The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human-Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare

Oxidative status: A general but overlooked indicator of welfare across animal species?

Because of their ubiquity, plasticity, and direct effects on the nervous system, markers of oxidative status may be of great value to assess animal welfare across species and conditions in the wild. However, welfare biologists have not yet seized this opportunity, possibly because the validity of these markers as welfare indicators remains questionable. A validation process was, therefore, performed here using a meta-analytical approach considering three conditions assumed to impair the welfare of animals. With very few exceptions, two of the four considered markers consistently varied across these negatively-valenced conditions. By highlighting the current underrepresentation of markers of oxidative status in animal welfare studies, and by concretely illustrating that some of these markers can consistently reflect negative affective states, this article aims to encourage biologists to include these physiological markers in their toolbox to better measure, monitor, and perhaps also improve the welfare of animals in their natural habitat.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's Approach to Assessing and Promoting Animal Welfare in Collaboration with Universities

Good zoos have four aims-to conserve species, educate the public, engage in research, and provide recreation-all of which can only be achieved when underpinned by high animal welfare standards. In this paper, we share the approach that The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park take to animal welfare. We highlight the role that animal welfare research, in collaboration with universities, has had in enabling the zoo to take an evidence-based approach to welfare and to put findings into practice. We share the collaborative process through which we developed and piloted the current animal welfare assessment tools, how they were validated, and how they were tested for reliability as part of a long-term collaboration between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the University of Stirling: (1) the RZSS Welfare Assessment Tool, a 50-question animal welfare assessment adapted from the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) Toolkit; and (2) the Stirling Toolkit, a package of evidence-based resources for behavioural-data collection. Our aim is to facilitate standardised, evidence-based approaches to assessing animal welfare which, when finalised, can be used collaboratively across zoos.

Affective Implications of Human-Animal Relationship on Pig Welfare: Integrating Non-Linear Heart Rate Variability Measures

The human-animal relationship is crucial for animal welfare. Gentle handling enhances pigs' comfort while rough handling causes fear and stress. This study examined how different human-animal relationship qualities affect the behavior and heart rate variability (linear and non-linear parameters) of 36 nursery pigs. Over six weeks, pigs experienced positive (n = 12), minimal (n = 12), or negative (n = 12) human handling. Their responses to handlers were then assessed in an experimental arena with four phases: habituation, exposure to the handler standing and sitting, and forced interaction. Pigs subjected to negative handling exhibited increased fear-related behaviors, spending less time in contact with the handler. They also exhibited heightened stress responses, with greater LF/HF ratio and Lmean values compared with positively handled pigs. Conversely, gently handled pigs displayed affiliative behaviors, accepting more strokes, and higher parasympathetic activation, indicated by greater RMSSD/SDNN and SampEn values, suggesting a more positive affective state. Minimally handled pigs exhibited some behavioral similarities to gently handled pigs, although physiological data indicated that the interaction was likely more rewarding for the gently handled pigs. These results emphasize the impact of human-animal relationships on pig welfare and highlight the value of incorporating non-linear heart rate variability parameters in such evaluations.

The effects of breed and routes of administration on the plasma pharmacokinetics and faecal excretion of robenacoxib in goats

Robenacoxib (RX) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the coxib class. This study aimed to evaluate the plasma dispositions and faecal excretion profiles of RX in Alpine and Saanen goats following oral and subcutaneous routes. Two different goat breeds were allocated into two treatment groups concerning the breed. RX was administered subcutaneously to animals at a dose of 4mg/kg b.w. Following a one-week washout period, RX was administered by oral route to the same animals at the same dose. Heparinized blood samples were collected from all animals before drug administration (0h) and subsequently up to 24h. Faecal samples were collected at various times between 8h and 36h. The concentrations of RX in plasma and faeces were determined by HPLC. The plasma half-life (T1/2λz) of RX in Saanen goats (1.21h) was significantly longer (P < 0.017) than in Alpine goats (0.90h) after subcutaneous administration. In both goat breeds, statistical differences were observed between subcutaneous and oral administration of RX for T1/2λz, Tlast, Cmax, AUC0-∞, and MRT0-∞. Faecal Cmax and Tmax parameters following oral administrations were 0.92µg/g and 0.85µg/g at 30h and at 24h in Alpine and Saanen goats, respectively. The difference in plasma protein ratio between Alpine and Saanen goats may have affected the T1/2λz of the drug. NSAIDs are among the drug groups frequently detected in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems around the world and there are data on the effects of NSAID residues on wildlife and aquatic species. Therefore, revealing the excretion of NSAIDs, which are frequently used in the veterinary field, in faeces and urine should be considered for ecological sustainability.

