Donkeys in transition: changing use in a changing world

Os jumentos têm uma longa história no desenvolvimento das sociedades humanas. Normalmente referidos como bestas de carga, seus usos tradicionais incluem o transporte de pessoas e bens, atividades agrícolas e florestais, acesso a água, assim como oferecer uma forma de rendimento para comunidades em países de rendimento baixo e médio. No entanto, o aumento da mecanização, o desenvolvimento de técnicas agrícolas modernas e maior disponibilidade de veículos motorizados fizeram com que os jumentos e os muares se  tornassem desnecessários nos seus papéis tradicionais em muitas partes do mundo. Neste artigo os autores fornecem exemplos onde os jumentos fizeram a transição, com sucesso, dos papéis tradicionais para novos papéis não tradicionais, tanto na Europa como na América do Norte; e demonstramos que, embora o papel e o uso de jumentos e muares estejam mudando num mundo em rápido desenvolvimento, podemos aprender lições com o passado e aplicá-las aos desafios atuais. À medida que diminui a necessidade de equídeos de trabalho no transporte e na agricultura, eles ainda têm grande valor no que toca a fins recreativos, terapêuticos e ecológicos no uso de tração animal.Donkeys have a long history in the development of human societies. Typically referred to as a beast of burden, traditional uses for donkeys have included the transportation of goods and people, use in agricultural and forestry activities, to access water, and provide citizens in low- and middle-income countries a means of making an income for communities. However, the rise of mechanization, the development of modern farming techniques, and the increasing availability of motorized vehicles have led to donkeys and mules becoming redundant from traditional roles in many parts of the world. We provide examples of where donkeys have successfully transitioned from traditional roles to new, non-traditional roles in Europe and North America, and demonstrate that, although the roles and use of donkeys and mules are changing in a rapidly developing world, we can learn lessons from the past and apply them to current challenges. As the need for working equids declines in transport and agriculture, they still hold great value for recreational, therapeutic, and environmentally friendly methods of animal traction.

The effects of regularity of simulated ship motions on the behaviour and physiology of sheep

Floor movement influences sheep responses to transport, but the importance of movement regularity and interactions between sheep are unknown. To test this, sheep were restrained in pairs in a crate mounted on a moveable, programmable platform for 60 min periods, changing treatments over 12 consecutive days. In an initial experiment a repeated speed of movement and change in angle (regular movement) was compared to variable angles and speeds (irregular movement) of roll, pitch or combined movements, for sheep behaviour, heart rate and feed and water intake responses. Feed intake was increased by irregular roll+pitch motion (P = 0.04). During irregular sequences sheep affiliated more, with their heads one above the other (P = 0.001) and supported themselves against the crate (P < 0.001) or kneeling (P = 0.03). Irregular sequences and combined roll and pitch synergistically increased stepping behaviour, indicating loss of balance, and heart rate, possibly indicating stress (P < 0.001). Heat rate data demonstrated that the RMSSD band was reduced during irregular movement (P = 0.04), and LF/HF ratio increased during irregular sequences of roll+pitch (P = 0.007), suggesting less parasympathetic nervous system activity. In a second experiment, we investigated the effects of these floor motion patterns with and without a barrier to separate the sheep. With no barrier or irregular motion, sheep stepped more to avoid loss of balance (P < 0.001) and were again more affiliative. During irregular motion they supported themselves more against the crate (P < 0.001). With no barrier there was more agonistic behaviour (body pushing (P = 0.02), butting (P = 0.02) and evading the other sheep (P = 0.001) and less rumination (P = 0.02), which together with a reduction in RMSSD and NN50 suggested that sheep welfare was reduced by the close proximity of the other sheep. The ratio of low to high frequency beats was highest (P = 0.005) and the RMSSD and NN50 were lowest (P < 0.001) during irregular motion and no barrier. Evidence is provided that sheep were both more stressed in this combination of treatments and also exercising more, through stepping behaviour. Thus irregular sequences and combined roll and pitch caused stress and increased activity to correct loss of balance, as well as increased affiliative behaviour. Separating sheep during irregular motion reduced body instability and stress, suggesting that close stocking is detrimental to their welfare

