Abstracts – Page 39

Tail biting in pigs – causes and management intervention strategies to reduce the behavioural disorder – a review

June 23, 2013June 25, 2013adminLeave a Comment

One of the largest animal welfare problems in modern pig production is tail biting. This abnormal behaviour compromises the well-being of the animals, can seriously impair animal health and can cause considerable economic losses. Tail biting has a multifactorial origin and occurs mainly in fattening pigs. High stocking densities, poor environment and bad air quality […]

Inter-observer agreement, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of animal-based indicators of young lamb welfare

June 18, 2013June 25, 2013adminLeave a Comment

A scientific literature review and consensus of expert opinion used the welfare definitions provided by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) Five Freedoms as the framework for selecting a set of animal-based indicators that were sensitive to the current on-farm welfare issues of young lambs (aged ⩽6 weeks). Ten animal-based indicators assessed by observation – […]

Physiological and behavioural responses of poultry exposed to gas-filled high expansion foam

June 10, 2013June 25, 2013adminLeave a Comment

Disease control measures require poultry to be killed on farms to minimise the risk of disease being transmitted to other poultry and, in some cases, to protect public health. We assessed the welfare implications for poultry of the use of high-expansion gas-filled foam as a potentially humane, emergency killing method. In laboratory trials, broiler chickens, […]

Physiological responses to low atmospheric pressure stunning and the implications for welfare

June 3, 2013May 28, 2013adminLeave a Comment

In low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS), poultry are rendered unconscious before slaughter by gradually reducing oxygen tension in the atmosphere to achieve a progressive anoxia. The effects of LAPS are not instantaneous, so there are legitimate welfare concerns around the experience of birds before loss of consciousness. Using self-contained telemetry logging units, high-quality continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) and […]

Evaluation of pregnancy and foaling rates after reduction of twin pregnancy via transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration in mares

April 26, 2013May 2, 2013adminLeave a Comment

Objective -To assess pregnancy and live foaling rates after reduction of twin pregnancy via transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration (TUA) in mares and evaluate effects of gestational period, localization of conceptuses, fluid aspiration volume, and combination of TUA with embryonic or fetal puncture on these outcomes. Design – Clinical trial. Animals – 44 mares pregnant with twins […]