A study conducted by the University of Melbourne’s Mackinnon Project that compared the controversial practice of mulesing with the use of breech clips, and applications of a long-acting insecticide to combat breech flystrike in sheep, has found that mulesing remains the most effective method. The three-year study, which did not […]
Organic farming: where are the vets?
An unexpected aspect of the growth in popularity of organic farming has revealed a lack of vets trained to treat organically farmed animals. This shortage was highlighted recently in the US, and has also been recognised in the UK. With growing public concern about intensively farmed animals, and a rise […]
First the floods, now animal welfare issues
The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPA) and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) have advised flood-hit communities to be prepared for animal welfare issues. DPI Bourke’s veterinary officer Charlotte Cavanagh, said a number of ailments become more prevalent in wet conditions. “When the floods are on, a lot of animals […]
The effect of body weight on some welfare indicators in feedlot cattle in a hot environment
Heat stress has important effects on the welfare of livestock. The effects of heat stress in cattle include changes in biological functions and behaviors. The aim of this study from the Department of Animal Science, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey, was to investigate the behavioral differences between light and heavy feedlot […]
Considering the exposure of cruelty
The exposure on Four Corners of the treatment of Australian cattle exported to Indonesia had a number of interesting features. For one thing, few people would have seen so graphically such relentless and extreme animal cruelty. As everyone now knows, cattle in the abattoirs variously suffered eye gouging, repeated throat […]