The human-animal relationship and its influence in our culture: the case of donkeys

Os jumentos (Equus asinus) estão enfrentando uma crise global. A saúde, o bem-estar e, principalmente, a sobrevivência dos jumentos está sendo comprometida à medida que a demanda por suas peles aumenta. Essa demanda por peles de jumento visa abastecer a indústria de ejiao. Ejiao é um remédio tradicional feito de colágeno de pele de jumento. Alguns acreditam que possui propriedades medicinais. Estima-se que o setor exija aproximadamente 4,8 milhões de peles de jumento por ano. Independentemente do futuro que os jumentos terão, devemos garantir uma vida com o mínimo de dignidade aos animais sob nossa responsabilidade. A preocupação ética também inclui o papel cultural dos jumentos. Os jumentos desenvolveram um papel essencial no Brasil, especialmente na Região Nordeste do país, carregando nas costas todo o tipo de material de construção, água e comida e, como consequência, ajudando o ser humano a construir as cidades no sertão. Devido à estreita relação com os seres humanos, os jumentos também estão participando da cultura. Essa importância central foi reconhecida por vários artistas brasileiros ao longo da história. Temos muitos exemplos de músicas, livros, “cordéis” (literatura típica brasileira), poemas, documentários, filmes, xilogravuras e esculturas feitos em homenagem a esse importante ator. Aqui descrevemos alguns exemplos dessa relação humano-jumento e sua influência em nossa cultura.Donkeys (Equus asinus) face a global crisis. Their health, welfare, and even their local survival are compromised as the demand for their skins increases. Such demand for donkey skins aims to supply the ejiao industry. Ejiao is a traditional remedy made from the collagen of donkey skins. Some people believe it has medicinal properties. It is estimated that the ejiao industry currently requires approximately 4.8 million donkey skins per year. Although the future of the donkeys is still uncertain, we must guarantee a life free from suffering to the animals under our responsibility. The trade of donkey skins also undermines the cultural role of donkeys. Donkeys have developed an essential role in Brazil, especially in the Northeast region of the country, carrying on their backs construction materials, water, and food, and, as a consequence, helping people build cities in the deepest hinterland. The close relationship between people and donkeys affords donkeys a unique place in the local culture. This central importance has been recognized by Brazilian artists throughout history. We have many examples of songs, books, “cordeis” (typical Brazilian literature), poems, documentaries, movies, woodcuts, paintings, and sculptures, created to honor this important actor. Here we describe some examples of this human-donkey relationship, and its influence on our culture

Donkey skin trade: is it sustainable to slaughter donkeys for their skin?

