Animal Welfare Flashcards
(121 cards)
1
Q
In what year and who pushed for the first anti-cruelty bill in the UK parliament, which granted cattle, horses, and sheep a degree of protection never provided before?
A
1822 Richard Martin
2
Q
What year was the RSPCA formed?
A
1824
3
Q
What are the five freedoms or duty of care?
A
- Freedom from hunger and thirst
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury, and disease
- Freedom to express normal behaviour
- Freedom from fear and distress
4
Q
What is animal welfare?
A
The welfare of an animal is its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment
5
Q
What is the first principle of housing?
A
Better to adapt the housing to the animal, rather than forcing the animal to adapt to the housing.
6
Q
What are the basics of animal needs in housing?
A
Clean, dry, comfortable, and possibly thermally insulated place to rest (within thermoneutral range), access suitable feed and water without undue social competition or bullying
7
Q
What gases are we preventing build up from adequate ventilation?
A
ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
8
Q
What are stereotypic behaviours?
A
Repetitive and constant in form and orientation, abnormal body movements which are not displayed by the species in the “natural environment,” serves no obvious goal or function
9
Q
What is ethology?
A
Scientific and objective study of animal behaviour, usually with a focus on behaviour under natural conditions.
For example, the cow laying down properly (front legs first, vs. unnaturally with back legs first)
10
Q
What is animal cognitive psychology?
A
Animal cognition is the study of the mental capacities of animals. It has developed out of comparative psychology
For example, how badly does the sheep want the air conditioned chamber.
11
Q
How do you assess behaviour (3 ways)?
A
Behavioural response (sow aggression in different housing systems or hunching after mulesing), behavioural preference (the animal choosing between two options), behavioural demand (strength of need or motivation)
12
Q
What is cognitive bias?
A
Cognition- the ability to process a situation
Cognitive bias- the individual’s perception of a situation based on their emotional state
Cognitive bias is the alteration of an animal’s (or human’s) cognitive processing of a situation depending on underlying factors (particularly state of mind)
When an animal is in a positive mental state, it chooses a scenario that delivers a positive outcome. When it is in a negative mental state it chooses a scenario that prevents a negative outcome.
13
Q
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed cattle?
A
Tongue rolling
14
Q
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed horses?
A
Wind sucking, crib biting
15
Q
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed pigs?
A
Tail biting, belly nosing
16
Q
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed poultry?
A
Feather pecking, cannibalism
17
Q
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in housed mink?
A
Wool biting
18
Q
What helps stop wool biting in sheep?
A
Increase fibre content of food. Feed frequency did not change anything.
19
Q
What oral stereotypy or redirected behaviour occurs commonly in lab mice?
A
Barbering and whisker plucking in lab mice
20
Q
Why measure physiology (3)?
A
Measurement of biological function, may directly reflect the environmental challenges of the animals, and can indicate further adverse welfare e.g. impaired health
21
Q
What is the expanded model from adverse stimulus?
A
Adverse stimulus (physical, chemical, social, emotional, pain, disease)–> disruption of homeostasis or well-being–>animal response–> physiological (neural, endocrine), behavioural, emotional (anxiety, fear, suffering)–> adequate coping restoration of well being OR inadequate failure to cope –> pathology (growth, repro, lifespan, productivity, immunosuppression, disease)
22
Q
What are the two systems involved with the neuro-endocrine responses to stressors?
A
- Sympathetic adrenomedullary- as much a neural as an endocrine response/ fight or flight (SA)
- Hypothalamo-pituitary- adrenocortical (HPA)- mainly endocrine, results in conservation/ withdrawal type response
23
Q
What is the Sympathetic NS- Adrenal Medullary axis response?
A
Stressor–> brain–> adrenal medulla–> catecholamines (adrenalin/ noradrenalin)–> heart (brain to heart straight effects as well)
24
Q
What are the effects of adrenaline and other catecholamine hormones?
A
Increased HR and CO, increased blood flow to muscles, decreased blood flow to GI system, dilation of pupils
25
WHat is the HPA response?
Stressor--> brain--> hypothalamus--> CRH release--> pituitary--> ACTH release--> adrenal cortex--> cortisol release
26
What are the effects of cortisol and other stress-induced glucocorticoid hormones?
Mobilization of body energy reserves and anti-inflammatory effects
27
How is the SA response in terms of measuring stress?
Catecholamines have a short half life and are difficult to measure, overall response may be short lived
28
How is the HPA response in terms of measuring stress?
