Welfare assessment of Thoroughbred horses naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites in Southern Brazil: Quantifying the host-parasite relationship

Horse welfare assessment (HWA) does not account for individual or herd parasite infection. This study investigated the connection between HWA and individual parasite fecal egg count (FEC) in 90 Thoroughbred horses. All horses were naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and were evaluated for individual welfare indicators and FEC monthly, for 12 months. Horses were divided into three groups of 30 mares, 30 foals aged between 13 and 16 months (G2013), and 30 foals aged between two months and one year (G2014). A horse welfare protocol was developed and 1024 assessments were carried out by five trained assessors. FEC ranged from 0 to 5,760 with 98.8 % showing small strongyle eggs. Body condition scores were ideal in 94.4 % of the evaluations (n = 967), and 95.8 % of all horses had good clinical and behavioral indicators. Despite the variation in FEC, the data found no significant association between FEC and the behavioral indicators. The study suggests that FEC alone should not be used as a determinant of welfare when animals are managed with good nutritional and health management practices.

Welfare of broiler chickens in Brazilian free-range versus intensive indoor production systems

We compared broiler chicken welfare in free-range (FR) and intensive indoor (IN) systems using the Welfare Quality® Protocol. Ten FR and 11 IN farms in Brazil were assessed. Results are shown as either scores ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better welfare, or prevalence, where lower prevalence indicates better welfare. In FR, the median prevalence was lower than in IN for mortality (2.0% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.0262), culling (0.0% vs. 0.6%, p = 0.0168), ascites (0.0% vs. 0.17%, p = 0.0431). Median welfare scores on FR farms were better for plumage cleanliness (100 vs. 59, p = 0.0001), panting or huddling (100 vs. 29, p = 0.0001), lameness (81 vs. 19, p = 0.0001), hock burn (93 vs. 37, p = 0.0001), footpad dermatitis (35 vs. 26, p = 0.0018). However, FR scores were worse for litter quality (34 vs. 100, p = 0.0003), dust (53 vs. 78, p = 0.0002), breast blisters (90 vs. 100, p = 0.0077), touch test (70 vs. 99, p = 0.0082). Better emotional states were observed in FR (p < 0.001). Even though there is room for welfare improvement in both systems, the number of welfare indicators with better results was superior in FR than in IN farms.

Animal Welfare Science: Why and for Whom?

There are, in the literature, distinct ways to approach animal welfare. The objective of this work was to study the value attributed to farm animals in the scientific papers published in animal welfare and animal production journals at three different points in time, separated by a decade each. The first ten papers mentioning "animal welfare" or "animal well-being" in their objectives or hypotheses from each journal and each focus year were selected. The 180 papers were blindly scored by five assessors between 1 and 10, according to the degree of intrinsic value attributed to animals. The overall mean score and standard deviation were 5.60 ± 2.49, with 6.46 ± 2.29 and 4.74 ± 2.40 for AW and AP journals, respectively, and 5.37 ± 2.44, 5.68 ± 2.52 and 5.75 ± 2.41 for the focus years of 2000, 2010 and 2020, respectively. There was an interaction between focus year and publication area: papers from AW journals scored better over time, in contrast with papers from AP journals, for which scores remained similar over decades. The inter-assessor agreement is moderate, which may reflect the subject complexity, as the language used in the papers studied was ambiguous in relation to why and for whom it is performed. The low overall mean score evidenced that the animal welfare scientific publications are, on average, not prioritizing the interests of the animals. Thus, our results evidenced the presence of animal welfarism in animal welfare science, a problem that seems not to be intrinsic to animal welfare science itself, but rather to the way research is frequently conceived, conducted, interpreted, summarized and applied. Therefore, it seems urgent to further study the motivation for animal welfare research. The statement of the main justification for animal welfare papers, with an explicit declaration of the motivational priorities that constitute each scientific animal welfare study, may be an interesting recommendation for the improvement of animal welfare science.

The social impact of cultivated and plant-based meats as radical innovations in the food chain: Views from Brazil, the United States and Europe

Cultivated and plant-based meats have been recognized as radical innovations that may revolutionize food production worldwide. Despite potentially being more sustainable than conventional meat, little is known about the consequences these innovations can bring to society. To help to clarify this topic, we studied the social impacts that cultivated and plant-based meats may bring to Brazil, the United States and Europe. Based on the perspective of 136 experts, our results are divided into market expectations, consumer access, consumer acceptance, impacts on farms, and business opportunities along the new chains. Experts generally predicted an optimistic picture of the social effects with several opportunities as alternative meats become available. However, the consequences for animal farmers seemed worrying in the experts' views. Overall, the opinion of Brazilian and American experts seemed more optimistic than that of Europeans. Our findings may be helpful for practitioners and people involved in rural policy interested in better guiding this transition process in the food production chain.