Severe cases of Buruli ulcer (infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans) in common ringtail possums in Victoria adversely affect animal welfare

Buruli ulcer is a chronic ulcerative disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. Although Australian possums are known to be susceptible to Buruli ulcer, many aspects of the disease in possums, including welfare impacts, remain largely unreported. Severe clinical Buruli ulcer was identified in four common ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) from Melbourne, Victoria. All four possums were euthanased due to the presence of deep ulcerative lesions on paws, with extensive tissue necrosis that exposed bones and tendons in three cases. Histologically, there was severe ulcerative necrotising pyogranulomatous dermatitis, panniculitis and myositis, with intralesional acid-fast bacteria. M. ulcerans was detected by real-time PCR in all swabs, tissues and faeces collected from all four cases. Buruli ulcer may be an important and under-recognised cause of poor possum welfare in endemic areas. The physical impacts of the severe cutaneous lesions, especially those extending to underlying bones and joints, would have directly impaired the mobility of these possums, affecting navigation of their natural environments and expression of natural behaviours including foraging and socialising. Systemic distribution of M. ulcerans throughout all major internal organs, as observed here, may further impact the health and fitness of infected possums. Faecal shedding of M. ulcerans in all four cases supports the role of possums as zoonotic reservoirs. Further research is needed to investigate the epidemiology, pathogenesis and welfare impacts of Buruli ulcer in possums and to inform the design of interventions that may protect their health and welfare.

Introducing the Mellorater-The Five Domains Model in a Welfare Monitoring App for Animal Guardians

When monitoring an animal's welfare, it helps to have comprehensive and day-to-day information about the animal's life. The goal is to ensure that animal guardians (carers, keepers, and owners) use such information to act in the animals' best interests. This article introduces the Mellorater, an animal welfare monitoring app based on the 2020 Five Domains Model. This framework provides a means of capturing comprehensive information about the world in which individual animals exist. The Mellorater asks animal guardians to rate their agreement with 18 statements covering any focal animal's nutrition, environment, health, and behavioural interactions using a five-point Likert scale. No specialist training is required other than following straightforward instructions on using the app, which are provided. The Mellorater is not proposed as a validated welfare auditing tool because it relies on reflective self-reporting and, thus, is vulnerable to the user's subjectivity. If users' subjectivity is stable over time, then the longitudinal data may be considered useful proxies for trends in quality of life. That said, it has the potential to be used by trained auditors if scientifically validated, species-specific indicators are applied. The Mellorater collects anonymous data and has been approved for a study to explore how the use of such scales may differ among guardians of different species and in different contexts. In this paper, we conduct the following: (1) summarise the app's purposes; (2) clarify its capabilities and limitations; and (3) invite animal welfare scholars, veterinarians, health and welfare professionals, and animal guardians to use it.

Benchmarking Giant Panda Welfare in Tourism: A Co-Design Approach for Animals, Tourists, Managers, and Researchers

This study introduces a co-design benchmarking framework to understand tourists' perceptions of animal welfare, integrating diverse perspectives from tourists, researchers, and animals. By leveraging scientific theories to establish benchmark dimensions, the framework is refined through visitor input, ensuring a robust and adaptable methodological tool for assessing tourists' perceptions and animal informed consent in wildlife tourism. Using the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding as an example, we analyzed 4839 visitor comments collected from March to August 2023 to benchmark perceptions of giant panda welfare. This approach underscores the importance of effective communication in educational initiatives, aiming to enhance public literacy and knowledge about animal welfare. By addressing the complexity and variability in tourists' perceptions, the proposed framework contributes to more impactful conservation education efforts. The study demonstrates that a collaborative effort results in a benchmarking framework that is firmly grounded in theoretical foundations yet flexible enough to adapt based on visitors' insights and animal participation. Ultimately, this comprehensive approach ensures that educational initiatives resonate with tourists' diverse backgrounds, fostering a deeper understanding and commitment to animal welfare and conservation, which, we argue, should be key components of sustainable tourism.

