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

The diversity of livestock systems and definition of animal welfare (2nd NAHWOA Workshop)

content: Part A: Livestock in organic farming: role and research methodologies Part B: The diversity of organic livestock systems – Austria and Spain Part C: Organic livestock production standards Part D: Organic livestock production and animal welfare The theme of the 2nd NAHWOA Workshop was "Diversity of livestock systems and definition of animal welfare". The diversity of livestock systems within the European Conmmunity area has become particularly clear during the development of the common organic livestock production standards, in the form of EU Regulation 1804/ 1999. The Workshop heard several interesting papers on the subject, including an account of first-hand, field visit experience of the DEHESA farming system and of an olive farm with mixed livestock systems to utilise the by-products. In addition to a lively discussion during a session in the Workshop, the NAHWOA Working Group on organic standard development had a meeting to discuss the issue. These Proceedings include a combined report of all these discussions. This report is also submitted to the European Commission as an official NAHWOA statement on the present state of development of EU Regulation 1804/1999. precise content: Part A: Livestock in organic farming: role and research methodologies W. Lockeretz & E. Boehncke: Agricultural systems research D. Younie:Integration of livestock into organic farming systems M. Vaarst: Methodology in animal health and livestock research in organic livestock production Part B: The diversity of organic livestock systems – Austria and Spain M. Eder, L. Kirne, and W. Zollitsch:Animal husbandry in alpine organic farming – regional diversity and critical obstacles in Austria J. M. Ameztoy: Organic animal husbandry conversion in Navarra, Spain R. García Trujillo: Organic livestock production in Spain R. García Trujillo and C.Mata: The Dehesa: an extensive livestock system in the Iberian Peninsula Part C: Organic livestock production standards O. Schmid:Comparison of European Organic Livestock Standards with national and international standards - problems of common standards development and future areas of interest O. Schmid: Appendix IV: Comparison of Organic Livestock Production Standards between the new EU Regulation Nr. 1804/1999, IFOAM Basic Standards of November 1998 and the new draft guidelines of Codex Alimentarius ALINORM 99/22A R. Keatinge, D. Gray, S. Milan Thamsborg, A. Martini, P. Plate: EU Regulation 1804/1999 - the implications of limiting allopathic treatment S. Padel and R. Keatinge: Discussion report: Discussion of the EU livestock regulation (1804/99) at the 2nd NAHWOA workshop in Cordoba, Spain 9-11/ 01/2000 Part D: Organic livestock production and animal welfare H. Verhoog: Defining positive welfare and animal integrity G. van Putten: An ethological definition of animal welfare with special emphasis on pig behaviour H. Bartussek: How to measure animal welfare? The idea of an "Animal Needs Index" ANI-35L [Tiergerechtheitsindex TGI 35L]: a practical tool for assessing farm animal housing conditions on farm level in respect to animals´ well being and behavioural needs - Austrian experiences Torben Bennedsgaard and Stig Milan Thamsborg: Comparison of welfare assessment in organic dairy herds by the TGI200-protocol and a factor model based on clinical examinations and production parameters Vonne Lund: Is there a such a thing as "organic" animal welfare? S. M. Thamsborg, M. Hovi and T. Baars: Discussion report: What to do about animal welfare in organic farming? A report on the Animal Welfare Discussion at the 2nd NAHWOA Worksho

Books Received

Books received includes: Abortion II: Making the Revolution. By Lawrence Lader. After Conviction: A Review of the American Correction System. By Ronald L. Goldfarb and Linda R. Singer. The American Disease: Origins of Narcotic Control. By David F. Musto. City Police. By Jonathan Rubinstein. The Coming of Post-Industrial Society: A Venture in Social Forecasting. By Daniel Bell. The Eleventh Amendment and Sovereign Immunity. By Clyde E. Jacobs. Handling Consumer Credit Cases. By Barkley Clark and John R. Fonseca. Impeachment: The Constitutional Problems. By Raoul Berger. In His Own Image: The Supreme Court in Richard Nixon\u27s America. By James F. Simon. Is America Used Up? By Judith Mara Gutman. Let\u27s Nationalize American Transportation Now. By Adam E. Underwood. Low Income Housing: A Critique of Federal Aid. By Robert Taggert III. Policewomen on Patrol. By Peter Bloch. The Politics of Punishment: A Critical Analysis of Prisons in America. By Erik Olin Wright. A Public Citizen\u27s Action Manual. By Donald K. Ross. Super Tenant. By John M. Striker and Andrew O. Shapiro. We Mainline Dreams: The Odyssey House Story. By Judianne Densen-Gerber. Work and Welfare Go Together. By Sar A. Levitan

Effect of different housing systems (single and group penning) on the health and welfare of commercial female rabbits