 Donkeys (Equus asinus) face a global crisis. The health, welfare, and even survival of donkeys are being compromised as the demand for their skins increases. It is driven by the production of ejiao, a traditional Chinese remedy believed by some to have medicinal properties. It is estimated that the ejiao industry currently requires approximately 4.8 million donkey skins per year. Since there is no productive chain for donkey skin production outside of China, the activity is extractive and has resulted in the decimation of donkeys. Gestation is 12 months in donkeys, increasing the risk of extinction if such practices are not controlled. In this scenario, the donkeys are collected (purchased for low prices, stolen, and collected from the side of the roads) and are then often transported for long distances, usually without water, food, or rest. The trade, in Brazil, poses significant biosecurity risks, particularly because examinations are rarely conducted and therefore infectious diseases, such as glanders and infectious anemia, remain undetected. Furthermore, in chronic stress situations, the immune system is suppressed, increasing the biosecurity risk, especially because donkeys are a silent carrier of diseases. Rarely there is traceability with animals from different origins being put together in “fake farms”, before being delivered to slaughterhouses. The opportunistic strategy of collecting animals, or buying for low prices, keeping them without access to food and veterinary assistance, is what makes this trade profitable. Our experience in donkey welfare and the global skin trade suggest that it will be enormously challenging and cost-prohibitive to run a trade at the standards required to be considered humane, sustainable, and safe. Although donkeys are being blamed for the involvement in road accidents, it is not an ethical solution to maintain this trade as an alternative. Moreover, the ecological role of donkeys in native ecosystems has not been elucidated, and some studies indicate they could even have a positive effect. Regardless of the future the donkeys will have; we must guarantee a life with the least dignity to the animals under our responsibility.Os jumentos (Equus asinus) estão enfrentando uma crise global. A saúde, o bem-estar e até a sobrevivência dos jumentos estão sendo comprometidos à medida que a demanda por suas peles aumenta. A atividade é impulsionada pela produção de ejiao, um remédio tradicional chinês que algumas pessoas acreditam possuir propriedades medicinais. Estima-se que a indústria de ejiao demande atualmente cerca de 4,8 milhões de peles de jumento por ano. Uma vez que não existe uma cadeia produtiva fora da China, a atividade é extrativista e resultou na drástica redução das populações. A gestação dos jumentos é de 12 meses, aumentando o risco de extinção se tais práticas não forem controladas. Neste cenário, os jumentos são recolhidos (comprados a preços baixos, roubados e recolhidos à beira das estradas) e são frequentemente transportados para longas distâncias, normalmente sem água, comida ou descanso. O comércio no Brasil apresenta riscos significativos de biossegurança, principalmente porque os exames raramente são realizados e, portanto, doenças infecciosas, como mormo e anemia infecciosa equina, permanecem sem detecção. Além disso, em situações de estresse crônico, o sistema imunológico é suprimido, aumentando o risco de biossegurança, principalmente porque os jumentos são portadores silenciosos de doenças. Raramente há rastreabilidade, e os animais de diferentes origens acabam sendo colocados em “fazendas fantasma”, antes de serem entregues aos abatedouros. A estratégia oportunista de coletar animais, ou comprar por preços irrisórios, mantendo-os sem acesso a alimentação e assistência veterinária, é o que torna esse comércio lucrativo. Nossa experiência em bem-estar de jumentos e no comércio global de peles sugere que será extremamente desafiador e com custo proibitivo administrar um comércio dentro dos padrões exigidos para ser considerado humano, sustentável e seguro. Embora os jumentos sejam responsabilizados pelo envolvimento em acidentes rodoviários, não é uma solução ética manter este comércio como uma alternativa. Além disso, o papel ecológico dos jumentos nos ecossistemas nativos não foi elucidado, e alguns estudos indicam que eles podem até ter um efeito positivo. Independentemente do futuro que os jumentos terão, devemos garantir uma vida com o mínimo de dignidade aos animais sob nossa responsabilidade

Do antiemetics attenuate the behavioural responses of sheep to simulated ship motion?

During actual and simulated ship transport, vessel roll (sideways) and heave (vertical) movements produce behavioural responses in sheep, typically positional and feeding changes. Antiemetics may moderate these responses, hence sheep were exposed to these two movements of similar amplitude and period to a commercial livestock vessel to test effects on feeding, heart rate and body posture, with and without antiemetics to potentially attenuate the motion effects. Six sheep were restrained in pairs with a mesh between them on a moveable programmable platform, generating roll, with heave created by a forklift. Treatments were applied daily for 60 min in a changeover design over 12 consecutive days. No effects on feed intake were detected but in the Heave treatment sheep ate faster (p = 0.006). These sheep also had a faster biting rate whilst prehending food, but only when the antiemetic was provided (P = 0.002). The antiemetic reduced feed prehending time. Sheep in Heave also took fewer mastication bites than those in the Control, but only when no antiemetic was provided (P = 0.002). Thus the antiemetic facilitated feed intake which was taken with fewer bites, and alleviated the reduced mastication in Heave, which was probably in compensation for increased prehension bites. Sheep in Heave also spent longer with their head against the mesh than those in the Control treatment, perhaps to aid balance. The antiemetic reduced time spent with their head on the mesh. Roll in particular increased stepping frequency, but antiemetics reduced the frequency of stepping behaviour, particularly during Roll movement. It is concluded that simulated ship motion had adverse effects on feeding behaviour and balance, which appeared to be attenuated by antiemetics