Animal healer for refractory diseases: Myth or reality?

A vast amount of knowledge has been acquired through human activities such as farming, hunting, and fishing. Throughout history, humans have utilized living creatures for disease treatment, relying on the natural world's healing powers. The special "healers" may be able to treat patients via the power of nature. However, there was no systematic introduction or summary of these treatments. Therefore, we conducted a literature review based on PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI and WanFang DATA. Here, we defined this unique method as "animal healer" and six common kinds of animal healers were reviewed. These are fish therapy, pet therapy, worm therapy, leech therapy, maggot therapy, and bee therapy. According to the different characteristics of healers, treatment methods mainly included bite, parasitism, contact and communication. With the advantages of green and effectiveness, animal healers have great therapy potential against a variety of refractory diseases. The main purpose of this review is to draw people's attention to animal healer, promote it to become a possible clinical treatment strategy, and make further exploration in species cultivation, mechanism research, animal welfare, standard setting, safety evaluation and other aspects. In the future, animal healers will play an increasingly important role in medicine and hopefully solve more medical problems and dilemmas.

The Welfare of Dogs as an Aspect of the Human-Dog Bond: A Scoping Review

The close bond that can exist between humans and their dogs is an important aspect of the evolutionary, economic, and social connections between the two species. There is a need for a better understanding of the place of the dog within the human-dog bond and on ways the human-dog bond affects dog welfare. We conducted a scoping review to investigate to what extent and in what ways dog welfare is addressed in the research literature on the human-dog bond. We identified 706 publications on the human-dog bond from across the globe that were published from 2012 to 2023. We found that 246 of these 706 publications had a focus on dog welfare. Our review showed that the interplay of characteristics and backgrounds of owners/handlers and their dogs was linked to dog welfare in multiple, both positive and negative, ways. Our review is limited by the fact that most of the research that we reviewed involved pet dogs and in majority came from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic (WEIRD) societies. There is a need for a better understanding of how the human-dog bond affects the welfare of working, assistance, and service dogs.

Review: Exploring the use of precision livestock farming for small ruminant welfare management

Small ruminant (sheep and goat) production of meat and milk is undertaken in diverse topographical and climatic environments and the systems range from extensive to intensive. This could lead to different types of welfare compromise, which need to be managed. Implementing Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) and other new or innovative technologies could help to manage or monitor animal welfare. This paper explores such opportunities, seeking to identify promising aspects of PLF that may allow improved management of welfare for small ruminants using literature search (two reviews), workshops in nine countries (France, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom) with 254 stakeholders, and panels with 52 experts. An investigation of the main welfare challenges that may affect sheep and goats across the different management systems in Europe was undertaken, followed by a prioritisation of animal welfare issues obtained in the nine countries. This suggested that disease and health issues, feed access and undernutrition/malnutrition, maternal behaviour/offspring losses, environmental stressors and issues with agonistic behavioural interactions were important welfare concerns. These welfare issues and their indicators (37 for sheep, 25 for goats) were categorised into four broad welfare indicator categories: weight loss or change in body state (BWC), behavioural change (BC), milk yield and quality (MY), and environmental indicators (Evt). In parallel, 24 potential PLF and innovative technologies (8 for BWC; 10 for BC; 4 for MY; 6 for Evt) that could be relevant to monitor these broad welfare indicator categories and provide novel approaches to manage and monitor welfare have been identified. Some technologies had the capacity to monitor more than one broad indicator. Out of the 24 technologies, only 12 were animal-based sensors, or that could monitor the animal individually. One alternative could be to incorporate a risk management approach to welfare, using aspects of environmental stress. This could provide an early warning system for the potential risks of animal welfare compromise and alert farmers to the need to implement mitigation actions.

Pets at work: integrating pet-friendly initiatives into human resources for enhanced workplace harmony

AIMS

The representation of companion animals, or pets, has been changing recently. Research concerning how pets influence employees' work-related well-being has also started to take its first steps. This research aimed to analyze (1) how managers perceive pet-friendly practices and their main effects at work, and (2) the impact of such practices on employees' well-being and work engagement. Relying on the social exchange perspective and the self-determination theory it was hypothesized that pet-friendly practices would positively influence employees' well-being and work engagement by satisfying their three basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness).