[EN] In recent decades, concern about rabbit welfare and sustainability has increased. The housing system is a very important factor for animal welfare. However, information about how different available housing types for female rabbits affect their health status is scarce, but this is an important factor for their welfare. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the health status of female rabbits in five common housing systems: three different single-housing systems with distinct available surfaces and heights; a single-housing system with a platform; a collective system. Female rabbits in the collective and platform cages had greater cortisol concentrations in hair than those in the single-housing system with no platform. Haptoglobin concentrations and kit mortality rates during lactation were greater for the collective-cage female rabbits. The collective group had more culled females and more lesions than in the other groups. The main reasons for culling in all the groups were reproduction problems and presence of abscesses, and the collective group of females was the most affected. In conclusion, it appears that keeping females together in collective systems negatively affects their health status and welfare, while single-housing systems imply lower kit mortality rates during lactation and cortisol concentrations, and fewer lesions in female rabbits.This study was supported by the INIA-INTERCUN Project (CUN2014-00001-00-00) and by Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera (INDI16/07, INDI17/07, INDI18/08). Grants for Sara Perez Fuentes, Asuncion Munoz Silvestre and Elena Moreno Grua from Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, and also for Sara Perez Fuentes from Generalitat Valenciana and FSE (ACIF/2016/085), and for Elena Moreno Grua from Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte (FPU17/02708) are also gratefully acknowledged.Pérez-Fuentes, S.; Muñoz-Silvestre, A.; Moreno Grua, E.; Martinez-Paredes, E.; Viana, D.; Selva, L.; Villagrá, A.... (2020). Effect of different housing systems (single and group penning) on the health and welfare of commercial female rabbits. Animal. 14(6):1270-1277. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731119003379S12701277146Archetti I, Tittarelli C, Cerioli M, Brivio R, Grilli G and Lavazza A 2008. Serum chemistry and hematology values in commercial rabbits: preliminary data from industrial farms in northern Italy. In Proceedings of the 9th World Rabbit Congress, 10–13 June 2008, Verone, Italy, pp. 1147–1152.Argente, M.-J., García, M. de la L., Birlanga, V., & Muelas, R. (2014). Relationship between cortisol and acute phase protein concentrations in female rabbits. The Veterinary Journal, 202(1), 172-175. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.07.020Cervera C, Martínez-Paredes E, Machado L and Villagrá A 2017. Producción de conejas en sistemas de alojamiento individual o colectivo en semigrupo. In Proceedings of the XLII Symposium de Cunicultura de ASESCU, 11–12 May 2017, Murcia, Spain, pp. 107–110.Dal Bosco, A., Mugnai, C., Martino, M., Szendrő, Z., Mattioli, S., Cambiotti, V., … Castellini, C. (2019). Housing Rabbit Does in a Combi System with Removable Walls: Effect on Behaviour and Reproductive Performance. Animals, 9(8), 528. doi:10.3390/ani9080528Dalle Zotte, A., Princz, Z., Matics, Z., Gerencsér, Z., Metzger, S., & Szendrő, Z. (2009). Rabbit preference for cages and pens with or without mirrors. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 116(2-4), 273-278. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2008.08.011Machado L, Cervera C, Martínez-Paredes E, Paragliola F and Cano C 2016. Comportamiento y manejo de conejas en sistemas de cría colectiva. In Proceedings of the XLI Symposium de Cunicultura de ASESCU, 12–13 May 2016, Hondarribia, Spain, pp. 134–137.Maertens L and Buijs S 2016. Impact of housing system (cage vs. part-time housing) and floor type on rabbit doe welfare. In Proceedings of the 11th World Rabbit Congress, 15–18 June 2016, Qingdao, China, pp. 707–710.Marai, I. F. ., Habeeb, A. A. ., & Gad, A. . (2002). Rabbits’ productive, reproductive and physiological performance traits as affected by heat stress: a review. Livestock Production Science, 78(2), 71-90. doi:10.1016/s0301-6226(02)00091-xMarcato PS and Rosmini R 1986. Mammary glands. In Pathology of the rabbit and hare (eds. PS Marcato and R Rosmini ), pp. 179–186. Società Editrice Esculapio, Bologna, Italy.Masthoff, T., & Hoy, S. (2019). Investigations on the Influence of Floor Design on Dirtiness and Foot Pad Lesions in Growing Rabbits. Animals, 9(6), 354. doi:10.3390/ani9060354Mugnai, C., Dal Bosco, A., & Castellini, C. (2009). Effect of different rearing systems and pre-kindling handling on behaviour and performance of rabbit does. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 118(1-2), 91-100. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2009.02.007Petersen, H. H., Nielsen, J. P., & Heegaard, P. M. H. (2004). Application of acute phase protein measurements in veterinary clinical chemistry. Veterinary Research, 35(2), 163-187. doi:10.1051/vetres:2004002Rödel, H. G., Starkloff, A., Bautista, A., Friedrich, A.-C., & Von Holst, D. (2008). Infanticide and Maternal Offspring Defence in European Rabbits under Natural Breeding Conditions. Ethology, 114(1), 22-31. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.2007.01447.xRödel, H. G., Starkloff, A., Seltmann, M. W., Prager, G., & von Holst, D. (2009). Causes and predictors of nest mortality in a European rabbit population. Mammalian Biology, 74(3), 198-209. doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2008.04.003Rommers, J. M., Boiti, C., De Jong, I., & Brecchia, G. (2006). Performance and behaviour of rabbit does in a group-housing system with natural mating or artificial insemination. Reproduction Nutrition Development, 46(6), 677-687. doi:10.1051/rnd:2006038Rommers, J., & De Greef, K. H. (2018). Are combi parks just as useful as regular parks for fatteners for part-time group housing of rabbit does? World Rabbit Science, 26(4), 299. doi:10.4995/wrs.2018.9587Rosell J and De La Fuente L 2008. Health and body condition of rabbit does on commercial farms. In Proceedings of the 9th World Rabbit Congress, 10–13 June 2008, Verone, Italy, pp. 1065–1069.Rosell, J., & de la Fuente, L. (2013). Assessing Ulcerative Pododermatitis of Breeding Rabbits. Animals, 3(2), 318-326. doi:10.3390/ani3020318Sánchez, J. P., de la Fuente, L. F., & Rosell, J. M. (2012). Health and body condition of lactating females on rabbit farms1. Journal of Animal Science, 90(7), 2353-2361. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4065Segura, P., Martinez, J., Peris, B., Selva, L., Viana, D., Penades, J. R., & Corpa, J. M. (2007). Staphylococcal infections in rabbit does on two industrial farms. Veterinary Record, 160(25), 869-872. doi:10.1136/vr.160.25.869Siemsen DW, Malachowa N, Schepetkin IA, Whitney AR, Kirpotina LN, Lei B, DeLeo FR and Quinn MT 2014. Neutrophil isolation from nonhuman species. In Neutrophil methods and protocols (eds. MT Quinn and FR De Leo ), pp. 19–37. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ, USASzendrő, Z., & McNitt, J. I. (2012). Housing of rabbit does: Group and individual systems: A review. Livestock Science, 150(1-3), 1-10. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2012.09.017Szendrő, Z., Mikó, A., Odermatt, M., Gerencsér, Z., Radnai, I., Dezséry, B., … Matics, Z. (2013). Comparison of performance and welfare of single-caged and group-housed rabbit does. Animal, 7(3), 463-468. doi:10.1017/s1751731112001760Szendrő, Z., Trocino, A., Hoy, S., Xiccato, G., Villagrá, A., & Maertens, L. (2019). A review of recent research outcomes on the housing of farmed domestic rabbits: reproducing does. World Rabbit Science, 27(1), 1. doi:10.4995/wrs.2019.10599Tallo-Parra, O., Manteca, X., Sabes-Alsina, M., Carbajal, A., & Lopez-Bejar, M. (2015). Hair cortisol detection in dairy cattle by using EIA: protocol validation and correlation with faecal cortisol metabolites. Animal, 9(6), 1059-1064. doi:10.1017/s1751731115000294Viana, D., Selva, L., Segura, P., Penadés, J. R., & Corpa, J. M. (2007). Genotypic characterization of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from rabbit lesions. Veterinary Microbiology, 121(3-4), 288-298. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.12.003Zomeño, C., Birolo, M., Gratta, F., Zuffellato, A., Xiccato, G., & Trocino, A. (2018). Effects of group housing system, pen floor type, and lactation management on performance and behaviour in rabbit does. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 203, 55-63. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2018.03.00