A novel method to measure the impact of sea transport motion on sheep welfare

Sheep are subjected to multiple stressors during commercial sea transport, including ship motion, ammonia, novel social dynamics and feed, high stocking density and multiple handling, all of which make it difficult to measure sheep responses to ship motion in isolation during a voyage. A practical method for measuring the impact of ship motions on the welfare of sheep on land was therefore developed, which exposed them to the three most important motions, roll (sideways), heave (vertical) and pitch (fore-aft). Roll and pitch motions were created using a programmable flight simulator platform, and heave motion was simulated elevating the entire apparatus with an electric forklift. Two main methods were developed to investigate the effect of these motions on sheep behaviour, physiology, balance, body posture, heart rate variability, rumination and feed intake. The first method evaluated each of the motions independently, replicating the frequency and magnitude of typical ship movements, taking into consideration the dimensions of a commercial vessel. The second method compared regular and irregular (random) movement sequences to investigate the importance of movement predictability on stress responses from sheep. The behaviour of sheep on the platform was similar to that which has been observed on ship. It is concluded that a detailed understanding of the responses of sheep to ship motion can be obtained by subjecting them to the different components of simulated transport using land-based equipment

Consumer attitudes and perceptions towards sustainable animal production attributes in Mexico City

Animal production systems in pursuit of sustainability production, have to integrate several elements such as: environmental protection, food safety, animal welfare, and benefits to local producers. The objectives of the study were: 1) identify the attitudes of consumers in three districts of Mexico City towards sustainable attributes; 2) identify their perceptions regarding the production of animal food products; 3) determine if there is an effect of the social-demographic variables. In this sense, one thousand two hundred consumers were surveyed in markets of three districts of Mexico City with different social-economic levels. Results show that attitudes and perceptions of consumers differ mainly according to the district where they reside. In relation to the sustainable attributes, consumers considered food safety as the most important attribute of an animal product, followed by environmental protection. Regarding animal food production in Mexico, consumers perceived in first place that this benefits local producers, that they are safe products, that it improves animal welfare, and, finally, that it conserves the environment. These results revealed that consumers in Mexico City show positive attitudes towards sustainable animal food production attributes, which could represent new opportunities for the food industry in Mexico

Sheep Quickstep while the Floor Rock and Rolls: Visuomotor Lateralization during Simulated Sea Travel

Simple Summary During livestock transport the floor of the vehicle moves in a way that can disturb their balance. This can stress the animals, producing signals that are processed by the right half of their brain. This half of the brain controls movement of the sheep on the opposite, left side of their body. Hence we investigated whether limb movement was more pronounced on this side, providing evidence of stress responses. We found that sheep limb movements were increased in their left hindlimb and right forelimb during balance correction when the floor movements were most unpredictable. This may be explained by sheep using their back right leg as a pivot. We further tested which side sheep lie down on from internet pictures and found a preference for left side lying. We conclude that sheep balance correction shows evidence of a preferred use of limbs, which suggests that sheep are stressed by floor motion. Unpredictable floor motions during transport disturbs animals' balance, requiring stepping to move the centre of gravity in the direction of body movement. When repeated regularly, this may be stressful, requiring involvement of the right brain hemisphere, hence we investigated the existence of behavioral laterality in sheep during prolonged floor motions. Six sheep were restrained in pairs on a programmable rocking platform, in which they were unable to turn around. They were exposed to three continuous rocking motion treatments (roll, pitch or both) in a regular or irregular pattern for 1 h periods in a changeover design. Right forelimb and left hindlimb diagonal stepping was more frequent in response to the motion treatment of irregular roll and pitch, which previous research has suggested to be the most stressful from heart rate measurements. An overall strategy to maintain balance appeared to be the use of the right hindlimb as a stabilizer, which was repositioned least often of all limbs until towards the end of the hour of experimental treatment. Of each tested pair, sheep restrained on the left side of the rocking floor stepped significantly often than its partner restrained on the right side, and we postulate the existence of visuomotor lateralization as left restrained sheep were unable to view their partner within the field of view of their left eye. We also investigated which side sheep lie down on, which if left lateralized could explain our observed bipedal diagonal control of sheep balance under stress. From the observation of 412 web-based images of sheep, there was an overall left-sided laterality to their lying, as has been observed in cattle. We conclude that stepping activity in sheep in response to a motion stressor is lateralized, providing evidence that floor motion experienced in transport may induce stress responses