METHODOLOGY

Two studies with mixed methods were conducted. The first and exploratory study resorted to semi-structured interviews with six managers. The second was a two-wave study conducted with a large sample of workers (N = 379).

RESULTS

The first study highlighted the primary advantages and disadvantages of pet-friendly practices, along with the various obstacles and limitations, and proposed managerial strategies to overcome them. Managers generally expressed interest and enthusiasm about the topic but also pointed out challenges in implementing a pet-friendly strategy due to the limited number of empirical studies demonstrating its benefits. The second study's findings indicated that pet-friendly practices positively impacted employees' work engagement and well-being by fulfilling their needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.

ORIGINALITY

Overall, Portugal is seen as having a conservative culture, which slows the dissemination and implementation of these measures. To overcome these challenges, several managerial recommendations have been proposed. Raising awareness and fostering discussion on the topic are crucial steps toward integrating pet-friendly policies into human resources management.

Animal welfare during transport, evolution, and perspectives of European Union Legislation and Policy

In the one health approach, which summarizes the concept that human, animal, and plant health are interdependent and linked to the ecosystems in which they exist, animal welfare assumes an important role. In addition, the Farm to Fork Strategy of the European Union recognizes animal welfare as an essential component. Transport of animals involves a number of issues related to welfare. Animals are subjected to continuous stress, not only during transit on vehicles, vessels, trains, or airplanes, but also during loading and unloading operations. The handling and transport conditions have improved from basic and relatively rudimentary systems, with elements to attenuate the discomfort of animals having been gradually introduced, especially for long-distance transport. Despite several improvements in animal welfare standards during transportation there are still pressing issues in current EU legislation which deserve reviewing. Recently, several scientific opinions on animal welfare, including during transport, have been published by the European Food Safety Agency, following requests by the European Commission. In addition, the European Court of Auditors published its last report focused on animal welfare during transport. These reports underline the need to review current legislation governing the topic and highlight a number of outstanding issues in the European Union and in Third Countries. This article summarizes the history and current status of this complex issue.

Pain Relief Interventions in Australian Livestock Husbandry: A Review of Animal Welfare and Pain Duration

In veterinary medicine and livestock production, ensuring good animal husbandry is vital for the physical and emotional wellbeing of animals under our care. Pain poses challenges for assessment and mitigation, especially in species unable to express pain overtly. This review examines current pain mitigation interventions in routine husbandry, focuses on the duration of pain after procedures and implications for animal welfare. Pain behaviours have been observed for days or weeks after regular husbandry procedures, and many studies have noted pain-related behaviour persisting until study finalisation, suggesting potential undocumented pain beyond study completion. Current products registered in Australia for pain mitigation in livestock primarily target immediate pain associated with procedures. The future of pain relief in livestock demands longer-acting solutions to address post-procedural pain adequately. Providing pain relief for at least 72 h post surgery is recommended, but current products require retreatment intervals to achieve this, posing practical challenges, especially in livestock. Methods of pain relief provision, such as voluntary consumption of medicated feed, transdermal medication delivery and long-acting formulations offer potential solutions for prolonged pain relief, with research ongoing in these areas. There is a need for further research and development of longer-acting pain relief to ensure optimal welfare of livestock.

Surveying the welfare of farmed fish species on a global scale through the fair-fish database

Fish welfare is a critical issue that needs to be addressed by the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. Scientific knowledge regarding the natural behaviors of species and the conditions in which they are kept in farms is essential for improving their welfare in aquaculture. To provide a consistent overview of the welfare of farmed fish, the organization fair-fish has created the online platform fair-fish database, which gathers ethological knowledge categorized into profiles of farmed aquatic species. The WelfareChecks on this platform are profiles based on criteria that are rated based on the likelihood and potential of the species to experience a high level of welfare in aquaculture systems, together with the certainty about the findings. A score (WelfareScore) is calculated from these ratings, serving as a reference to identify knowledge gaps, assess welfare, and suggest ways to improve it. Here, we performed an in-depth analysis of the species with WelfareChecks already published in the fair-fish database based on their respective WelfareScores. In general, although just a small percentage of farmed aquatic species (~5%) have at least a 20% chance of experiencing a good level of welfare under minimal aquaculture conditions, 60% of them have at least some potential to achieve good welfare under high-standard conditions, with more than a third of the species (~37%) having at least a 20% potential. Despite that, several species exhibit a very high frequency of low chances and potential for experiencing good welfare levels under aquaculture conditions, besides a low degree of certainty based on literature reviews. Furthermore, many others show a very frequent occurrence of unclear or nonexistent knowledge in their profiles. The current welfare state is therefore poor for the majority of farmed aquatic species; yet, there is considerable potential for improvement. However, many species are very unlikely to achieve good welfare, even under high-standard conditions. Importantly, large knowledge gaps remain for an accurate assessment of the welfare of several farmed species.

