Animal welfare assessment protocol for does, bucks, and kit rabbits reared for production

Rabbits are the third species in terms of number of animals reared for meat production in the world. However, in comparison to other species, very few studies have focused on their welfare. The aim of the present study is to implement an animal welfare-assessment protocol developed through a multidimensional approach and containing a number of animal-based measures for bucks, does, and kit rabbits. Thirty Spanish farms with conventional cages in the first year of integration in an animal welfare certification scheme were visited during 2019 and audited by the same auditor. The protocol is divided into four principles and 11 criteria. The Good Feeding principle includes eight parameters (one animal-based), Good Housing includes 15 parameters (six animal-based), Good Health includes 26 parameters (16 animal-based), and Appropriate Behavior contains nine parameters (four animal-based). In general, the main problems found were the absence of platforms, low space allowance and low height of the cage, inappropriate systems for performing emergency killing, insufficient protection of does from other adjacent does when housed individually, and absence of enrichment material. To a minor degree, but also found in an important number of farms, was a lack of temperature data records, high replacement rates of does, and lack of mortality-rate data records. However, in general, most of the farms obtained a good overall score, the maximum found being 73 out of 100 points. Nevertheless, none of the farms reached an excellent score, and four farms were scored below the 55 points required in the animal welfare certification scheme. The Good Feeding principle obtained the highest score, reaching excellent in all farms, and Appropriate Behavior the lowest one, with values ranging from 21 to 41 points out of 100. The results probably show how, for years, rabbit producers have been very focused on feeding needs and very little attention has been paid to behavioral needs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

El Veterinari als centres d'acollida d'animals de companyia : identificació, adopció i negligències veterinàries /

Treball presentat a la Facultat de Veterinària de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.Treball presentat a l'assignatura de Deontologia i Veterinària Legal (21223

Animal Welfare and Meat Quality Assessment in Gas Stunning during Commercial Slaughter of Pigs Using Hypercapnic-Hypoxia (20% CO2 2% O-2) Compared to Acute Hypercapnia (90% CO2 in Air)

Simple Summary Animals must be stunned before slaughter to avoid fear, pain, and distress. In pigs, the most extensively used method is exposure to hypercapnia (high (>80%) concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2)). However, it produces irritation of the mucosa and a sense of breathlessness, reducing the welfare before slaughter. We investigated whether using hypercapnic-hypoxia (20% CO2 and less than 2% O-2) reduced aversion and discomfort compared to hypercapnia, and whether the quality of the stunning was adequate, meaning that no animals regain conscious after stunning. Moreover, we compared the impact of both stunning gases for meat and carcass quality. Our results suggest that both gases provoked aversion and discomfort, but these were lower in pigs stunned with the N-2 mixture compared to high CO2. On the other hand, the stun quality of the N-2 mixture was poorer than high CO2 stunning, given that more animals regained consciousness before sticking with the N-2 gas mixture. The stunning quality of the N-2 mixture, however, was improved when oxygen concentration was below 2%. Meat quality was slightly poorer in N-2 stunning compared to high CO2, with a higher percentage of carcasses showing pale, soft, and exudative pork.This study assessed aversion, stunning effectiveness, and product quality of nitrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2) mixtures used for stunning pigs. A total of 1852 slaughter pigs divided into two similar batches was assessed during routine slaughter in a Swedish commercial abattoir using either hypercapnic-hypoxia (20% CO2 and less than 2% O-2; 20C2O) or hypercapnia (90% CO2; 90C) gas mixtures. Behavioral indicators of aversion and discomfort were recorded. After exposure, the stunning quality was assessed through brainstem reflexes. After slaughter, the pH and electric conductivity of carcasses were assessed to estimate the incidence of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) pork, and the presence of ecchymosis were inspected. Compared to 90C, pigs exposed to 20C2O showed a later (p < 0.05) onset of behaviors indicative of aversion, and a lower (p < 0.01) incidence of breathlessness. However, unconsciousness (i.e., losing posture) appeared earlier (p < 0.01) in 90C compared to 20C2O. In 90C, all (100%) pigs were adequately stunned, whereas in 20C2O a 7.4% of pigs showed signs of poor stunning, especially when oxygen concentrations were >2% (p < 0.001). The percentage of PSE carcasses was higher (p < 0.01) in 20C2O than 90C. In conclusion, compared to 90C, 20C2O reduced aversion and discomfort but showed lower stun effectiveness, especially when O-2 was above 2%, and a slightly poorer pork quality

Testing an animal welfare assessment protocol for growing-rabbits reared for meat production based on the welfare quality approach

The objective of the present study is to present an animal welfare assessment protocol for growing‐rabbits for discussion after its implementation in 32 farms from Spain and Portugal. The protocol comprises the principles of Good Feeding, Good Housing, Good Health and Appropriate Behaviour of the Welfare Quality protocols and includes 36 welfare parameters. Overall, the protocol showed a good capacity for discrimination between farms, with scores ranging 44 to 82 points. The protocol seems reliable for the assessment of animal welfare after proper training of auditors. However, for the criteria social behaviour and other behaviours, further research is needed to ascertain if the methodology and times of observation used are appropriate. Some farms had high mortality rates with a low prevalence of health problems, while others had low mortality rates with high prevalence of health problems due to different managements of culling. The protocol should be improved, to impede farms with high mortality rates but a low prevalence of health issues the day of the audit from obtaining better scores than the second type of farms, by limiting the compensation in key measures. The main points to be solved in the growing‐rabbit farms were: to provide more space to the animals; register the number of animals culled accurately; change cervical dislocation for another killing method and provide the farmers training in animal welfare.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Does the location of enrichment material affect behavior and dirtiness in growing female pigs?

