The aim of this study was to trace the effects of growth environment on the behaviour of fattening pigs in the farm and outside it. Behavioural manifestations of pigs reared in pens with enriched ...environment (A lot, n: 22) were different from those of pigs reared in pens with arid environment (B lot, n: 17) in shelter and when the movement to be loaded. Pigs of B lot spent more time on the move (31%) compared to group A pigs (13%), and manifested more aggressive behaviour when they were loaded. Salivary cortisol levels also showed high values for pigs in B lot after being removed from their growth environment, as compared to its concentration for A lot pigs. The enriched environment for pigs may determine different responses of behaviour. Pigs raised in arid environment, were easier to load than pigs reared in enriched environment, but they responded to mixing and loading stress, through increases in cortisol concentrations and impaired behavioural manifestations.
The study has monitored the effects of transport stress on some biochemical indicators of stress and behavior lambs at time of slaughter. The research was carried out in the cold season, on a number ...of 120 lambs, transported for 6h-16h, to be slaughtered. During our research, we followed the changes in bodyweight, behaviours expressed by sheep, and plasma cortisol levels. Bodyweight loss recorded in the slaughterhouse to 24 hours of departure transportation was of 4-5%. The behavioural manifestations of lambs were different from the destination, depending on journey duration. Lambs behaviour was different depending on the journey, the resting and watering were mostly present manifestations. Increased in cortisol levels measured at 3 h after leaving the vehicle was maintained at 9 h after the journey. Increased duration of rest before slaughter can reduce the stress of transport in case of lambs ensures obtaining good quality meat.
The aim of our study was to assess the welfare of pregnant sows housed in collective pens, based on indicators such as behavior, skin lesions and lameness in two commercial farms where the floor area ...(A- continuous, B- slatted) and environmental enrichment have been different. Observations were made on 120 pregnant sows (LandracexLarge White), during pregnancy period. Behavior was assessed by direct observation, and each event was expressed in terms of total active behavioural manifestation. Skin lesions were rated on a three degree scale from 0 to 2 (absence of lesions, surface lesions, severe lesions). Investigation behavior was clearly shown in B pens (67%) compared with A (52%) in the first and last weeks of gestation; a high incidence of positive social interactions was recorded in A pens (21%). Number of sows with lameness was higher in A pens (3,9%) compared with B pens (1,7%), and the skin lesions of 4,5% in B pens. All indicators monitored have recorded changes in both pen types. The welfare of pregnant sows should be evaluated using different criteria depending on breeding technology.
Animal transport represents even nowadays one of the stressors that induce poor animal welfare. The research aimed to identify potential risk factors affecting the health and welfare of horses ...transported to the slaughterhouse and methods in which they could be corrected. The study tracked a total of 3196 adult horses from collecting farms (lot F, n: 2490), and from households (lot H, n: 706) transported to the slaughterhouse on a journey that did not exceed 8 hours, in accordance with the Regulation EC 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The incidence of injuries in loading/unloading of horses, varied in group F (12.2%) compared to H (3.4%). Associated with this incidence, the behavioural response was passive for 10% horses in group F, in comparison to 70% horses in group H, as against the restlesness noticed for 42% horses in group F, and 21% in H. In determining the risk factors associated with the poor welfare of horses during short-term transport, the lack of experience of both horses and personnel involved in transport-related operations, mainly moving, loading and unloading, were taken into account, as playing a main part in animal health and welfare.