Fish slaughter practices in Brazilian aquaculture and their consequences for animal welfare

Slaughter is considered an important fish welfare issue. For a slaughter method to be considered humane, effective stunning that lasts until death as well as the reduction of pain and fear throughout all procedures are essential. Our objective was to investigate current techniques for slaughtering fish in Brazil. A digital questionnaire with six multiple-choice and three open questions was distributed to companies registered as fish slaughterhouses and to fish farms in 2019, addressing fish species, quantities processed and slaughter procedures adopted. From 62 facilities in 15 Brazilian states that answered the survey, nine slaughterhouses and 30 fish farms slaughtered fish, totalling 452 tonnes per day. All reported pre-slaughter stunning, and live chilling to be the most commonly cited method (82.0%), followed by electronarcosis (18.0%). Slaughtering techniques included exsanguination (38.5%) and decapitation (2.5%). For the remaining companies, no slaughter method was declared, suggesting death by asphyxiation or by further processing (59.0%). Twenty-nine companies adopted pre-slaughter fasting, lasting from 10 to 48 h. All sites worked with tilapia (100%) and 24 (82.7%) reported that they worked exclusively with this species. Other species reported were: pacu (25.6%), tambacu (17.9%), tambaqui and carp (15.3%), jundiá (12.8%), pintado and pirarucu (7.7%), matrinxã and pangassius (5.1%). Asphyxia and live chilling are not considered humane, as animals remain conscious and, thus, suffer. Results show that most establishments do not perform humane slaughter. This scenario highlights the urgent need for development and enforcement of humane fish slaughter techniques, with routine supervision and normative requirements.

From the Point of View of the Chickens: What Difference Does a Window Make?

We aimed to investigate what broiler chickens prefer when given free choice between a barn side with artificial lighting only as opposed to the other barn side with natural light through glass windows and artificial light. Eighty-five 1 day-old male Cobb 500 broiler chickens were divided into 10 pens; half of each pen area was provided with only artificial light (OAL) and the other half with natural and artificial light (NAL), and birds were free to move across sides. Environmental indicators and external conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, ammonia and illuminance were monitored inside and outside the barn. Chickens' preference was registered each three days, divided in categories: I (at 9, 12, and 15 days), II (at 18, 21, 24, and 27 days), and III (at 30, 33 and 36 days). The effect of the interaction between environmental indicators and week was statistically different only for illuminance. Chickens preferred NAL to OAL from 18 days onwards (II p < 0.001; III p = 0.016). Drinking (p = 0.034) and exploration or locomotion (p = 0.042) behaviours were more frequent, and "not visible" behaviours (p < 0.001) were less frequent, in NAL. Foraging was the only behaviour with an interaction effect between age category and light treatment, as birds during period II expressed this behaviour more frequently in NAL than OAL (p = 0.003). For our experimental conditions, the chickens preferred NAL from 18 days of age onwards, when the confounding effect of the heating light was removed, and their behavioural repertoire was also different according to each side of the barn and to their ages.

Training the Environmental Military Police in the State of São Paulo for science-based assessment of animal mistreatment

The aim of this study was to analyze the perception of police officers within the Environmental Military Police of the State of São Paulo about animal abuse occurrences and to implement the Protocol for Expert Report in Animal Welfare (PERAW) as guidance for the first approach to complaint cases related to animal mistreatment. 608 officers filled a pre-implementation questionnaire, followed by a training for PERAW use, and filled a post-implementation questionnaire after two months of Protocol use; these last two were accomplished by only 200 officers. Feeding and water inadequacies were quoted as the condition most easily identified as maltreatment. After training, more officers mentioned two and three animal welfare segments of physical, behavioral, and mental aspects. The concept of sentience was known by a significant higher number of officers after training. Officers reported that the main PERAW advantage was that it enabled greater discrimination and more appropriate assessment of occurrences, besides providing a technical basis to the assessments. Overall, PERAW implementation provided some guidance for a first approach to animal mistreatment cases; however, continued training may provide further improvement.

Welfare of broiler chickens reared under two different types of housing

We compared closed- and open-sided industrial houses with respect to the welfare of broiler chickens in southern Brazil. Ten flocks from each design were evaluated and measures divided into the following categories: i) bird health: contact dermatitis on the breast and abdominal areas, bird soiling, foot-pad dermatitis, hock burn, lameness, fractures, bruising, scratches, dead on arrival, diseases; ii) environmental measurements: relative humidity, temperature, air velocity, ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), light intensity, litter moisture; iii) behaviour: bird behaviour, touch test; and iv) affective states: qualitative behaviour assessment. Closed-sided houses showed worse contact dermatitis on the breast and abdominal areas, lower exploratory behaviour prevalence, higher NH3 (11.2 [± 6.8] vs 7.5 [± 3.9] ppm) and CO2 (1,124.9 [± 561.5] vs 841.0 [± 158.0] ppm), lower light intensity (6.9 [± 6.3] vs 274.2 [± 241.9] lux), while open-sided houses had a higher prevalence for scratches and panting behaviour, and lower air velocity (2.1 [± 0.7] vs 1.1 [± 1.0] m s–1). Stocking densities of 13.9 (± 0.4) and 12.0 (± 0.3) per m2 for closed- and open-sided houses, respectively, likely influenced some results. All values shown are means (± SD). Even though open-sided houses presented fewer animal welfare restrictions (according to five indicators as opposed to three for closed-sided houses), both revealed important welfare problems, evidenced by poor environmental indicators, behavioural restrictions and injuries.