Sensitivity of the Welfare Quality^® broiler chicken protocol to differences between intensively reared indoor flocks:which factors explain overall classification?

There is a large demand for holistic welfare assessment systems that result in a singular balanced summary of welfare. The Welfare Quality((R)) (WQ) broiler protocol summarizes 18 welfare measures into four principles (good feeding', good housing', good health' and appropriate behaviour'), which are then integrated into one overall category (excellent', enhanced', acceptable' or not classified'). But the protocol is time consuming which hampers implementation. Furthermore, WQ's aim to assess animal welfare in a wide range of husbandry systems may decrease its ability to discriminate between flocks from the same system. We applied the protocol in the context of intensive indoor rearing to assess whether it discriminated sufficiently between flocks, could be shortened without losing essential information, and provided a balanced summary of welfare. The vast majority of the flocks (88%) received the same overall classification (acceptable) whilst all other flocks received an adjacent classification (enhanced), suggesting poor discriminative capacity. For 95% of the flocks overall classification was explained by two measures only (drinker space' and stocking density'). A system based on these two measures would reduce assessment time from 3.5 h to a few minutes. However, both measures' validity can be questioned as they are risk factors for poor welfare rather than animal-based outcome measures and they suffer from methodological weaknesses. Furthermore, the possibility for such an extreme simplification raises doubts on whether the overall classification reflects a balanced summary of different welfare aspects. In line with this, overall classification was not affected by replacing single measures within the good health' and appropriate behaviour' principles with realistically attainable minima or maxima for intensively reared flocks. Even replacing either of these two principles entirely with their realistically obtainable minimum or maximum did not affect classification. Such insensitivity to change may discourage attempts to improve the welfare of intensively reared flocks when assessments are made based on the overall classification. This calls for an adjustment of the classification system, which is currently being developed by the Welfare Quality Network