The first protocol for assessing the welfare of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) kept under nomadic pastoralism

There is no protocol to measure the welfare level of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarious) kept under pastoralism-the predominant husbandry system of this species. This study therefore aimed to develop and describe a protocol for measuring welfare levels in dromedary camels kept under nomadic pastoralist conditions-. The indicators for each welfare principle (i.e., Good Feeding, Good Housing, Good Health, and Appropriate Behavior) were tailored to the specific conditions of camel pastoralism, drawing from the currently available protocol for assessing welfare in dromedary camels kept in intensive and semi-intensive systems. This adaptation was achieved using a structured literature search and Expert Knowledge Elicitation (EKE). The developed protocol, covering animal-, resource-, and management-based indicators, comprises two assessment levels: 'Caretaker-Herd level' and 'Animal level'. The Caretaker-Herd level is a face-to-face interview of about 10 min including 16 questions, spit into the four welfare principles, and a visual observation of applied animal handling practices. The 'Animal level' encompasses a behavioral observation and a visual clinical inspection of randomly selected individual dromedary camels, about 5 min/camel. The 'Animal level' includes 27 welfare indicators displayed for each welfare principle. The present study also includes the score for each indicator, the model for aggregating indicators' scores into compound indices for each welfare principle (PAI), and how to classify the herds based on the PAIs or to produce an overall welfare index for each herd. Even if the proposed protocol needs to be applied, refined, and validated, it is a first step toward a standardized method to collect data related to dromedary camel welfare kept under pastoralism. This framework may ultimately guide herd managers, animal health practitioners, experienced advisers, and lawmakers in fostering optimal conditions and proposing welfare standards for dromedary camels in pastoralist settings.

The Animal Welfare Consequences and Moral Implications of Lethal and Non-Lethal Fox Control Methods

Control methods are applied worldwide to reduce predation on livestock by European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Lethal methods can inflict suffering; however, moral debate about their use is lacking. Non-lethal methods can also inflict suffering and can unintentionally lead to death, and yet both the welfare consequences and ethical perspectives regarding their use are rarely discussed. The aim of this study was to investigate the animal welfare consequences, the level of humaneness, the ethical considerations and the moral implications of the global use of fox control methods according to Tom Regan's animal rights view and Peter Singer's utilitarian view. According to Regan, foxes ought not to be controlled by either lethal or potentially harmful non-lethal methods because this violates the right of foxes not to be harmed or killed. According to Singer, if an action maximises happiness or the satisfaction of preferences over unhappiness or suffering, then the action is justified. Therefore, if and only if the use of fox control methods can prevent suffering and death in livestock in a manner that outweighs comparable suffering and death in foxes is one morally obligated to use them. It is clear that lethal fox control methods and some non-lethal methods are inhumane.

Comparative Analysis of Broiler Housing Systems: Implications for Production and Wellbeing

This study compares the effects of modern colony cage systems and traditional floor systems on the production and welfare of broiler chickens. Through two trials spanning 35 days each, we evaluated various physiological parameters, including growth performance, bone health, stress responses, and meat quality. Colony cages demonstrated superior thermal regulation and growth performance compared to traditional floor systems, but also exhibited higher frequencies of leg deformity and reduced standing ability. Conversely, the broilers in traditional floor systems experienced heat stress-related challenges, impacting the meat quality. Our findings underscore the need to balance productivity with animal welfare in broiler farming practices. By understanding the distinct impacts of different housing systems, we can work towards improving broiler rearing methods to ensure optimal welfare and production outcomes.

