Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)最新文献

{"title":"Gentle human interactions trigger positive emotions in chicks.","authors":"Javiera Calderón-Amor, Bassam Alhawas, Tamara Tadich, Joanne Edgar, Benjamin Lecorps","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Interaction with humans in early life is known to influence animal behaviour, stress responses, and welfare, but whether animals perceive gentle handling as emotionally positive remains unclear. Here, we used a conditioned place preference paradigm widely used in affective neuroscience but rarely implemented in poultry, to assess whether chicks experience positive emotions when gently handled. Twenty Hy-Line W-80 chicks were tested in a two-chamber apparatus distinguished by colour cues. Following baseline preference assessment, chicks were exposed to conditioning sessions in which chambers were paired with either gentle handling treatment (soft stroking and calm talking) or a neutral human presence (static and silent). Chicks received six 5-min sessions of each treatment across 12 days, on alternating days (one session per day), and colour-treatment pairings were counterbalanced across individuals. Post-conditioning preference was assessed over three consecutive days. Chicks consistently spent more time in the chamber previously associated with gentle handling across test days. Importantly, chicks did not show an aversion to the neutral chamber. These results indicate that gentle human contact acquired positive associative value rather than merely reducing aversion. These findings provide experimental evidence that human-animal interactions can function as rewarding stimuli in poultry, which has implications for husbandry practices and welfare assessment frameworks.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e24"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13101023/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147794765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk factors for signs of tail biting in intact-tailed weaner pigs: A cross-sectional study.","authors":"Camilla Munsterhjelm, Miina Tuominen-Brinkas, Hilkka Koskikallio, Mari Heinonen, Kristina Ahlqvist, Anna Valros","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tail biting in growing pigs is both a sign and cause of impaired welfare. On one-day visits to ten Finnish farms, we assessed weaned pigs between approximately 4 to 10 weeks of age. On each farm, tail health was assessed at the pen level in 2-15 rooms (n = 81) selected randomly within age strata (n = 3), and on individual level in one high-prevalence pen per age category (n = 37 pens). Risk factors for tail biting were assessed in 2-3 age-representative rooms per farm according to 57 resource- and animal-based questions on environment, hygiene, health, feeding and enrichment. Tail health data were reduced into three pen- and three individual-level principal components. Component scores were used as outcome variables when establishing effects of risk factors on tail health using regression tree analysis and mixed modelling. Tail health deteriorated over the weaner period, especially from the first to the second third. Besides age, risk factors for impaired tail health consisted predominantly of shortcomings related to basic needs, such as adequate resting areas and enrichment. In the individual-level data, different risk factors could be associated with different types of tail lesions in problem pens, suggesting distinct aetiologies. In conclusion, improvements to the early environment in the farms studied here may have a significant positive impact on the well-being of pigs, not only post-weaning, but potentially permanently if experiencing less tail biting in early life leads to prevention later.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e22"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13101024/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147794796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Facilitating perspective-taking with animals in human decision-making.","authors":"Erin B Ryan, Matthew I Billet, Daniel M Weary","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Efforts to include animal perspectives in decision-making are gaining attention, yet how to meaningfully represent these perspectives remains underexplored. This study investigated how university students engaged in taking the perspective of dairy cows and calves when introduced to the practice of cow-calf separation - either through a verbal description or a visually immersive video capturing the animals' point of view. Focus groups were conducted to examine the range and depth of participants' responses, and transcripts were thematically analysed. Results revealed that participants across both treatments acknowledged the animals' experiences, particularly the emotional significance of the maternal bond. However, those exposed to the video condition engaged in more emotionally detailed and complex discussions, often referencing specific animal behaviours and vocalisations. The video appeared to enhance perspective-taking by increasing contextual richness, encouraging participants to interpret the animals' experiences more vividly. While many participants expressed empathy or sympathy, others reported distress or hesitancy, citing challenges, such as anthropomorphism or uncertainty about accurately accessing animal perspectives. These findings underscore the potential for visual interventions to deepen understanding of non-human perspectives, while also highlighting psychological and cultural barriers to animal-inclusive decision-making. Our results suggest that perspective-taking can be a valuable tool in promoting ethical engagement with animal welfare. However, further research is needed to explore how such engagement influences actual decision-making, and how to balance emotional connection with critical reflection.