Supportive Housing for Homeless Families: Foster Care Outcomes and Best Practices

Poverty is a well-documented risk factor for family involvement with child protective services and other elements of the child welfare system.Recent studies show that homeless families have higher rates of being involved in the child welfare system than the general population.However, there is little known about how supportive housing programs for homeless families can affect their long-term outcomes.This report describes the outcome evaluation of Cottage Housing Incorporated's Serna Village program in Sacramento, California. Serna Village is a supportive housing program serving homeless families. Outcomes from the program illustrate that it is possible to end recidivism into the child welfare system for homeless families by providing them with permanent housing and comprehensive support services. Although homeless and marginally housed families have high support and case management services can prevent these disenfranchised families from re-entering the foster care system.The intervention of supportive housing -- housing and services focused on the unique needs of adults and their children exiting homelessness -- may break the cycle of abuse and neglect among these families.Conducted in 2011, this study involved a sample of 293 children and youth from approximately 150 families who lived with one or more parents in Cottage Housing Incorporated's Serna Village between 2002 and 2009, thefirst seven years of the program.The findings from this study indicate that comprehensive supportive housing programs following a best-practice model can provide homeless parents and their children with stable living for a significant period of time. Supportive housing programs also may give homeless parents an opportunity to find and maintain employment, work on their education, save a substantial amount of money for move-out costs, learn daily living skills, experience a real-world living situation and prevent re-entry into the child welfare system. The outcomes from this study may help inform policymakers and child welfare administrators with recommendations to better assist marginalized families and save valuable funding dollars

Financing Housing Supports for Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

This strategy brief, written by The Finance Project with support from the Foster Care Work Group (FCWG), one of three work groups of the Youth Transition Funders Group (YTFG), explores strategies for financing supports and services that help foster youth make successful transitions to adulthood. Foundation leaders participating in the YTFG are committed to achieving a common visio -- ensuring that vulnerable youth are connected by age 25 to institutions and support systems that will enable them to succeed throughout adulthood. The FCWG brings together foundation leaders with a shared interest in preparing youth in foster care for their transition out of the child welfare system and providing them pathways to lifelong economic well-being

Meeting basic needs? Forced migrants and welfare

As the number of forced migrants entering Britain has risen, increasingly restrictive immigration and asylum policy has been introduced. Simultaneously, successive governments have sought to limit the welfare entitlements of forced migrants. Drawing on two sets of semi-structured qualitative interviews, with migrants and key respondents providing welfare services, this paper considers the adequacy of welfare provisions in relation to the financial and housing needs of four different groups of forced migrants i.e. refugees, asylum seekers, those with humanitarian protection status and failed asylum seekers/‘overstayers’. There is strong evidence to suggest that statutory provisions are failing to meet the basic financial and housing needs of many forced migrants

Home-ownership and asset-based welfare: the case of Belgium

In this article, using policy documents and both qualitative and quantitative data sources, we evaluate the extent to which the Belgian welfare system conforms to trends towards asset-based welfare involving the promotion of home-ownership as an alternative to social security provision. We conclude that, following the explicit and ongoing sponsorship of home-ownership since the end of the 19th century, in Belgium, an asset-based approach to welfare has actually been in place for some time. Most Belgian elderly people are income-poor (mainly due to low public pensions) but asset-rich. While the risk of poverty for home-owners in old age is somewhat higher than that for the general population, it is much higher for elderly renters. As far as the preconditions for a possible restructuring of the Belgian welfare state in the direction of greater reliance on asset-based welfare are concerned, we find that most of them are fulfilled. Public debt is high with increasing costs of population ageing looming large on the economic horizon. However, although some politicians have raised the issue, so far, virtually no initiatives have been taken to tap into existing housing wealth. Our qualitative evidence shows that this can be partly explained by the fact that Belgians have a rather conservative attitude towards the welfare state, which is expected to provide adequately for 'traditional' life-course risks such as unemployment and old age. Housing is considered a private issue, separated from the social security sphere