According to the European and national legislation which set the minimum standards for pig protection, the castration of piglets after the age of seven days must be performed only under prolonged ...anaesthesia and analgesia. As far as welfare is concerned, pig castration in these conditions is mandatory in order to reduce to the minimum the pain generated by the surgical method itself. Immunocastration is an alternative methods to surgical castration based on the use of antibodies against the gonadotropin releasing hormone (Gn-RH), which once neutralized suppresses testicles development and function and inhibits the smell of boar. The aims of this study were to see the immunocastration effects on productive performance in pigs PIC hybrids. Animals included in the study were PIC fattening pigs, grouped in two groups: A lot (n: 485) - surgically castrated pigs, and B lot (n: 604) - immunocastrated pigs. The fattening technology was identical for all pigs included in this study. Pigs’ immunization was performed using Improvac®. The results obtained showed that A lot recorded a daily average weight gain of 785 g, while loss due to mortality was 2.82 %. In the case of lot B, the recorded daily average weight gain was 834 g (49g higher than the one in lot A), while loss due to mortality were 2.59 % (0.23 % lower than in lot A). Pig immunocastration is an acceptable method as far as welfare standards are concerned, reducing the stress generated by surgical castration. Productive performance in immunocastrated pigs are improved compared to the one of surgically castrated pigs.
Surgical castration of male pigs has become increasingly less accepted at present due to the fact that it is a direct animal welfare concern. UE welfare conditions demand that this method be dropped ...starting 2018 in order to eliminate the stress and associated pain it induces. Immunocastration is one of the alternatives to surgical castration that ensures male pig welfare and eliminates the boar smell of the meat. The objective of this research has been to identify the immunocastration effects on meat quality, compared with the meat from surgically castrated pigs. The animals assessed during research were fattening PIC pigs, grouped into two lots: surgically castrated pigs (SC) and immunocastrated pigs (IC). Pig immunization was achieved by means of ImprovacTM. The results have shown that immunocastrated pigs recorded a 60.2% carcass meat compared to the 59.69% carcass meat achieved in surgically castrated pigs, thus displaying statistically insignificant differences (p>0.05). Fat layer thickness was significantly lower in immunocastrated pigs compared to the marker lot (p≤0.05). Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae lung lesions recorded were lower in immunocastrated pigs compared to the surgically castrated animals (p>0.05). Despite the fact that differences have been statistically insignificant, we are able to confirm that immunocastrated pigs display a lower incidence of respiratory disease compared to surgically castrated pigs. In this study there were not significant differences in meat quality between surgically castrated pigs and immunocastrated pigs.
The purpose of this research was to establish the manner in which the flooring type may influence the welfare levels in dairy cows by assessment of laminitis incidence and animals’ behaviour. 42 ...dairy cows were grouped based on the shelter floor surface: concrete with straw bedding, asphalted concrete with straw bedding and concrete plus shavings. The behaviour was assessed through direct observation and laminitis incidence was established by numerical assessment of locomotion prior or following milking. The results have indicated an increase of laminitis incidence by 15-25 % in B and C lot and was absent in A lot. The large number of diseases was recorded on concrete floors with shavings bedding (53%). The behavioural displays of the cows suffering from laminitis were different from the healthy ones, as their resting behaviour outside the stalls was more prevalent (17.6% compared to 8.8%) while the feeding behaviour was less present (10.1% compared to 14.7%). Likewise, the socializing behaviour was more active in these animals, compared to the healthy cows.
The Welfare Quality® European Protocol represents today the assessment reference standard for farm animal welfare and makes use of measurements for both animals and resources. The scope and purpose ...of this study is to assess the welfare of fattening pigs raised intensively by monitoring the sanitary and behavioral status of animals while applying this protocol. The assessment was conducted in a farm raising fattening pigs (n: 580), over the course of two years, monitoring the welfare criteria and principles described by this protocol. Data obtained showed differences amongst the three lots of animals monitored from the perspective of behavioral displays and health condition - incidence of lesions and laminitis was higher with the first lot while the behavioral displays evolved differently over the course of the study. Data analysis, causes identification and suggestions made based on the former two led to an improvement of welfare levels comparable amongst the three lots of pigs that underwent the study. Welfare Quality® system, represents a safe instrument which, once applied in welfare assessment of pigs raised in intensive systems, contributes to the improvement of the animals’ life quality.