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13100920/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147794753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavioural and electroencephalographic assessment of captive-bolt stunning in kangaroo pouch young.","authors":"Trudy M Sharp, Steven R McLeod, Troy J Gibson","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During commercial harvesting (shooting) of kangaroos, pouch young of shot females must be euthanased to prevent suffering. The current euthanasia method, manually applied concussive (or blunt force) trauma to the head, can be effective but is not always applied consistently and is often perceived by observers to be inhumane. The captive-bolt device (CBD), which fires a steel bolt that either penetrates or impacts the skull, could provide a more suitable alternative. We reviewed a range of potentially suitable CBDs and assessed the effectiveness of four types on live animals. Effectiveness of CBDs was determined by assessing behaviour, electroencephalogram (EEG) and evaluating brain and skull trauma post mortem. Pouch young were also euthanased using manual blunt force trauma for comparison. Shooting with a <i>penetrating</i> CBD produced brain activity that was inconsistent with consciousness in 100% (n = 20) of animals. Behavioural indicators of consciousness and normal-like EEG were not detected after shooting with the CBD and damage to the brain was extensive. Seven out of 29 (24%) joeys shot with a <i>non-penetrating</i> CBD were either still breathing (n = 1) or recovered breathing (n = 6) after shooting. All seven animals had no or only mild damage to the medulla. We conclude that a cartridge-powered, penetrating CBD and manual blunt force trauma can both achieve immediate unconsciousness in pouch young, but a second step to exsanguinate the animal must still be performed. Penetrating CBDs are preferred to manual blunt force trauma since they are more repeatable, less reliant upon operator skill and confidence and more likely to reduce animal (and observer) distress.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13126202/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147825906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum: Potential new biomarkers in pig saliva for differentiating between the effects of different conditions of mixing and density at pre-slaughter: a preliminary proteomics study - ERRATUM.","authors":"María Botía, Alberto Muñoz-Prieto, Alba Ortín Bustillo, Dina Rešetar-Maslov, Ivana Rubić, Pablo Fuentes, Francisco J Jiménez-Caparrós, Juan L Hernández-Gómez, Antonio Avellaneda, Jose Joaquin Ceron, Fernando Tecles, Vladimir Mrljak, Damián Escribano","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1017/awf.2025.10055.].</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13100918/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147794752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the gap between human behaviour and animal welfare: A study on human behaviour change and body condition scoring of suckler cows.","authors":"Lesley Jessiman, Cynthia Joanne Naydani, Kenneth Md Rutherford, Simon P Turner","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10072","DOIUrl":"10.1017/awf.2026.10072","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There are several examples of best animal husbandry practices that are not adopted, leading to animal welfare compromises. Bridging this gap between advice and human behaviour is crucial in helping drive improvements in animal welfare. Inappropriate feeding of pregnant cows is common and associated with compromised health and welfare. Obesity and leanness can cause calving difficulty and reduce the vigour of newborn calves. One way to offset the problems associated with body condition extremes is to adopt body condition scoring (BCS) by hand. Knowing each animal's condition helps the farmer identify 'at risk' cows leading to better feeding decisions and improved health and welfare. Despite the significant benefits of BCS, very few farmers routinely adopt this practice, relying more upon a visual assessment of condition. Some farmers also report that they do not BCS by hand, or by eye. The current study identified the key barriers and drivers of BCS by hand to develop an evidence-based intervention designed to encourage more adoption. We propose that human behaviour change frameworks, such as the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW), present the opportunity to address other animal welfare issues where best management practices are rarely adopted. We also recommend that an interdisciplinary team of animal welfare and social scientists are best positioned to develop human behaviour change interventions that will more likely lead to tangible, persistent and positive change.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12963783/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147380168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding sheep lameness management in relation to culling and the UK five-point plan.","authors":"Beth Clark, Niamh Mahon","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lameness remains an ongoing challenge to the health and welfare of UK sheep flocks. Whilst effective recommended practice exists in the UK in the form of the five-point plan (5PP), it is not always used or used effectively, particularly in relation to culling. A more in-depth understanding of farmer lameness management behaviours and decision-making is crucial for driving positive change. Behaviour change frameworks offer useful tools to do this, specifically the Behaviour Change Wheel and its central tenets of capability, opportunity and motivation (COM-B). This research sought to explore on-farm management practices surrounding lameness, particularly focused on the 5PP and culling in relation to COM-B. Findings are drawn from five online focus groups with UK farmers (n = 19) and one with veterinarians (n = 4). Thematic analysis led to the identification of themes in relation to the role of capability, opportunity and motivation to enact the steps of the 5PP, particularly culling. Culling, alongside prompt treatment, were the only tools used by all participants. Yet, culling practices did not always follow recommended advice. Factors that influenced behaviours included those self-controlled by farmers, e.g. records kept; outside of their control, e.g. space available, and those controlled by other actors, such as market prices. Considerations of the individual farm and the wider UK sheep sector context were important. Findings suggest a need for interventions aimed at encouraging good record-keeping, collective industry action against lameness and opportunities for vet-farmer interactions. These should be pursued together to achieve the goal of reducing lameness and subsequently improving sheep welfare.