Review: Space allowance for growing pigs: animal welfare, performance and on-farm practicality

There is considerable variation in the recommended minimum space allowance for growing pigs in scientific literature, and growing pressure, arising from recent reviews of current animal welfare standards for pigs, to increase the minimum space allowances set in legislation in some countries (e.g., European Union countries and New Zealand). The space provided for growing pigs needs to accommodate their physical body size in addition to social behaviour, activity, and essential functional behaviours. However, recommended minimum space allowances vary according to criteria such as temperature, live weight, flooring type, group size, behaviour, and enrichment availability. Though there may be justification for increasing current space requirements, this will present a practical issue on existing farms and could even result in unintended negative welfare outcomes, depending on how farmers address an increased requirement for space. This is not helped by inconsistent scientific approaches to assessing the effect of space on pig performance, and a lack of information on how space allowance impacts a pig's affective state. This review explores the scientific basis of the most common approaches to determining minimum space allowances for growing pigs and discusses the various factors that influence and interact with their spatial requirements. Consideration is given to their nutrition, physical environment, health, and behaviour to understand the welfare, performance, and practicality implications of differing recommendations for space allowance. More research is needed that investigates a range of space allowances to better understand the relationship between animal welfare and performance outcomes, and space allowance. This must replicate commercial conditions so that recommendations are relevant, future-focused, and achieve positive welfare outcomes in a practical but meaningful manner.

Global Overview of Environmental Enrichment Studies: What Has Been Done and Future Directions

(1) Background: Environmental enrichment (EE) is a management principle aimed at meeting the needs of animals under human care by identifying and providing essential environmental stimuli to contribute to the integrity of their psychological and physiological well-being. Studies on EE have been carried out worldwide, but consolidated information on how it has been used, who it has been used for, how it has been evaluated, and what gaps still exist in the subject is scarce in the scientific literature. This study assessed, employing a systematic review, the global scenario of research into EE in animals kept under human care over the last 17 years, answering the above-mentioned questions. (2) Methods: A search for EE papers was carried out in the Web of Science and Scopus databases from January 2005 to December 2021, resulting in 2002 articles from which information was extracted. (3) Results: Results showed an increase in the number of articles published on EE, especially in farms, but studies in laboratory environments continue to be more frequent. Mammals and birds are the most studied animal groups. Cognitive enrichment is the least utilised by researchers. The number of publications by researchers from countries in the southern hemisphere is low. (4) Conclusions: Although the technique of EE is being widely used, it is still focused on certain groups of animals in certain captive environments and carried out mainly in the northern hemisphere of the planet. Therefore, the gaps pointed out here need to be filled by future studies.

Animal Feed Formulation-Connecting Technologies to Build a Resilient and Sustainable System

The unprecedented challenges presented by the increase in global population have placed substantial demands on the livestock industry for human nutrition, necessitating heightened animal productivity and leading to an increased demand for natural resources to produce animal feed. Feed producers are leading the charge, consistently refining formulations to adapt to the evolving needs of livestock, driven in part by the cost of over 50% associated with feed production. This paper critically analyses the pressing issues within feed formulation, addressing the requirement for environmentally sustainable practices amidst the challenges of climate change. The exploration extends to how advanced decision support tools can enhance formulation techniques and profitability and contribute to environmental sustainability. Through an in-depth review of current feed formulation technologies, encompassing their applications and limitations, this study aims to enhance the existing knowledge base. Additionally, we examined future trends, highlighting the essential role of connecting technologies to establish a resilient and sustainable system. The emphasis is on the potential of formulation techniques to positively impact the environment and enhance the overall quality and performance of the animals. This paper provides actionable insights to improve animal production by examining feed formulation models and decision support tools. The anticipated outcome is a more informed and sustainable decision-making process, addressing the multifaceted challenges confronted by the livestock industry and making contributions to global efforts in climate change mitigation and environmental stewardship in animal production agriculture.