Welfare of broiler chickens reared in two different industrial house types during the winter season in Southern Brazil

1. The following trial compared broiler chicken welfare in closed-sided (CS) versus open-sided (OS) industrial house types during the winter season in the South of Brazil.2. Ten flocks in each house type were evaluated as follows: a) bird health: contact dermatitis on the breast and abdominal areas (CDE), bird soiling (BSO), footpad dermatitis (FPD), hock burn (HBU), lameness (LAM), fractures (FRA), bruising (BRU), scratches (SCR), dead on arrival (DOA), and diseases (DIS); b) house environmental measurements: relative humidity (RHU), temperature (TEM), air velocity (AVE), illuminance (ILL), ammonia concentration (NH₃), and carbon dioxide concentration (CO₂), and c) bird behaviour and affective states: bird behaviour (BBE), touch test (TTE), and qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA).3. Statistical analyses were based on regression models for CDE, BSO, FPD, HBU, LAM and generalised linear models for DOA, FRA, BRU, SCR, and DIS. The Mann-Whitney test was used for RHU, TEM, AVE, ILL, NH₃, CO₂, and the t-test for TTE and LMO, with a specific regression model for BBE data and Principal Component Analysis for QBA.4. According to odds ratio for worse scores for CS relative to OS, birds were less likely to have severe scores for CDE (P = 0.040 and P = 0.007), BSO (P = 0.031, P = 0.016, and P = 0.038), and HBU (P = 0.017), and had higher median values for AVE (2.3, 0.0-7.8 m s^-1 vs. 0.0, 0.0-4.3 m s^-1), lower NH₃ concentration (9.0, 0.0-64.0 ppm vs. 12.0, 0.0-60.0 ppm) and TTE scores (98, 96-100 vs. 67, 25-100). Worse results were observed in CS houses for higher stocking density (13.8 ± 0.2 birds/m² vs. 12.0 ± 0.2 birds/m²), RHU (74.5, 50.7-99.9% vs 72.3, 47.4-99.9%), and TEM (23.9, 14.6-29.2°C vs. 21.7, 12.9-30.1°C), lower ILL (16.0, 1.0-60.0 lx vs. 161.0, 8.0-2380.0 lx), less drinking (P = 0.007), more inactive behaviour (P < 0.001) and lower positive emotions, according to QBA (P = 0.028).5. In the studied region and season, CS houses seemed to offer fewer welfare problems in terms of the health indicators; however, OS houses showed fewer behavioural restrictions and higher positive emotional states.

Development of a list of terms in Brazilian Portuguese for the Qualitative Behaviour Assessment of broiler chickens

Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a methodological approach to assess the whole animal using terms to describe and quantify the emotionally expressive qualities of behaviour and identifying larger patterns of expressivity through multi-variate statistical integration. A key condition for the success of QBA is achieving a common understanding of the meaning of descriptive terms by raters. Based on this, our study aimed to develop a list of terms in Brazilian Portuguese for the QBA of broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), and to test this list by studying its inter- and intra-rater reliability. Fourteen experts participated in a workshop and developed a list of 25 QBA terms, and 40 undergraduates tested this list by scoring 18 video clips using a 125-mm visual analogue scale. Principal Component Analysis was used to analyse observers' scores. Principal Component (PC) 1 ranged from disturbed/frustrated to comfortable/lively, suggesting this PC may be interpreted in terms of emotional valence. PC2 ranged from calm/dull to agitated/active, suggesting this PC indicates the level of arousal/energy of the birds. Both PC1 and PC2 clip scores showed good inter- and intra-rater reliability. This study demonstrates the importance of producing QBA term lists bottom-up as opposed to merely translating pre-existing lists from the scientific literature. Results suggest the standardised Portuguese QBA term list developed in this study is reliable in assessing the expressive qualities of broiler behaviour; therefore, a next step is to test it on-farm with experienced raters and further refine it concerning terms related to poor welfare.

Tilapia On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Semi-intensive Production Systems

The aim of this study was to develop and test a tilapia on-farm welfare assessment protocol, based on Brazilian semi-intensive production systems. The study included two mains steps: the elaboration of tilapia welfare protocol and its on-field feasibility test. The protocol, including the potential indicators organized into health, environmental, nutritional, and behavioral categories, was tested on three farms. Skin, eyes, gills, jaws, fins, and vertebral spine were individually examined in 139 individual tilapias. Water physicochemical parameters and production system were considered. The overall nutritional status of individuals was assessed through body condition factor, feed conversion ratio, feed crude protein ratio, and feed ingestion behavior. During massive capture, signals of stress, level of crowding, and duration of air exposure were registered. Time required for loss of consciousness was evaluated by clinical reflexes and other behaviors during slaughter. Eye, jaw, and gill scores were different across farms (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.011; 0.015; 0.043, respectively), showing good discrimination power. Critical welfare points were extremely low dissolved oxygen in water, fin and skin lesions, prolonged air exposure during pre-slaughter handling and non-humane slaughter techniques, as decapitation or asphyxia. The protocol presents practical viability and it is an initial step for the development of a tilapia welfare strategy, where the prioritization of critical welfare points, implementation of corrective actions and monitoring of the results is part of a permanent welfare management system.

