Assessing the rider's seat and horse's behavior: difficulties and perspectives

correct seat and position are the basis for a good performance in horseback riding. This study aimed to measure deviations from the correct seat, test a seat improvement program (dismounted exercises), and investigate whether horse behavior was affected by the rider's seat. Five experienced trainers defined 16 seat deviations and scored the occurrence in 20 riders in a dressage test. Half the riders then carried out an individual training program; after 9 weeks, riders were again scored. The study took no video or heart-rate recordings of horses and riders. Panel members did not agree on the deviations in the rider's seat; the study detected no differences¿with the exception of improvement of backward-tilted pelvis¿between the groups. Horse behavior, classified as ¿evasive,¿ increased; horse heart rate decreased in the experimental group. Heart rates of riders in both groups decreased. Seven of 9 riders in the experimental group had the impression that the exercises improved their riding performance. There is a clear need to develop a robust system that allows trainers to objectively evaluate the rider's sea

Hazard identification and characterization of welfare aspects during transport of farm animals

Within the EU, free movement of animals from one Member State to another and more uniformity among production animals and production systems has resulted in more long distance transport from farm to farm or from farm to slaughterhouse. Since there is a lot of discussion about transport of farm animals within Europe a workshop on transport of farm animals was organized. The objective of the workshop was to identify research priorities and obtaining commitment with regard to livestock transport through dialogue and debate on issues of welfare, legislation and economic aspects. The second objective of the workshop was to try to set research priorities and to obtain consensus among stakeholders about potential risks and “blank spots” in the transport of livestock, in particular with regard to animals welfare aspect

Welfare assessment: correlations and integration between a Qualitative Behavioural Assessment and a clinical/health protocol applied in veal calves farms

This study is aimed at finding correlations and possible integration among Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA) and a specific protocol of clinical/health evaluation. Both welfare assessment methods were based on direct animal observation and were applied in 24 Italian veal calves farms at 3 weeks (wks) of rearing. Principal component analysis (PCA) summarized 20 QBA descriptors on two main components (PC1 and PC2) with eigenvalues above 4 and explaining 29.6 and 20.3% of the variation respectively. PCA on residuals obtained after correcting for housing condition yielded highly similar results, indicating that the rearing environment of the calves was not an important determinant of the observer reliability of QBA. A relationship was found between QBA PC2 and the presence of signs of cross-sucking recorded during the clinical visit (presence PC2=1.11 vs. absence PC2=-1.55,

Onderwijsmateriaal welzijnsmonitor vleeskalveren : handleiding

Dit rapport geeft een beeld van hoe een beschrijving van een welzijnsprotocol voor vleeskalveren er uit zou kunnen zien. De Welzijnsmonitor Vleeskalveren maakt een inschatting van het welzijnsniveau van vleeskalveren op individuele bedrijven. Dit gebeurt met metingen aan de dieren zelf

Welfare Quality assessment protocol for laying hens = Welfare Quality assessment protocol voor leghennen

Results of a study on the Welfare Quality® assessment protocol for laying hens. It reports the development of the integration of welfare assessment as scores per criteria as well as simplification of the Welfare Quality® assessment protocol. Results are given from assessment of 122 farms

Tail Biting in Pigs: Blood Serotonin and Fearfulness as Pieces of the Puzzle?

Tail biting in pigs is a widespread problem in intensive pig farming. The tendency to develop this damaging behaviour has been suggested to relate to serotonergic functioning and personality characteristics of pigs. We investigated whether tail biting in pigs can be associated with blood serotonin and with their behavioural and physiological responses to novelty. Pigs (n = 480) were born in conventional farrowing pens and after weaning at four weeks of age they were either housed barren (B) or in straw-enriched (E) pens. Individual pigs were exposed to a back test and novel environment test before weaning, and after weaning to a novel object (i.e. bucket) test in an unfamiliar arena. A Principal Component Analysis on behaviours during the tests and salivary cortisol (novel object test only) revealed five factors for both housing systems, labeled ‘Early life exploration’, ‘Near bucket’, ‘Cortisol’, ‘Vocalizations & standing alert’, and ‘Back test activity’. Blood samples were taken at 8, 9 and 22 weeks of age to determine blood platelet serotonin. In different phases of life, pigs were classified as tail biter/non-tail biter based on tail biting behaviour, and as victim/non-victim based on tail wounds. A combination of both classifications resulted in four pig types: biters, victims, biter/victims, and neutrals. Generally, only in phases of life during which pigs were classified as tail biters, they seemed to have lower blood platelet serotonin storage and higher blood platelet uptake velocities. Victims also seemed to have lower blood serotonin storage. Additionally, in B housing, tail biters seemed to consistently have lower scores of the factor ‘Near bucket’, possibly indicating a higher fearfulness in tail biters. Further research is needed to elucidate the nature of the relationship between peripheral 5-HT, fearfulness and tail biting, and to develop successful strategies and interventions to prevent and reduce tail biting