The welfare of ill and injured feedlot cattle: a review of the literature and implications for managing feedlot hospital and chronic pens

By definition, ill and injured animals are on the negative valence of animal welfare. For beef cattle kept in feedlot settings, advances in cattle health management have resulted in a greater understanding and prevention of illness and injury. However, the management of cattle once they become ill and injured is an understudied area, and there are gaps in knowledge that could inform evidence-based decision-making and strengthen welfare for this population. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the acquired knowledge regarding ill and injured feedlot cattle welfare, focusing on existing knowledge gaps and implications for hospital and chronic pen management and welfare assurance. Ill and injured feedlot cattle consist of acutely impaired animals with short-term health conditions that resolve with treatment and chronically impaired animals with long-term health conditions that may be difficult to treat. A literature search identified 110 articles that mentioned welfare and ill and injured feedlot cattle, but the population of interest in most of these articles was healthy cattle, not ill and injured cattle. Articles about managing ill and injured cattle in specialized hospital (n = 12) or chronic (n = 2) pens were even more sparse. Results from this literature search will be used to outline the understanding of acutely and chronically ill and injured feedlot cattle, including common dispositions and welfare considerations, behavior during convalescence, and strategies for identifying and managing ill and injured cattle. Finally, by working through specific ailments common in commercial feedlot environments, we illustrate how the Five Domains Model can be used to explore feelings and experiences and subsequent welfare state of individual ill or injured feedlot cattle. Using this approach and our knowledge of current industry practices, we identify relevant animal-based outcomes and critical research questions to strengthen knowledge in this area. A better understanding of this overlooked topic will inform future research and the development of evidence-based guidelines to help producers care for this vulnerable population.

Perceptions of Animal Welfare on Livestock: Evidence from College Agronomy Students in Costa Rica

Ethical considerations regarding our treatment of animals have gained strength, leading to legislation and a societal focus across various disciplines. This is a subject of study within curricula related to agri-food sciences. The aim was to determine the perceptions of agronomy university students concerning animal welfare in livestock production systems. A survey was conducted to encompass various aspects, from participants' sociodemographic attributes to their attitudes and behaviors regarding animal welfare and the consumption of animal products. Statistical analysis, performed using R software, delved into the associations between participants' characteristics and their perspectives on the ethical, bioethical, and legal dimensions of animal welfare. Associations between demographic factors and ethical viewpoints among students were identified. Gender differences emerged in animal treatment perceptions, while rural and urban environments impacted perspectives on various animals. Bioethical considerations revealed distinctive disparities based on gender and education in concerns regarding animal welfare, value perceptions, evaluations of animal behaviors, and opinions on animal research. It is crucial to distinguish between animal welfare and the ethical considerations arising from coexisting with sentient beings capable of experiencing suffering. Ethical theories provide a lens through which we perceive our obligations toward animals. The responsibility to ensure animal welfare is firmly rooted in recognizing that animals, like humans, experience pain and physical suffering. Consequently, actions causing unjustified suffering or mistreatment, particularly for entertainment purposes, are considered morally unacceptable.

The Easiest Becomes the Rule: Beliefs, Knowledge and Attitudes of Equine Practitioners and Enthusiasts Regarding Horse Welfare

Inadequate management conditions can impair the welfare of captive-bred horses. Understanding individuals' viewpoints and the factors influencing their decisions about adopting or avoiding certain practices may provide insights into their motivations and decision-making processes. This is particularly relevant in the equestrian community, where equine practitioners and enthusiasts often engage in harmful practices. We explored the beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes of equine practitioners and enthusiasts about horse welfare and the barriers that prevent them from employing better management practices that are essential to promoting horses' welfare. The study consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in person with 31 individuals directly involved in the equestrian environment in Brazil. Responses were analyzed through thematic analysis with a data-driven deductive approach. Participants' beliefs, knowledge and attitudes to horse welfare were divided into three themes. The first theme, "Let the horse be a horse", captured participants' perceptions about how physical and mental aspects related to the nature and welfare of horses. The second theme, "Everyone does it like that", includes the social norms that influence decisions about the practices that impact on the welfare of the horses. The third theme, "Beyond utopia: how and why horses are managed the way they are", covered barriers that participants perceived as impediments to the use of best practices for the welfare of horses. While participants demonstrated awareness of welfare issues and acknowledged factors that negatively impact horses, there was a notable discrepancy between this knowledge and the implementation of improved management practices. This could be explained by several perceived barriers to implementing management practices that could enhance horse welfare, including lack of financial resources, limited physical space, shortage of qualified labor, time constraints, inadequate tools, and insufficient knowledge. Additionally, we identified deeply rooted social norms within the equestrian community and culturally established practices that limit approaches to horse welfare. Participants underscored the influence of these norms and different interpretations of "letting the horse be a horse" based on the horse's value and purpose. Concerning low-value horses, the primary justifications for stall housing and concentrated feeding were linked to elevated costs involved in spatial demands and labor; in contrast, for high-value horses used in performance and aesthetics, the arguments shifted to potential benefits to the horses' well-being. From an ethical perspective, ideally, individuals should refrain from owning horses if they cannot ensure the animals' welfare. Additionally, if the equestrian community neglects public attitudes towards animal welfare, it risks eroding its social license.