Uncoupling Meat From Animal Slaughter and Its Impacts on Human-Animal Relationships

Slaughter sets the debate about what is acceptable to do to animals at an extremely low bar. Recently, there has been considerable investment in developing cell-based meat, an alternative meat production process that does not require the raising and slaughtering of animals, instead using muscle cells cultivated in a bioreactor. We discuss the animal ethics impacts of cell-based and plant-based meat on human-animal interactions from animal welfare and rights perspectives, focusing on industrial meat production scenarios. Our hypothesis is that the insertion of cell-based meat in the global meat market may alleviate farm animal suffering and potentially restore resources for wild fauna. We employed a conservative estimation of the cell-based meat contribution to the global meat market in the year 2040 to analyze the consequences for human-animal relationships for both wild animals and farmed domesticated animals. We discuss possible effects of an animal cell domestication process, previously described as the second domestication, on human-animal relationships. We consider its potential to reduce the impact of human demographic changes and land use on animal life, in particular whether there would be increased biomass availability and free land for wild animals. We anticipate a major reduction in animal suffering due to the decrease in the number of individual animals involved in food production, which justifies the adoption of cell-based meat from a utilitarian perspective. For the conventional animal food production that remains, further consideration is needed to understand which systems, either high or low welfare, will be retained and the impact of the innovation on the average farm animal welfare. Additionally, it seems likely that there will be less acceptance of the necessity of animal suffering in farming systems when meat production is uncoupled from animal raising and slaughter, supported by a deontological perspective of animal ethics. Consequent to this is anticipated the mitigation of relevant barriers to animal protection and to the recognition of animals as subjects by legislation. Thus, the development of the alternative meats may be related to a significant change in our relationship with non-human animals, with greater benefits than the prima facie effects on farm animals.

Factors Related to Animal Neglect in Brazilian Laboratories

Our objectives were to identify the prevalence of negligence of laboratory animals in Brazil, to determine the primary factors associated with its occurrence and to suggest prevention strategies. A questionnaire was made available online between October 2015 and March 2016. A total of 116 respondents with experience in the use of laboratory animals and/or the use of alternative methods answered the questionnaire. Most respondents were women (77 respondents, 66.4%), a significant proportion had a degree in Veterinary Medicine (31 respondents, 27.2%), and a majority used animals in their work (88 respondents, 75.9%). Of the 88 animal users, 23 supplied information on the numbers and species of animals they used. When asked whether they knew that Brazilian law forbade animal experimentation when alternative methods exist, seven (9.1%) respondents mentioned Act 9605/1998. Most, but not all, respondents (96 respondents, 82.8%) submitted their projects to an Animal Use and Ethics Committee (AUEC), and many (65 respondents, 56%) reported their belief that animal neglect occurred at their institution. Negligence was found to be associated with: institutions where the numbers of animals used were not recorded (p = 0.008); institutions where respondents were unaware of the relevant legislation, that is, Act 9605/1998 (p = 0.042); or where there was evidence that not all project proposals were submitted to the AUEC or evidence of no submissions at all (p = 0.022). Negligence of animals was found to be highly prevalent. Prevention strategies might involve increased transparency to the general public, the empowerment of individuals that work with animals to report any concerns, optimised inspection of facilities where animal work is carried out and significant improvements to the role of AUECs.

To dock or not to dock? Faecal soiling measurement in sheep

Faecal soiling is one of the welfare indicators in the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for sheep (Ovis aries) and is measured by dag scores. Studies on dag scoring for ewes with docked and undocked tails have given rise to contradictory results. The aim of this study was to compare faecal soiling between ewes with docked and undocked tails and evaluate inter-rater reliability for faecal soiling of ewes. This study was conducted on a farm in Southern Brazil and included 66 undocked and 94 docked ewes. Dag score was recorded by three assessors on a scale of 1 to 5. There was no significant difference on faecal soiling for docked compared to undocked ewes and the median dag score was 3 (1–5). Repeatability amongst assessors by intra-class correlation coefficient of dag scores on docked and undocked ewes was 0.49 and 0.40, respectively; however, these repeatabilities showed no significant differences. The modest repeatability between three assessors on dag scoring indicates caution as regards the use of faecal soiling as an indicator and suggests a need for further studies. The best field results may be obtained by increasing the assessment sample to at least 160 ewes or by raising the number of assessors to five to promote better inter-observer repeatability. Results suggest that taildocking did not promote cleanliness on the breech area. Considering the negative impact on welfare, it seems reasonable to reverse the burden of proof and desist from recommending tail-docking in the absence of clear scientific evidence of any benefit.

Only When It Feels Good: Specific Cat Vocalizations Other Than Meowing

Our objective was to identify and characterize the types of vocalization other than meowing (VOM) in two contexts, a pleasant and an aversive situation, and to study the effect of the sex of the animal. A total of 74 cats (32 tom cats and 42 queens) living in the city of Curitiba, Brazil, participated in the study; in total, 68 (29 tom cats and 39 queens) were divided into two groups according to the stimulus they were exposed to: either a pleasant situation (PS), when they were offered a snack, or an aversive situation (AS), with the simulation of a car transport event. The other six animals (three tom cats and three queens) participated in both situations. Only the PS group presented VOM; of the 40 PS animals, 14 presented VOM, mostly acknowledgment or trill and squeak. No correlation was observed between vocalization and cat sex (p = 0.08; Pearson's Chi-Square). Results show that VOM is exclusively associated with positive situations, suggesting that these vocalizations may be relevant for understanding the valence of cat emotional state. Further studies are warranted to advance knowledge on other VOMs and on the generalization of our findings to other situations.

First glimpse on attitudes of highly educated consumers towards cell-based meat and related issues in Brazil

Our aim was to study Brazilian consumer attitudes towards cell-based meat and related issues. From 408 respondents from Curitiba and 218 from Joinville, the majority was women with higher level of education; 65.2% and 70.2% frequently consumed meat and 50.7% and 50.9% would not stop eating meat; 81.6% and 82.6% had little or no knowledge about cell-based meat. After watching an explanatory video, 41.9% and 34.4% stated they would eat cell-based meat without restrictions; 24.5% and 23.9% stated they would try depending on conditionals. Overall, 63.6% declared they would eat cell-based meat; among vegetarians and vegans, 24% and 8% stated they would eat cell-based meat, with additional 25.0% and 27.0% stating "it depends"; thus, the major public for cell-based meat seems to be meat eaters. Animal welfare was the principal reason for considering not eating meat and a major benefit of cell-based meat. In conclusion, the majority of respondents would not stop eating meat; additionally, they would eat cell-based meat.

