controlling internal parasites without the use of pharmaceutical anthelmintics A. Martini, P. Tambini, M. Miccinesi, F. Ambrosini,A. Giorgetti, D. Rondina,R. Bozzi, C. Sargentini and M. Moretti: Utilisation of homeopathy in dairy cattle - first results of an Italian trial. S. Padel: Strategies of organic milk production Part C: Posters S. Waiblinger, U. Knierim, and C. Winckler Assessment of animal welfare on organic farms H.M Vermeer, H. Altena, M. Bestman, L. Ellinger, I. Cranen, H.A.M. Spoolder, T. Baars: Organic pig farms in the Netherlands A. Martini: Organic productions with "other" animals C. Fossing, M. Vaarst, C.M. Christensen, S.M. Thamsborg, E.M.Vestergaard, C.L. Ingvartsen and T.W. Bennedsgaard: Improving welfare in organic dairy cattle B. I. Foseide Henriksen: Effect of organic fodder on prevention of milk fever Part D: Farm visit M. Bouilhol and J.P. Lantenois: Report on farm visit: An organic goat farm in Auvergne List of delegate

Variable responses of human and non-human primate gut microbiomes to a Western diet

BACKGROUND: The human gut microbiota interacts closely with human diet and physiology. To better understand the mechanisms behind this relationship, gut microbiome research relies on complementing human studies with manipulations of animal models, including non-human primates. However, due to unique aspects of human diet and physiology, it is likely that host-gut microbe interactions operate differently in humans and non-human primates. RESULTS: Here, we show that the human microbiome reacts differently to a high-protein, high-fat Western diet than that of a model primate, the African green monkey, or vervet (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus). Specifically, humans exhibit increased relative abundance of Firmicutes and reduced relative abundance of Prevotella on a Western diet while vervets show the opposite pattern. Predictive metagenomics demonstrate an increased relative abundance of genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism in the microbiome of only humans consuming a Western diet. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the human gut microbiota has unique properties that are a result of changes in human diet and physiology across evolution or that may have contributed to the evolution of human physiology. Therefore, the role of animal models for understanding the relationship between the human gut microbiota and host metabolism must be re-focused.P40 OD010965 - NIH HHS; P40 RR019963 - NCRR NIH HHS; P51 OD011132 - NIH HHS; R01 RR016300 - NCRR NIH HHS; 5R01RR016300 - NCRR NIH HH

CECP GSO Research Exchange Conference 2011

The following literature review discusses potential non-medical benefits that may result from child and adolescent interaction with animals, and the practitioner or educator preferences regarding animal species used in Applied Animal Therapy. Discussed below are a variety of research study findings regarding the potential relationships between human-animal interactions and the various social, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and personality developmental aspects in children and adolescents. These studies looked at human-animal interactions in the school setting, in therapy settings using AAT, and in the family home settings regarding companion animals/pets. The animals involved in these studies include horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, and other aquarium-dwelling species. Interaction with and preference for horses yielded the most significant benefits with child/adolescent development, followed closely by interaction with and preference for dogs. These studies address multiple factors including the owner attachment levels to the animals, child/adolescent preferences for specific species or no animals at all, and past/present history of household pet ownership. The research also addresses many aspects to child and adolescent development including, memory, focus/distractibility, self-confidence, self-esteem, social skills, attachment issues, depression, aggressiveness, and most notably empathy. The findings relay the positive impact that human-animal interactions can and do have on many aspects of child and adolescent development in many different circumstances. These studies showed that there is a positive relationship between child-animal interactions and child development, which is supported by researches, parents, and teachers

Flying, Hunting, Reading: Rethinking Falcon-Woman Comparisons

This paper assesses structures of power through the medieval practice of falconry, offering two considerations about how feminist studies and animal studies fruitfully converge: first, assessing a human-animal relationship helps dismantle patriarchal control when human handler stands for patriarch and subjugated animal stands for domesticated woman. Second, this particular human-animal relationship represents a feminist poetics. In addition to overturning misogynous comparisons between falcons and women, something more pointedly self-representational occurred when women were themselves depicted as falconers. Rather than a human-animal relationship standing in for a man-woman relationship, men seem to be out of the foreground, or even out of the picture altogether. Instead, women are represented in both positions— as human handler and as animal. Material history also supports these representations, as many medieval women participated in falconry directly and used the image on personal objects, such as seals. Examining the figure of the female falconer on women’s seals, in conduct manuals, and in narrative poems, the essay argues that the result of this self-representation is a kind of sovereignty through reading practice