Ruwvoerverstrekking en watergift bij witvleeskalveren

In dit eerste PraktijkRapport vindt u de resultaten van vier jaar onderzoek naar het effect van het verstrekken van ruwvoer op het gedrag van witvleeskalveren, hun diergezondheid en technische prestaties en de kwaliteit van kalfsvlees. Daarnaast is nagegaan in hoeverre het kalf, wanneer het ruwvoer krijgt, nog behoefte heeft aan extra water boven de waterverstrekking via de mel

Preventie en behandeling van staartbijten bij gespeende biggen

Het varkensproefbedrijf in Lelystad heeft vanaf de start van het bedrijf ervoor gekozen om de staarten van de varkens niet te couperen. Het eerste jaar heeft dit geen noemenswaardige problemen met staartbijten opgeleverd, maar recentelijk zijn echter staartbijtproblemen ontstaan bij de gespeende biggen. Deze situatie bood de mogelijkheid inzicht te krijgen in preventie en behandeling daarvan. Hiervoor hebben we een aantal preventieve maatregelen op staartbijten (rubber speeltje, strospeelbak en stro) vergeleken met hokken waarin een ketting staarbijten zou moeten voorkomen. Daarnaast hebben we bij een uitbraak van staartbijten twee curatieve maatregelen onderzocht (stro verstrekken en ‘bijter’ verwijderen) die naar verwachting beiden het staartbijten terugdringen. Als derde werd onderzocht of er in de periode voorafgaand (1 en 2 dagen) aan de eerste verschijnselen van staartbijten de biggen actiever waren. De resultaten uit dit onderzoek geven aan dat met tweemaal daags een handvol stro verstrekken staartbijten niet in alle, maar wel in meer dan 90% van de hokken kan worden voorkomen. Daarnaast kan in geval van staartbijten zowel stroverstrekking als de bijter verwijderen het probleem tijdelijk terugdringe

Prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders recorded at postmortem inspection in white veal calves and associated risk factors

Abstract The study aimed at assessing the prevalence of poor rumen development, presence of rumen plaques, rumen papillae hyperkeratinization, and abomasal lesions in veal calves and to investigate risk factors for their occurrence at the farm level. Within a wide cross-sectional study, a sample of 170 veal farms representative of the European veal meat production systems was considered in the 3 major producing countries (99 in the Netherlands, 47 in France, and 24 in Italy). An average of 59±10 (SD) rumens and abomasa belonging to calves from a single batch per farm were inspected at the abattoir by trained observers to assess the incidence of these gastrointestinal disorders. Potential risk factors for their occurrence related to farm management, housing, and to the feeding plan were obtained by a questionnaire submitted to the stockperson. Prevalence of poor rumen development (almost no papillae present), rumen plaques, and hyperkeratinization were 60.4, 31.4, and 6.1% of rumens, respectively, whereas abomasal lesions in the pyloric area were recorded in 74.1% of abomasa. Independent variables related to the feeding system confirmed to be the main risk factors for the occurrence of gastrointestinal disorders in veal calves. However, additional risk sources for each given problem were identified among housing and management variables. The provision of a low amount of solid feed (≤50kg of dry matter/head per cycle) was a relevant risk for rumen underdevelopment. Rumen wall alterations (plaques and hyperkeratinization) and abomasal lesions were instead associated with the administration of large quantities of solids (151–300kg of dry matter/head per cycle) in calves receiving milk replacer during the entire fattening cycle. Among the types of solid feed, cereal grain acted as a preventive measure for low rumen development, whereas it was a risk factor for the occurrence of rumen plaques, papillae hyperkeratinization, and abomasal lesions. Some housing and management options adopted to improve veal calf welfare (i.e., higher space allowance and use of heating) were associated with lower risk for gastrointestinal disorders