DIAGNÓSTICO DE BEM-ESTAR EM CAMUNDONGOS E RATOS DE BIOTÉRIOS NO ESTADO DO PARANÁ

Os animais de laboratório são amplamente utilizados para contribuir com o desenvolvimento da ciência. Ratos e camundongos estão entre os principais grupos taxonômicos utilizados para tal fim, sendo os animais principalmente provenientes de biotérios de criação. Nestes locais eles são mantidos sob estrito controle ambiental, visando diminuir a variabilidade nos resultados das pesquisas. É importante conhecer o grau de bem-estar desses animais, pois tal fator tem implicações diretas no comportamento ético em relação aos outros seres vivos e também quanto à qualidade dos resultados obtidos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o grau de BEA dos ratos e camundongos em quatro biotérios (A, B, C e D) de instituições de ensino do Estado do Paraná. Os grupos de indicadores sanitários e psicológicos foram considerados severamente comprometidos e o grupo de indicadores comportamentais moderadamente comprometido. O grupo de indicadores nutricionais foi moderadamente satisfatório nos biotérios A, B e D e completamente satisfatório no biotério C. O grupo de indicadores ambientais foi severamente comprometido nos biotérios A e B e moderadamente comprometido nos biotérios C e D. Itens de enriquecimento ambiental não são utilizados e medidas de redução da dor durante a eutanásia não são tomadas em nenhum dos biotérios visitados, sugerindo que a atuação nestes dois pontos deve ser prioritária. Em geral, medidas para a melhoria de BEA nos biotérios do Estado do Paraná são urgentes.

Perception of animal sentience by Brazilian and French citizens: The case of sheep welfare and sentience

The study compared the perception of ordinary citizens from Curitiba, Brazil (OB) and Clermont-Ferrand, France (OF), as well as OB, Brazilian veterinarians (VB), biologists (BB) and animal scientists (AB), concerning animal welfare and sentience. An online survey containing 18 open-ended, multiple choices and Likert scale questions was conducted from November 2014 to May 2016. The survey covered questions on demographics, perception of animal welfare, sheep welfare, sentience and animals' emotional capacities. In total, 1103 respondents participated in the survey (388 OB, 350 OF, 248 VB, 92 BB and 25 AB); data were compared using non-parametric tests. Brazilian citizens (46.9%) believed more than OF (3.7%) that welfare is not considered for farm animals and OB attributed higher scores of suffering to sheep during management procedures (median 4, severe suffering) than OF (3, moderate suffering). Additionally, OB gave higher scores of emotions to animals (5) than OF (4). In general, OB and BB had similar perceptions; OB and BB differed from VB and AB who were similar to each other. Citizens (46.9%) and BB (29.3%) believed more than VB (18.5%) and AB (12.0%) that welfare is not considered for farm animals; OB and BB also attributed higher scores of suffering to sheep during management procedures than VB and AB. Women and older respondents showed higher perception of animal welfare issues. There was no clear correlation between perception of animal welfare or sentience and education. Overall, ordinary citizens differed on their perceptions of welfare and sentience in livestock and specifically in sheep, and sheep suffering during management procedures. Ordinary citizens from Curitiba showed higher perception of animal welfare issues as compared to respondents from Clermont-Ferrand and to veterinarians and animal scientists. Ensuring a better consideration of welfare at farm level and in educational programs seems warranted according to the results of this study.

Brazilian attitudes towards the use of animals in research

Há poucos estudos sobre a opinião de latino-americanos quanto ao uso de animais em pesquisa. Este estudo avaliou o grau de apoio e as motivações de brasileiros em relação a essa questão. Os participantes foram aleatoriamente apresentados a dois cenários, um biomédico e outro ambiental, variando também o número de animais usados. Cada cenário se iniciava com o uso de suínos convencionais e prosseguia com o desenvolvimento e uso de animais geneticamente modificados. Foram analisadas 151 respostas quantitativas e 307 qualitativas. O cenário e o número de animais tiveram pouco efeito no apoio ao uso dos animais, no entanto, a oposição aumentou de 25% para 58% quando o uso de suínos geneticamente modificados foram apresentados no cenário ambiental. O apoio ao uso de animais em pesquisa estava frequentemente condicionado ao grau de bem-estar animal, e o apoio à pesquisa diminuiu com o uso de animais geneticamente modificados, em parte, devido aos riscos associados a essa tecnologia.