Cortisol and corticosterone- longer half- life but care needed in interpretation
29
Post January 2001, how much space do layer hens get in a cage? How many hens per cage?
550 cm^2, 3 or more fowl per cage (<2.4 kg)
30
When is sexual maturity in a layer hen?
17-18 weeks
31
What is the mortality in the rearing phase (up to 16 weeks)
2-3%
32
How many eggs do hens lay per year?
250-330
33
When are hens culled? What are they used for?
68-72 weeks (1.5 years). Meat for commercial processed chicken products such as pet foods, pies, and other processed foods
34
What is the mortality in the laying phase?
3-15% (5% good performance)
35
How many eggs produced in AUS per year?
203 million dozen eggs
36
What are the benefits of the conventional cage?
Easier food hygiene, biosecurity (wild birds, parasites, microorganisms), less feather pecking, less cannibalism, more controlled diet, ventilation more controlled, thermal env. more controlled, better weight,less env. degradation, lower mortality
37
What are the benefits to the alternatives of cage systems?
Freedom of movement, dust-bathing, foraging in litter (Europeans believe the alternative systems are better)
38
What are the draw backs of all systems?
Beak trimming, fate of male chicks, end of lay handling and transport
39
What are male day-old chicks used for?
Rendered meat meal and used for purposes such as fish food
40
What is moulting?
Birds undergo moult (forced or natural)- feather loss and replacement. Stop laying during moult but after moult rate of lay is greater.
41
What is an AEC committee?
Animal Ethic Committee for using animals for research
42
Who is part of an AEC?
Cat A- vet, Cat B- recent experience science or teaching, Cat C- established experience in furthering animal welfare, cat D- independent person (lay) (must have one of each present), additional- charge of daily care or expertise e.g. large animal
43
What do labs have to comply with?
Australian code of practice for care and use of animals for scientific purposes, code of practice for the housing and care of lab mice, rats, GPs, Australian code for resp. conduct of research
44
What are the 3 Rs?
Replace (seek alternatives), reduce (reduction in numbers), refine (technique to lessen impact on animals)
45
What does therapeutic mean?
Of or relating to the treatment of disease or disorders by remedial agents or methods
46
What does prophylactic mean?
Guarding from or preventing the spread or occurrence of disease or infection
47
What state allows tail docking for prophylactic purposes?
WA
48
How many tails need to be docked to prevent one tail injury?
500 tails docked
49
Studies show pain goes on for how long and how do they know?
15 minutes of pain and intense vocalisation from pups at the time
50
In the Primary Industries Standing Committee Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals- Cattle, when is castration without local or general anaesthesia allowed to be performed?
Calves under 6 months of age
51
In PISCM code of practice for welfare... cattle, when is castration with rubber rings acceptable?
Calves up to 2 weeks of age
52
How about PISCM tail docking of dairy cows? When is it okay?
Under 6 months, or prescribed by veterinarian, must receive analgeis or anesthesia, removed between- not through- tail bones- enough tail should remain to cover vulva
53
What are the most common ages for birds to be beak trimmed?
1 day old, 5-10 days old (most common) then re-trimming 8-12 weeks (hot blade common)
54
What is infrared beak trimming?
non-contact, high intensity, infrared energy source, after a few weeks the tip of the beak erodes
55
What color is appropriate of the brand when using heat?
Blue hot
56
What are acts?
Primary legislation that has been passed by both houses of parliament (before it is passed it is a bill)
57
What are regulations?
The practical details and rules made under Acts. Regulations are issued to apply the principles of the legislation to the real world; to provide necessary detail and update the application of the laws. Regulations just need to be signed off and published- not passed in parliament
58
What are the laws from each state?
ACT- Animal Welfare Act 1992; NSW- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979; NT- Animal Welfare Act 1999; Queensland- Animal Care and Protection Act 2001; SA- Animal Welfare Act 1985; Tasmania- Animal Welfare Act 1993; Vic- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986; WA- Animal Welfare Act 2002
59
What are model codes of practice?
Developed nationally but applied locally, regulatory status varies between jurisdictions and individual codes- some states adopt some code provisions in their regulations; some states refer to codes in their acts or regulations; or purely advisory but compliance with code may be used as evidence
60
Why is trapping more humane than traps for dingoes?
* shooting in the head is instantaneous and essentially humane
* 1080 poising causes severe behavioural disturbance and uncertainty on when the animal undergoes insensibility
* poisoning can include secondary intoxication of non-target animals
* foothold traps are better than leghold traps and padded/laminated trap jaws better
* more frequent trap checking 72-hour maximum permissible
* place traps with shade and water
* further developments could include humane poison release from biting at trap
61
Why is poisoning more humane for dingoes than traps?