The objective of this study was to investigate if female growing pigs spend similar amounts of time exploring a wooden stick as they do exploring enrichment material regardless of its proximity to the feeder. Forty-eight pigs aged 18 to 26 weeks allocated to 16 pens with three pigs per pen were studied. Fifty percent of the pens had a wooden stick beside the feeder, and the rest had a similar stick opposite to the feeder. Two observers assessed the pigs by means of scan and focal sampling. The pigs spent more time (p < .0001) exploring the wood during the first week than during the rest of the study (10.9% vs 3.6%). The pigs with the wood close to the feeder spent less (p = .0001) time resting (29.9%) and more (p < .0001) time exploring (6.3%) the wood than did pigs with the wood opposite to the feeder (32.4% and 2.5%, respectively). In conclusion, a wooden stick placed close to the feeder was associated with more exploratory behaviorcompared with a similar stick placed opposite to the feeder.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Intramuscular vs. Intradermic Needle-Free Vaccination in Piglets: Relevance for Animal Welfare Based on an Aversion Learning Test and Vocalizations

The aim of the present study was to compare intramuscular injection with a needle and intradermic needle-free vaccinations against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) in piglets at 28 days old by studying behavioral and physiological reactions. A total of 72 piglets divided into 2 sex-balanced batches were assessed. Within each batch, the piglets were divided into three treatments, which were Hipradermic (0.2 ml of UNISTRAIN® PRRS vaccine administered with an intradermic needle-free device), Intramuscular (IM, 2.0 ml of vaccine), and Control (not vaccinated). Before the vaccination, the piglets were trained to cross a 4-m-long raceway to perform an aversion learning test. The day of vaccination, the time taken to cross the raceway was registered for each piglet at different times: prior to the vaccination and 10 min, 2, 24, 48, and 72 h after the vaccination, to measure variations in these times as signs of aversion to the vaccination process. Vocalizations, as potential signs of pain, were recorded as well at the end of this raceway to analyze their frequency (Hz), duration, and level of pressure (dB) at the moment of vaccination. Salivary cortisol, as a sign of the HPA-axis activity, was assessed 10 min after the vaccination. In addition, activity budgets, local reaction to the vaccine, and serological titer were also considered in the study. Ten minutes after the vaccination, the IM piglets took longer (p < 0.001) to cross the raceway than did the Hipradermic and Control piglets. Vocalizations were significantly different between the three treatments: the Control piglets produced vocalizations with the lowest frequency (p < 0.001) and level of pressure (p < 0.001), and IM with the highest, with Hipradermic in a significant intermediate position (p < 0.001). Accordingly, the day of the vaccination, IM and Hipradermic animals were lying on the side of the vaccine administration a greater proportion of time than were the Control piglets (10, 11, and 6%, respectively; p = 0.027). Salivary cortisol was not significantly different between treatments. The serum titer of antibodies against the PRRS was higher (p < 0.001) in both vaccinated treatments in comparison to the Control piglets. It is concluded that the Hipradermic needle-free vaccination may result in a less aversive experience in piglets than did intramuscular vaccination.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of environmental temperature, floor type and breed on skatole and indole concentrations in fat of females, immuno-castrated and entire males

The present study was divided in two different trials. The aim of the first trial was to determine if the thresholds of detection of skatole and indole are achieved in females and in males vaccinated against the GnRF housed in two different type of floors and subject to control or high environmental temperatures. The aim of the second trial was to assess the effect of sire (Duroc crossbreed and Pietrain crossbreed) and heat stress on the concentration of skatole and indole in entire males. In the first trial, the animals subjected to heat stress on a concrete floor were found to be dirtier and to present higher skatole and indole concentrations than did animals from the control treatment in 100% slatted floors. In the second trial, although the animals were dirtier when subjected to high temperatures, no effect of the temperature was found in skatole/indole concentrations. The Duroc pigs were dirtier and had higher skatole and indole concentrations than did Pietrain pigs. It is concluded that even females or vaccinated males can reach values of skatole/indole close to the thresholds of sensory detection under conditions of dirtiness and heat stress. However, the relationship between heat, dirtiness and skatole/indole concentrations in fat were not confirmed in trial 2 using entire males.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Valoració per part de l’operador econòmic del model de PNT de benestar animal per a petits escorxadors d’ungulats i solípedes domèstics