MODULAÇÃO COMPORTAMENTAL E ADESTRAMENTO BÁSICO DE CÃES DO CENTRO DE CONTROLE DE ZOONOSES DE ARAUCÁRIA - PR

O objetivo foi colaborar para um avanço no conhecimento a respeito do impacto positivo de intervenções etológicas em cães de Centros de Controle de Zoonoses. Foi realizada avaliação comportamental em 25 cães do CCZ do município de Araucária/PR, atividade que auxiliou na identificação do manejo adequado para cada cão, assim como na definição de estratégias para redução de comportamentos indesejáveis. Houve redução importante de latidos excessivos, pulos nas pessoas, tração da guia e agressividade direcionada a pessoas e a outros cães. Os animais foram adestrados exclusivamente com reforços positivos, sendo que os comandos “aqui” e “senta” foram aprendidos por 25 animais (100%). Dar a pata foi ensinado a 16 animais (64%) e 13 animais (52%) aprenderam a deitar. Ao final foi possível observar melhorias no bem-estar dos animais, aumento de comportamentos desejáveis e redução daqueles inadequados. Tais resultados motivam pesquisas futuras sobre o impacto do manejo no sucesso das adoções.

The Use of a Decision Tree Based on the Rabies Diagnosis Scenario, to Assist the Implementation of Alternatives to Laboratory Animals

Brazilian federal legislation makes the use of alternatives mandatory, when there are validated methods to replace the use of laboratory animals. The objective of this paper is to introduce a novel decision tree (DT)-based approach, which can be used to assist the replacement of laboratory animal procedures in Brazil. This project is based on a previous analysis of the rabies diagnosis scenario, in which we identified certain barriers that hinder replacement, such as: a) the perceived higher costs of alternative methods; b) the availability of staff qualified in these methods; c) resistance to change by laboratory staff; d) regulatory obstacles, including incompatibilities between the Federal Environmental Crimes Act and specific norms and working practices relating to the use of laboratory animals; and e) the lack of government incentives. The DT represents a highly promising means to overcome these reported barriers to the replacement of laboratory animal use in Brazil. It provides guidance to address the main obstacles, and, followed step-by-step, would lead to the implementation of validated alternative methods (VAMs), or their development when such alternatives do not exist. The DT appears suitable for application to laboratory animal use scenarios where alternative methods already exist, such as in the case of rabies diagnosis, and could contribute to increase compliance with the Three Rs principles in science and with the current legal requirements in Brazil.

EFEITOS DO ENRIQUECIMENTO AMBIENTAL NA MATERNIDADE SOBRE O BEM-ESTAR DE CAMUNDONGOS CRIADOS EM BIOTÉRIO

Objetivou-se verificar os efeitos do enriquecimento ambiental (EA) sobre o bem-estar de camundongos em maternidade de um biotério. Para isso, camundongos Swiss da maternidade do biotério da Universidade Positivo foram separados ao acaso em dois grupos de seis fêmeas cada, sendo um grupo com enriquecimento (CE), constituído de papel para a confecção de ninho, e outro grupo sem enriquecimento (SE); duas fêmeas foram alocadas em cada caixa. Foram avaliados os comportamentos exploratório (EXP), agonístico (AGO), de autocuidado (CUI), interação com enriquecimento (IE), interação com filhotes (IF), interação entre mães (IM) e alimentação (ALI), comparados em geral e ao longo de nove dias de filmagens. Na comparação geral, o comportamento AGO foi menor no grupo CE (P = 0,047); no entanto, a mediana foi igual a 0% para ambos os grupos. Ao longo dos dias, houve diferença (P<0,05) nos comportamentos EXP, IF, e ALI em ambos os grupos, com a diminuição do tempo de EXP e aumento do tempo de IF e de ALI. Houve diferença (P<0,05) nas medianas de CUI e IM, indicando variação ao longo dos dias no grupo SE, e não houve diferença no CE (P>0,05), o que significa que em CE, CUI e IM ocorreram de forma mais contínua. Ainda no grupo CE, houve variação (P<0,05) de IE, evidenciando diminuição ao longo dos dias, passando de 29% no primeiro dia para 1% no último dia. O grupo CE apresentou maior variação na expressão de comportamento AGO (P<0,05), enquanto no SE não houve diferença (P>0,05), o que indica que AGO não variou ao longo dos dias. Conclui-se que o EA melhora o convívio entre os animais, diminuindo comportamentos agonísticos e favorecendo o comportamento natural de nidificação. Devido ao impacto positivo, mais estudos sobre as formas de EA para camundongos são relevantes.

DIAGNÓSTICO DE BEM-ESTAR DE BOVINOS EM DOIS MATADOUROS ESTADUAIS NA REGIÃO SUL DO BRASIL

O objetivo desse trabalho foi diagnosticar o grau de bem-estar de bovinos em dois matadouros de inspeção estadual no estado de Santa Catarina por meio da identificação da incidência de pontos críticos. Planilhas utilizadas para auditoria interna de bem-estar animal em matadouros foram adaptadas. Durante a condução foram observados 156 animais e para a avaliação dos hematomas 128 carcaças. Dos 156 animais, 104 (66,6%) receberam choques elétricos, 38 (24,3%) escorregaram, nove (5,7%) caíram e 20 (12,8%) vocalizaram. Para a insensibilização dos animais foi utilizada pistola com dardo cativo penetrante, por vezes adicionado de golpes de marreta no matadouro A e de choupa nos matadouros A e B. Observou-se que apenas 11 (7,0%) bovinos apresentaram indicadores de inconsciência. Apenas três (1,9%) animais foram sangrados até no máximo um minuto após a insensibilização. Foram quantificadas 294 lesões, indicando uma média de mais de duas lesões por bovino. Conclui-se que as instalações apresentaram pontos críticos e que o impacto dos procedimentos de insensibilização sobre o grau de bem-estar dos animais estudados foi severo, necessitando melhorias para atendimento tanto de questões de bem-estar animal como regulamentares. A adoção de manejo humanitário e o monitoramento dos pontos críticos de bem-estar podem promover aumento de rendimentos e avanço ético para todos os envolvidos.