* traps cause physical injury- pain, injury and distress
* Traps cause distress through inability to escape
* 72 hour trap checking limit extends duration of suffering including thirst and hunger
* traps may also cause thermal distress and exposure to the elements
* traps may affect non-target species
* although 1080 is controversial, it is quicker acting than trapping and the animals do become insensible before death
* More humane poisons such as PAPP under development
* PAPP also has an antidote available which would improve outcomes for non-target dogs that take a bait
62
Why is jumps racing of horses controversial in VIC?
* greater fatality/injury rate than flat racing
* risk of fatality is 18-20 x that of flat racing
* occurs only in VIC and SA- is banned everywhere else
* Animal welfare activists have put together a campaign against jumps racing
* ex-flat racing horses- not specifically bred and trained
* Risk increases for horses that have a longer flat race history
63
What is anthropomorphism?
Attribution of human characteristics such as emotions and needs to animals.
64
Why is antrhopomorphism bad?
If we provide an environment, management system, or interact with animals on the basis of what we would want, this may not match with the animals biological or emotional needs (which may be quite different).
65
What is an inelastic demand? Example and what does it look like on a graph?
Food inelastic demand- straight line on no. responses req'd for reward/ no. of rewards obtained
66
What is elastic demand? What is an example?
The animal doesn't want the reward that bad. Social companion.
67
How can cognitive bias be assessed?
Presenting animals with an ambiguous stimulus and determining whether they interpret this as a positive or potentially negative event
68
How is cognitive bias used in animal welfare studies?
To assess an animal's underlying mental state or state of mind. To provide an indication of underlying quality of life.
69
What are four reasons that the HPA axis are more commonly measured in animal welfare assessment than hormones of the sympathetic nervous system-adrenal axis?
* HPA hormones such as cortisol have a more sustained response to an ongoing challenge than SNS hormones such as adrenaline
* HPA hormones have a longer half-life in the blood
* HPA hormones require less complicated sampling procedures (such as chilled tubes etc required for adrenalin)
* HPA hormones are easier to assay
* SNS responses may be assessed through other means such as HR
70
What animals and why do the RSPCA not oppose live export of?
Export of livestock for breeding purposes because they are more valuable and tend to receive better treatment during the export process- more space on boats, travelling by air for example
71
What are the advantages of the five freedoms?
Simple and straight forward, can serve as rapid screening test, widely-recognized
72
What are the disadvantages of the five freedoms?
Too simplistic, uncertainty over normal levels of these components, uncertainty over the consequences for the animal if they are not normal, impossible to fully meet
73
Why has mulesing become a controversial issue over the years?
Painful surgical husbandry procedure, aesthetically unpleasant (blood, raw flesh), has become the focus of animal right group campains (PETA), only really occurs in Australia therefore practice appears unusual and more exposed
74
What are some developments with mulesing aimed to improve welfare?
Breeding sheep that do not require the procedure, use of topical anaesthetic immediately after mulesing cut, use of clips rather than surgery to remove skin wrinkle, non-surgical alternatives under development to achieve the same effects (e.g. SkinTraction injection)
75
What is the "animal feelings" concept of assessing animal welfare?
The animal feelings concept states that how an animal feels (mental state e.g.) is the key determinant of its welfare.
76
What are the advantages of the animal feeling concept of assessing animal welfare?
Captures the importance of animal senience and avoidance of mental suffering, how an animal feels may have stronger resonance with general community than biological function
77
What are the disadvantages of the animal feeling concept of assessing animal welfare?
Difficult to measure, may not reflect other important attributes such as animal health
78
How might the HPA be used in the assessment of animal welfare?
In response to the CNS perception of a stressor--> hypothalamus in the brain releases CRH--> travels to the pituitary base of the brain and induces release of ACTH into the general circulation--> adrenal glands, ACTH induces the secretion of cortisol (and similar hormones)--> mobilization of body energy reserves and anti-inflammatory effects--> help the body cope with stressor challenge-->negative feedback loop whereby cortisol acts back on the hypothalamus and the pituitary--> longterm increases in cortisol can have adverse consequences for the animal (e.g. on immune function)--> increases in hormones such as cortisol have been used in controlled animal welfare research to measure the impact of a procedure and ameliorating strategies (e.g. calf castration)-->changes in the regulation of the HPA axis may also occur in longer-term situations--> caveats in the use of cortisol measurement include that it is always present at some level and has a circadian rhythm
79
What are some advantages of using mortality as a measure of welfare in the live export industry?