Effects of human-animal relationship on animal productivity and welfare

This is a literature review of the effects of humans´ relationships with farm animals on animal productivity and welfare, including the following topics: definition of the concept and description of different tests that have been developed to measure human-animal relationship (HAR). Temperament and tameness, which have been considered as farm animal characteristics that are important in HAR, as are stockperson attitudes. Some international farm animal welfare protocols are also described, together with negative and positive stimuli that affect farm animal welfare and productivity. In addition to some factors affecting the quality of HAR. We conclude that even with improved precision farming and automation: a) a good HAR is still fundamental to improve farm animal welfare with associated health and production benefits and b) with the numerous tests assessing fear of humans, many are not commercially applicable.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Equitable Self-Ownership for Animals

This Article proposes a new use of existing property law concepts to change the juristic personhood status of animals. Presently, animals are classified as personal property, which gives them no status or standing in the legal system for the protection or promotion of their interests. Professor Favre suggest that it is possible and appropriate to divide living property into its legal and equitable components, and then to transfer the equitable title of an animal from the legal title holder to the animal herself. This would create a new, limited form of self-ownership in an animal, an equitably self-owned animal. Such a new status would have two primary impacts. First, the animal would have access to the legal system, at least in what has historically been the realm of equity, for the protection and assertion of his or her interests. Secondly, the human holder of legal title will, like a traditional trustee, have obligations to the equitable owner of the animal, that is the animal himself. As the subject matter of this trust-like relationship would be a living being, not money or wealth, the legal owner would best be characterized as a guardian, rather than by the traditional category of trustee. The Article concludes with a short discussion of the use of anti-cruelty law and human guardianship concepts as providing a context for the further development of this new concept of equitable self-ownership

For the Love of Darcie: recognising the human-companion animal relationship in housing law and policy

This paper identifies the law’s failure to recognise and protect the human-companion animal relationship in the housing arena. The nature of the human-companion animal relationship has striking similarities to human-human relationships in the socially supportive aspects of the relationship such as attachment, nurturance and reliable alliance. This contributes to the social life and sense of well-being of the owner. There is also evidence that the human-companion animal relationship can have physical health benefits such as lowering the risk of death by cardiovascular disease. It is clear that society benefits from the human-companion animal relationship, which many owners perceive as akin to family, in the form of healthier, less isolated people with better social networks. Yet in the key area of housing, the law does nothing to protect or even recognise this relationship. In consequence, every year thousands of tenants in both the public and private sector are faced with ‘no pet’ covenants in their leases and grapple with difficulties such as reduced housing options, higher rents or the traumatic decision to give up their companion animal for rehoming or euthanasia. This is especially prevalent amongst vulnerable people, like the elderly and mentally ill, who are more likely to need to move into supported accommodation. This article examines housing law in countries, such as France and Canada, that prohibit ‘no pet’ covenants in residential leases and provides arguments for the effective formulation and implementation of such law in the UK

Utilitarianism and animal cruelty: Further doubts

Utilitarianism has an apparent pedigree when it comes to animal welfare. It supports the view that animal welfare matters just as much as human welfare. And many utilitarians support and oppose various practices in line with more mainstream concern over animal welfare, such as that we should not kill animals for food or other uses, and that we ought not to torture animals for fun. This relationship has come under tension from many directions. The aim of this article is to add further considerations in support of that tension. I suggest three ways in which utilitarianism comes significantly apart from mainstream concerns with animal welfare. First, utilitarianism opposes animal cruelty only when it offers an inefficient ratio of pleasure to pain; while this may be true of eating animal products, it is not obviously true of other abuses. Second, utilitarianism faces a familiar problem of the inefficacy of individual decisions; I consider a common response to this worry, and offer further concerns. Finally, the common utilitarian argument against animal cruelty ignores various pleasures that humans may get from the superior status that a structure supporting exploitation confers

Veterinary students' views on animal patiens and human clients, using Q methodology

Veterinarians serve two masters: animal patients and human clients. Both animal patients and human clients have legitimate interests, and conflicting moral claims may flow from these interests. Earlier research concludes that veterinary students are very much aware of the complex and often paradoxical relationship they have and will have with animals. In this article the views of veterinary students about their anticipated relationship with animal patients and human clients are studied. The main part of the article describes discourses of first-year and fourth-year students about their (future) relationship with animals and their caretakers, for which Q-methodology is used. At the end of the article, the discourses are related to the students' gender and their workplace preferences. © 2007 AAVMC