Performance of an animal-based test of thirst in commercial broiler chicken farms

Animal-based measures of thirst are currently absent from animal welfare monitoring schemes due to the lack of a well-validated indicator applicable for on-farm use. In the present study, an on-farm test based on voluntary water consumption from an unfamiliar open drinker was validated in a (semi-)commercial setting. To investigate the effect of thirst on water consumption, we subjected 4 flocks of 1,500 broilers to either 0 or 12 h of water deprivation and subsequently measured the amount of water that small subgroups consumed after the deprivation period (first experiment). Broilers that were water deprived before the test drank more than control broilers (P < 0.001). In a second experiment, a similar test was performed using 20 commercial broiler flocks in Belgium and Brazil. After a pretreatment water consumption test, the birds were subjected to 0 or 6 h of water deprivation, and a posttreatment water consumption test was conducted. Only in Brazil, deprived birds drank significantly more than controls in the posttreatment water consumption test (P < 0.001). A tendency for a difference was found in Belgium (P = 0.083). Pre- and posttreatment water consumption was higher in Brazil than in Belgium (P < 0.001). Stocking density and temperature influenced, respectively, the pretreatment and the control's posttreatment water consumption in Brazil, but not in Belgium. These results indicate that the water consumption test is sufficiently sensitive to discriminate between control and 12 h deprived flocks, and in Brazil even between control and 6 h deprived birds. The location of the test within the house did not affect the amount of water consumed in either experiment, suggesting that this variable does not have to be standardized. However, the amount of water consumed by broilers able to drink freely for a long period depended on indoor climatic variables (in Brazil only) and possibly genotype. This suggests that these variables need to be considered when interpreting the test outcome in terms of the thirst level experienced by the broilers.

O CONTROLE DO USO DE ANIMAIS PARA ENSINO E PESQUISA

A regulamentação da experimentação animal está fundamentada na preocupação ética de não se infringir sofrimento aos animais, demonstrada pelos movimentos sociais de proteção animal, pela legislação abordando o tema, pelas Comissões de Ética no Uso de Animais, entre outros. O objetivo desta revisão foi estudar o controle do uso de animais para ensino e pesquisa em alguns países, escolhidos aleatoriamente, comparando-os com a situação brasileira e paranaense. O controle é feito por diferentes instituições em diferentes países, a saber: pelo Presidente e Parlamento na África do Sul; instituição autônoma no Canadá; Departamento da Agricultura nos Estados Unidos; Ministério da Educação, Cultura, Esportes, Ciência e Tecnologia no Japão; Ministério Federal de Alimentos, Agricultura e Proteção do Consumidor na Alemanha; Ministério da Agricultura na França e Suécia; Ministério da Saúde, Bem-estar e Esporte na Holanda; Home Office no Reino Unido; Conselho Federal na Suíça; e Conselho Nacional de Saúde e Pesquisa Médica na Austrália. No Brasil o controle é feito pelo Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia, havendo duas Leis Federais, um Decreto e uma Resolução; no Paraná, há o Código Estadual de Proteção aos Animais. O conhecimento do trabalho de instituições responsáveis pelo controle da experimentação animal em diferentes países pode auxiliar o aprimoramento deste processo no Brasil. Tal controle é urgente pela necessidade de proteção do bem-estar animal e pela preocupação crescente da sociedade.

An estimation of the extent of animal use in research in Brazil, as determined by bibliographic sampling from journals published in the State of Paraná

Animal use in research is an issue of increasing ethical concern. The objective of this work was to investigate animal use in research described in the papers appearing in 18 journals published in the State of Paraná in 2006. The fields used in the bibliographic sampling were: agrarian science, biological science, biological and health science, environmental science, food technology, and health science. Of the 865 papers analysed, 41% involved the use of animals - a total of 3,497,653 animals, of which 216,223 were vertebrates. Procedures which were classified as A or B for degree of invasiveness were involved in 67% of the papers; 571 fish were employed in procedures classified as E. Only 11% of the journals required certificates from Animal Use Ethics Committees. These results suggest that Brazil is important in the context of worldwide animal use for research, in terms of both the total numbers of animals and the numbers of vertebrates used. Bibliographical sampling is a useful method for estimating the extent of animal use in experiments in Brazil. However, there are limitations to this approach, resulting from the geographical distribution of the authors, the existence of papers presenting insufficient information, and the exclusive inclusion of animal experimentation that actually reaches publication. Thus, the introduction of a formal system to record and control laboratory animal use in Brazil, is urgently required.

Essential directions for teaching animal welfare in South America

Both the public and the international institutions that regulate the veterinary profession have high expectations that veterinarians will understand and take the lead in issues of animal welfare. These expectations provide a powerful argument for the need to teach animal welfare. The objective of this paper is to share the experiences of animal welfare teaching in South America, examining which topics seem relevant and why. It builds upon the core international literature on teaching animal welfare to veterinary students, highlights priorities learned through direct experience of teaching this topic in South America, and has benefited from the experiences of other South American animal welfare professors. In addition, the authors discuss major challenges in the animal welfare field and propose the perceived best strategies. The overall conclusion of the authors is that it is not possible to work as a veterinarian and make a valuable contribution to society unless the main concepts and issues of animal welfare are thoroughly understood and incorporated into practice.