Benestar animal; Escorxadors; Control oficialBienestar animal; Mataderos; Control oficialAnimal welfare; Slaughterhouses; Official controlA l’anterior treball de la CoP de benestar animal (Model de PNT de benestar animal per a petits escorxadors d’ungulats i solípedes domèstics, 2017) vam elaborar un model de procediment normalitzat de treball (PNT) per a petits escorxadors d’ungulats i solípedes domèstics. Aquest procediment estava dirigit a l’operador econòmic (OE); així doncs, enguany, n’hem volgut comprovar l’encaix. Així mateix, durant l’elaboració d’aquest treball, des de l’ASPCAT (ACSA i Sub-direcció General de Seguretat Alimentària i Protecció de la Salut) hem rebut propostes de noves vies de difusió del nostre model de PNT, tant als OE com als SVOE (serveis veterinaris oficials d’escorxador) perquè en tinguin coneixement, i també la possibilitat que se’n derivi un document de format més breu i pedagògic (Codi de bones pràctiques).En el anterior trabajo de la CoP de bienestar animal (Modelo de PNT de bienestar animal para pequeños mataderos de ungulados y solípedos domésticos, 2017) elaboramos un modelo de procedimiento normalizado de trabajo (PNT) para pequeños mataderos de ungulados y solípedos domésticos. Este procedimiento estaba dirigido al operador económico (OE); así, este año, hemos querido comprobar su encaje. Asimismo, durante la elaboración de este trabajo, desde la ASPCAT (ACSA y Subdirección General de Seguridad Alimentaria y Protección de la Salud) hemos recibido propuestas de nuevas vías de difusión de nuestro modelo de PNT, tanto en los OE como a los SVOE (servicios veterinarios oficiales de matadero) para su conocimiento, así como la posibilidad de que se derive un documento de formato más breve y pedagógico (Código de buenas prácticas).In the previous work of the Animal Welfare CoP (Animal Welfare SOP Model for Small Slaughterhouses of Domestic Ungulates and Solipeds, 2017) we developed a standard operating procedure (SOP) model for small abattoirs of domestic ungulates and solipeds. This procedure was aimed at the economic operator (OE); So, this year, we wanted to check its fit. Likewise, during the preparation of this work, from the ASPCAT (ACSA and General Subdirectorate of Food Safety and Health Protection) we have received proposals for new ways of disseminating our SOP model, both in the OE and the SVOE (services). official slaughterhouse veterinarians) for your knowledge, as well as the possibility of resulting in a shorter and more pedagogical format document (Code of good practices)

Does the location of enrichment material affect behavior and dirtiness in growing female pigs?

The objective of this study was to investigate if female growing pigs spend similar amounts of time exploring a wooden stick as they do exploring enrichment material regardless of its proximity to the feeder. Forty-eight pigs aged 18 to 26 weeks allocated to 16 pens with three pigs per pen were studied. Fifty percent of the pens had a wooden stick beside the feeder, and the rest had a similar stick opposite to the feeder. Two observers assessed the pigs by means of scan and focal sampling. The pigs spent more time (p < .0001) exploring the wood during the first week than during the rest of the study (10.9% vs 3.6%). The pigs with the wood close to the feeder spent less (p = .0001) time resting (29.9%) and more (p < .0001) time exploring (6.3%) the wood than did pigs with the wood opposite to the feeder (32.4% and 2.5%, respectively). In conclusion, a wooden stick placed close to the feeder was associated with more exploratory behaviorcompared with a similar stick placed opposite to the feeder.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Use of high concentrations of carbon dioxide for stunning rabbits reared for meat production

Abstract: An investigation was performed to determine whether high concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) at 70-98% in atmospheric air are a suitable alternative for stunning rabbits compared to conventional approaches such as electronarcosis. Aversion to the gas and efficacy in causing prolonged unconsciousness and death were studied in a total of 480 rabbits by means of behavioural parameters, physiological indicators (presence of rhythmic breathing and corneal reflex) and electroencephalography (EEG, brain function). The use of any of the 4 studied concentrations of the gas caused more nasal discomfort and vocalisations than the use of atmospheric air (P<0.001). EEG activity confirmed that loss of posture is a good indicator of the onset of unconsciousness in rabbits exposed to CO2, occurring earlier (P<0.05) at 90 and 98% than at 70 and 80%. Rabbits showed signs of aversion for 15 s before the onset of unconsciousness, which occurred around 30 s after the beginning of the exposure to the gas, similar to species such as swine in which high concentrations of CO2 are also used for stunning. CO2 at 80 to 98% is suggested as a reasonable concentration range to induce a long state of unconsciousness and death in rabbits, while 70% CO2 is not recommended because it requires too long duration of exposure (more than 360 s) to ensure effectiveness. Despite the advantages in terms of pre-stun handling and irreversibility, CO2 is not free of animal welfare concerns. In consequence, a debate is necessary to ascertain if CO2 can be considered a suitable alternative to stun rabbits, considering the advantages and drawbacks cited, quantified in the present study as 15 s of aversion (nasal discomfort and vocalisations) before losing posture