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12936804/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147329118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Friends, forage, freedom: A cluster analysis investigating horse management styles and welfare in the UK and Ireland.","authors":"Wendy Watson, Jill R D MacKay, Cathy Dwyer","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10073","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to improve the welfare and management of recreational horses by identifying how different management styles affect horse health and behaviour. We examined the management styles of recreational horse owners in the UK and Ireland, focusing on social interaction (friends), access to suitable forage (forage), and unrestricted movement (freedom). We collected 1,501 survey responses, distributed via social media, and summarised the characteristics and management choices of the respondents. Using the Divisive ANAlysis cluster package in R, three distinct management styles were identified. The largest differences between clusters were in turn-out, individual stabling, and access to forage. The Horse Centred Management Cluster (HCMC) (n = 956) were more likely to provide their horses with 24-h turn-out and access to a forage source, and interaction with two or more horses. The Combined Management Cluster (CMC) (n = 434) showed a combination of management decisions that differed from the HCMC, including horses being kept in an individual stable for longer periods and being provided with shorter turn-out periods (nine or more hours). The Owner Centred Management Cluster (OCMC) (n = 111) provided a more restrictive management style with a much reduced turn-out time (typically 0-6 h), often with no contact with other horses, and less access to a forage source (0-10 h). We explored associations between management factors (friends, forage, and freedom) and horse welfare-related outputs via owner responses to health and behaviour questions, where behaviour was considered to reflect mental state. The HCMC horses were significantly less likely to exhibit gastrointestinal issues, lameness issues, handling problems, or antisocial behaviours compared to both other groups. This study highlights how management impacts the health and behaviour of recreational horses and can contribute to the development of guidance on improved management and welfare for recreational horses.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12936806/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147329107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the welfare of dogs surgically sterilized during single day free community pet clinics in Kampala Metropolitan area, Central Uganda.","authors":"Zozianne Hoareau, Lewis Ashabahebwa, William Lume, Kelvin Bwambale, Suzanne T Millman, Dickson Stuart Tayebwa","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10071","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Free community pet clinics (FCPCs) are instrumental in providing healthcare services for pets in resource-constrained communities. These programmes are typically single-day and coupled with limited opportunity for post-operative follow-up, the likelihood of compromise on the welfare of the sterilised pets becomes apparent. The objective of this study was to identify welfare and ethical challenges associated with dog sterilisation clinics conducted in Kampala Metropolitan Area, Uganda, from May to October 2023. We evaluated the welfare of 46 dogs sterilised at the FCPCs. We collected data using a questionnaire combined with observations and checklists at all stages, including arrival, pre-surgical evaluation, post-surgical recovery, and follow-ups at 7 and 30 days post-surgery. Dogs transported to the clinics by motorcycle moved the longest distance (9.5 km; range: 7.2-11 km), followed by those brought by car (3.8 km; range 3.8-4 km) and lastly by walking (2.0 km; 1-3 km). During the pre-surgical waiting period and post-surgical recovery, 91.3 and 63.0% of dogs, respectively, did not receive any provisions. The Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG) tool evaluated the impact of physical, psychological, and procedural factors on dog welfare and revealed that procedural events had the most negative impact. In the follow-up, one week post-surgery, a significant percentage of dogs were healing normally (73.7%) while infection at the surgical site was reported in 15.4%. Assessing the behavioural change of dogs by 30 days post-operatively, 46.4% reportedly had increased aggression levels. These findings highlight crucial welfare and stress control points for dogs sterilised at free community clinics, which may influence the outcome of the surgery and later interactions with healthcare professionals.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926845/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing training methods to promote better animal welfare outcomes for animals in the research and teaching industry.","authors":"Shari Cohen, Sabrina Lomax, Lauren Hemsworth, Joy S Tripovich, Eve Slavich, Kate J Brandis, Joy A Becker","doi":"10.1017/awf.2026.10064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2026.10064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Training for knowledge and attitude change can be a key component of improving animal care and welfare. Much of the available research is focused upon the livestock industry but can be applied to other animal industries. In the research and teaching industry (RTI), training is an important legal, regulatory, professional, and ethical responsibility as well as a forming part of the social licence for industry. A comparative study was developed to explore the impact of training targeting attitudes and knowledge on participants' use of grimace scales (GS) in the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) RTI. Participants were recruited into training sessions that excluded (control) or included (enhanced) training targeting attitudes. Prior to any training, cohorts received a mixed-methods, quantitative-qualitative questionnaire to determine baseline knowledge and attitudes towards GS, animal welfare, and pain management. Post-training, participants completed questionnaires to investigate changes in their knowledge or attitudes. Training (control and enhanced) resulted in up to eight times more positive attitudes and knowledge towards the GS and pain management. Only enhanced training for attitudes offered additional key benefits with participants being up to three times more confident in GS and more likely to offer pain relief. The results from this study demonstrate the ability for GS training to improve human-animal interactions with potential improvements in pain management, animal welfare, the 3Rs, and research. These outcomes support the greater body of literature and best practice recommendations for RTIs to require and implement training programmes that incorporate attitudinal training in animal care and use programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":520228,"journal":{"name":"Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)","volume":"35 ","pages":"e13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926844/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}