CONTROLE POPULACIONAL DE CÃES E GATOS EM DEZ VILAS RURAIS DO PARANÁ: RESULTADOS EM MÉDIO PRAZO

Devido à necessidade de maior entendimentosobre a duração de esforços para ocontrole da população de animais de companhia,formulou-se um questionário com o objetivo de verificaro impacto em médio prazo de um projeto deesterilização cirúrgica (PEC), realizado para auxiliarno controle das populações de cães e gatosem dez Vilas Rurais (VRs) na região noroeste doestado do Paraná. O questionário foi aplicado paratoda a população das VRs trabalhadas, em médiatrês anos e três meses após o PEC. Adicionalmente,em uma VR foi pesquisado o número de habitantespor moradia, com o objetivo de se calcularos índices cão:ser humano e gato:ser humano. Osíndices cão:ser humano e gato:ser humano encontradosforam de 1:2,7 e 1:5,2, respectivamente. Osresultados mostram que os esforços para o controlepopulacional de cães e gatos devem ser avaliadosem médio e longo prazo para que todos os fatoresenvolvidos sejam compreendidos. Apenas 21% dapopulação esterilizada durante o PEC ainda estavampresentes; desta forma, um limitante importantepara o controle populacional de cães e gatos éo fluxo destes animais nas VRs. Para que futurasintervenções apresentem efeitos duradouros é essencialque se fomente o aumento da expectativade vida dos animais esterilizados e que se controlea chegada de novos animais, visando a diminuiçãodo fluxo de cães e gatos nas VRs. Em conclusão,os resultados são coerentes com a perspectiva deque a solução para o descontrole populacional decães e gatos reside na educação para guarda responsável.

BEM-ESTAR DE PEIXES E A QUESTÃO DA SENCIÊNCIA

No Brasil, assim como em outras partes do mundo, a preocupação com o bem-estar dos peixes encontra-se em seus passos iniciais. O bem-estar de peixes, se comparado com o bem-estar de outras espécies de animais de produção, é um tópico praticamente ausente para consumidores, produtores e legislação vigente. Porém, as evidências anatômicas, fisiológicas, comportamentais,evolutivas e farmacológicas sugerem que os peixes experimentam sentimentos como dor, medo e outros de maneira similar aos demais vertebrados. Isso sugere que os peixes têm potencialmente a capacidade de sofrer e apresentar outros sentimentos, ou seja, que os peixes são seres sencientes. Esta revisão teve como objetivo discutir aspectos referentes à dor e à presença de consciência nos peixes, visando colaborar com o entendimento da senciência nesses animais. Uma vez reconhecida a senciência em peixes, estes animais são incluídos nas considerações éticas acerca de não serem submetidos a sofrimento.

Approaches to teaching animal welfare at 13 veterinary schools worldwide

This paper comprises brief descriptions by faculty at 13 veterinary schools in Europe, North America, South America, and Australasia that summarize undergraduate training in animal welfare at the respective schools and how students are assessed.

Effects of insulin, recombinant bovine somatotropin, and their interaction on insulin-like growth factor-I secretion and milk protein production in dairy cows

This trial was designed to test the effects of insulin, recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST), and their interaction on milk protein and selected blood parameters in dairy cows. Eight Holstein cows (86 +/- 10 d in milk) were divided in two groups and used in two replicates of a Latin square design with four animals, four periods, and four treatments: 1) intravenous infusion of saline, 2) infusion of saline and subcutaneous administration of 40 mg of rbST per day, 3) intravenous infusion of 12 mg of insulin per day coupled with glucose infusion, and 4) rbST administration combined with insulin and glucose infusion. The glucose infusion rate was adjusted to maintain euglycemia. Each experimental period lasted 14 d: treatments were administered during the first 6 d, and no treatment was administered during the following 8-d resting phase. The average daily amount of glucose infusion needed to avoid hypoglycemia was 2.8 kg/cow when only insulin was infused as opposed to 2.2 kg/cow when both insulin and rbST were administered, indicating that either rbST causes a peripheral resistance to insulin or rbST increased liver gluconeogenesis or both. Data from the last 3 d of infusion were analyzed by using the SAS system for mixed models. Percent protein of milk tended to be lower (2.84 vs. 2.79%) and milk urea content was lower (16.6 vs. 14.8 mg/dl) during rbST administration, regardless of insulin infusion. Insulin infusion increased percent protein (2.78 vs. 2.85%) and percent casein (2.36 vs. 2.46%) and decreased milk urea content (17.1 vs. 14.3 mg/dl) regardless of rbST administration. For milk yield, protein yield, casein yield, lactose percent, and lactose yield, there were significant interactions between insulin and rbST administration. For example, casein yield averaged 1.17, 1.12, 1.20, and 1.28 kg/d for saline, insulin, rbST, and insulin combined with rbST, respectively. Similarly, there was a significant interaction between insulin and rbST on IGF-I levels, which were 122.5, 181.3, 342.3, and 492.2 ng/ml for saline, insulin, rbST, and insulin combined with rbST, respectively. In conclusion, these results clearly demonstrated that insulin interacts with bST in early lactation to improve milk protein synthesis and yield in dairy cows. These effects are probably mediated through a combination of bST nutrient mobilization, bST-induced gluconeogenesis, bST-induced insulin peripheral resistance, and bST/insulin synergism on insulin-like growth factor-I secretion and on mammary epithelial tissue.