Definitive indicator of poor welfare, easy to measure and capture data, even on-board ship, related to profitability, so there is alignment of economic and welfare drivers to improve performance, enables performance tracking over time
80
What are some disadvantages of using mortality as a measure of welfare in the live export industry?
Does not capture the extent of the animal suffering, welfare problem has already arisen before information is capture and remedial measures commenced
81
What ensures OIE standards/ traceability/ animals going to approved abattoirs with live animal export?
Export Supply Chain Assurance Scheme
82
What are the advantages of a cage system?
Control of diet, ventilation, separation of birds from their waste, reduced risk of parasites and microbes from litter, biosecurity (wild birds), reduces other disease (bumblefoot), reduced risk of feather pecking and cannibalism, more even bird size/ weight, reduced moratlity
83
What are the disadvantages of a cage system?
Severe restriction of movement, lack of opportunity for behavioural needs: dustbathing, perching, nesting, foraging
84
What can be modified about a cage system to address some of the potential welfare disadvantages?
Modified/ furnished cage: provision of nest box, perch, dust bath/ forage substrate, more space
85
Why does feather pecking/ cannibalism occur in egg production?
Social group is much larger in farming, genetics of birds are different, density of birds is much greater in farming, environmental complexity is less in farm environments meaning that it is harder for pecked birds to avoid or seek shelter
86
Why is tail docking no longer common of puppies?
The purposes for which some dogs may have been docked originally are largely irrelevant in modern Australia, 500 dogs would need to be tail docked to prevent one injury, tail docking is painful (and thus the risks are not outweighted by the low benefits), we do not remove other parts of the dogs body simply because they could injured in the future
87
What is the Willis dropped ovary technique spaying?
which involves cutting the ovaries away from their attachments in the abdomen and allowing them to drop within the cow’s body cavity where they remain. The technique involves entry through the vagina and requires a high level of skill. Flank spaying or webbing (removal of the fallopian tubes) is also sometimes used.
88
What are animals exported for meat?
Cattle, sheep, goats
89
Where do cattle go on live export?
Indonesia, Turkey, China, Egypt, Israel, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, Russia, Brunei (Middle East and SE Asia)
90
Where do sheep go on live export?
Middle east (Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Israel, UAE, Saudi Arabia)
91
What are some arguments in favor of live animal export?
Important economically for livestock industries (especially sheep and northern cattle- WA and NT), cultural and infrastructure issues, morality rates have been reduced to 1% in sheep and 0.5% in cattle, new regulatory controls (e.g. Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock, traceability, 3rd party audits) to meet OIE welfare standards, involvement of AQIS accredited vets pre-export and on voyages, record keeping on board (temp, morality, health issues, voyage report), works with teams of advisors
92
What are the arguments against live export of livestock?
Unnecessary- chilled meat trade, Indonesian trade is relatively recent last 20 years, opposed by independent organisations such as World Veterinary Association- animals should be slaughtered as close as possible to the point of production, live export exposes AUS animals to the risks of long distance transport process and cruel overseas practices- where AUS govt. has no control- countires have no legislative protection for animal welfare, no possible argument that live export is in animal's best interests (unlike mulesing), advocates have a conflict of interest, hidden problems
93
What is evidence collected on the cruelty of live animal export?
Mark 1 boxes installed in indonesia captured footage, RSPCA evaluation of video of animals slaughtered (without stunning) in Indonesia- painful handling, pain and distress >400 kg animal falling onto a sloping concrete slab, consciousness after throat cut, knives were too short and too blunt
94
How much a calf vocalizes in determining the stress of branding would be an example of what?
Behavioural response measure
95
What is allostatic load?
The cost of maintaining homeostasis in response to stressful challenges
96
Resource with elastic demand is:
Assessed in reduced amounts as the work or cost increases
97
What are some advantages of measuring glucocorticoids and their metabolites in faeces in welfare studies?
Easier to collect than other sampling media and less likely to cause a spike in glucocorticoid concentrations due to handling and blood sampling
98
What are two practical alternatives to mulesing?
Selecting sheep to have fewer skin wrinkles and increase the frequency of crutching
99
Most AUS sheep live exported are sent where?
Kuwait
100
On a ship from Darwin to Indonesia with 10,000 animals, how many animals on avg. are expected to die each day?
4
101
What is one of the main reasons sheep die during the live export process?
Salmonella/ inanition syndromes
102
What's an ethological approach to animal welfare assessment?
Examining the types of behaviours displayed in relation to the animal's environment
103
In the commercial, licenced shooting of kangaroos, the relevant Code of Welfare states that animals are to be shot in the head. Data from inspection of carcasses indicates that what percent are actually shot in the head?
95%
104
What are the four underlying issues for a client that may result in benign neglect of their cat or dog?
Financial, educational (or ignorance), emotional, cultural
105
How are eggs produced in an intensive system?
Pullets reared from day old to 16 weeks, start to lay at 17-18 weeks, mortality in the rearing phase is 2-3%, then 5% in the laying phase, hen day production rages from 250-330 eggs in 12 months, then hens culled
106
How are eggs produced in a caged system?
Indoors with banks of cages, mechanised feed, egg removal, waste removal, birds separated from waste and many sources of infectious micro-organisms and parasites, 4-5 birds per cage, 550 cm^2 per bird avg. minimum permitted space
107
How are eggs produced in a barn system?
Indoors, but with hens able to move within the building on a litter floor, provision of next boxes, hens able to scratch, peck and dustbathe in the litter
108
How are eggs produced in the free range system?
Indoor area similar to the barn but outdoor range during the day, 1500 hens per Ha, moves to increase to 10,000 or 20,000 per Ha, maximum freedom of movement and interaction with natural environment, increased risks of parasites, infectious microorganisms (e.g. from wild birds)
109
What are some less obvious welfare implications of egg production systems?
health v. freedom of movement and natural behaviours, male chicks are IDed at 1 day old and killed using instant maceration or CO2, feather pecking and/or cannibalism, break trimming,
110
What steps can be taken to improve welfare in egg production?
Quality of management is critical esp. in non-cage systems with less automatic control, breed for lower aggression, adequate shelter for outdoors, put down new soil every so often outdoors, reductions in effective group size to reduce aggression
111
How are standards of animal welfare in egg production enforced or assured?
Animal welfare laws in AUS are made at the state level apart from live export, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act enable prosecution of acts of cruelty or failure to provide duty of care, general welfare standards for farming hens described by codes of practice, codes of practice have varying legal status and sometimes are only advisory, RSPCA- egg assurance schemes- not laws but aim to guaruntee consumers that eggs are produced to certain welfare criteria (e.g. not in cages)
112
What are some challenges in ensuring improved welfare in egg production?
Although consumer demand is driving change in egg productions there is a big proportion of eggs used in process foods that do not end up on the supermarket shelves, sheer volume of demand makes it difficult to switch quickly/ easily to alternative production systems, "free range" consumer demand probably does not refer to 10,000 to 20,000 birds per Ha, need to have good biosecurity and bird health is difficult with free range, difficult to see a solution to male chick wastage, still don't fully understand feather pecking and cannibalism
113
Why measure behaviour?
Behaviour of an animal is intrinsically linked to its brain processes and neuroendocrine state and may be the closest we can come to evaluating an animal's feelings. Behaviour is relevant to the five freedoms- welfare concepts.
114
What is meant by the extent of homeostatic disturbance?
The greater the gap between actual and optimum environmental conditions, the greater the response.
115
How does learning reduce stress?
Predictability and ability to control outcomes. Learning increases predictability and reduces the magnitude of stress responses. Control.
116
what are some challenges with measuring health?
May need large numbers of animals to detect differences in disease incidence rates.
Once animals are sick, their welfare may already be severely compromised.
117
How might an animal become disease or injured?
Impaired functioning of its immune system, build up in its environment of noxious agents or organisms, physical trauma from other animals or surroundings, inappropriate feeding and management, genetic factors, environmental constraints placed upon animals may lead to pathology.
118
What is epidemiology?
the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations.
119
Where do layer hens regulations come from?
Domestic Poultry Primary Industries Standing Committee. Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals
120
Why have some animals become domesticated and not others?
flexible diet, reasonably fast growth rate, ability to be bred in managed environments, tractable disposition, temperament which makes it unlikely to panic, respect a social hierarchy
121
What is Buller Steer Syndrome?
Unnatural social group. A steer is a castrated male cattle. A behavioural problem among feedlot steers that is repeated mounting of a steer (referred to as a buller) by a group of steers. the buller steer becomes exhausted, hair loss, swelling and trauma on the rump and tail head- can suffer broken bones and sometimes dies from injuries.