Coming to Terms with the Legacies of the Pound Model in Animal Sheltering in the United States

This paper examines the legacies of the emergence of the animal control and sheltering industry in the United States and their impact on contemporary public animal shelters. While decades of gradual reform have helped substantially reduce the number of animals entering shelters and being killed there, contemporary animal sheltering largely continues to follow the path set when animal sheltering developed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Three key interrelated legacies of the pound model of early animal control and sheltering enduringly shape sheltering today: (1) the institutional culture of animal shelters grounded in the logics of caging and killing; (2) the lack of visibility and transparency, especially within government shelters; and (3) the economic logics of the pound model, including the disparities in sheltering resources across communities. Examining the origins of animal control and sheltering and identifying the specific legacies of this pound model within contemporary government-funded shelters improves understanding of why such shelters in the US have developed with a particular set of practices and ideologies, and thus provides an important footing for envisioning and enacting radical changes in animal sheltering.

Knowledge and perception about the welfare and mistreatment of dogs in Brazil

Animal welfare encompasses the overall well-being of an animal, spanning both its physical and mental health, assessable through potential measurements. It stands in contrast to mistreatment, which involves actions, direct or indirect, that endanger an animal's well-being. This study sought to appraise the factors influencing the Brazilian population's understanding of dog welfare and mistreatment. The survey questions were adapted from the Animal Welfare Examination Protocol, utilized by veterinarians to evaluate suspected passive abuse cases in dogs. Out of 1377 responses, 1353 were valid and analyzed. Among the 19 assessed indicators, 15 demonstrated an adequate response rate surpassing 90% of all 1353 responses. However, for three questions related to comfort, a smaller yet notable percentage of responses were only minimally adequate. Moreover, in one question within the comfort assessment, 186 participants (13.74%) provided inadequate responses. This implies that these people could potentially subject animals to a state of low Animal Welfare. Lack of knowledge emerged as a potential root of passive abuse, specifically negligence. In the assessment of nutritional indicators, water supply and quality received unanimous adequate responses. In evaluating comfort perceptions, significant associations were noted between gender, dog ownership, family income, and responses regarding resting surface. Regarding health indicators, the majority responded appropriately. Female gender and dog ownership correlated with providing the appropriate response, while not owning a dog was associated with minimally adequate responses. In the context of comfort indicators, "Hitting the Dog" also demonstrated an association with gender, with females tending towards appropriate responses. Given the lack of significant correlation between educational levels and the most suitable responses, it underscores the urgency of implementing environmental education programs in schools with a focus on animal protection.

Toward an integrated ethical review process: an animal-centered research framework for the refinement of research procedures

The involvement of animals in research procedures that can harm them and to which they are deemed unable to consent raises fundamental ethical dilemmas. While current ethical review processes emphasize the application of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement), grounded in a human-centered utilitarian ethical approach, a comprehensive ethical review also involves a harm-benefit analysis and the consideration of wider ethical issues. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, approaches are still needed to facilitate the integrative assessment and iterative revision of research designs to improve their ethical value or to identify cases in which using animals is irremediably unethical. Additionally, frameworks are lacking that explicitly include an animal-centered perspective into the ethical review process beyond welfare concerns, failing to cover broader ethical considerations (such as consent). In previous work we proposed an Animal-Centered Research framework (ACRf) comprising four animal-centered research principles (relevance, impartiality, welfare and consent) which could help researchers and ethical review bodies apprise research designs from an animal-centered perspective. This paper builds on and further develops our previous work by contextualizing the ACRf within the bigger picture of animal research ethical review and by illustrating how the ACRf could be operationalized within current ethical review processes. We contribute an extended framework that integrates the application of the ACRf principles within the ethical review process. To this end, we present findings from a theoretical case study focusing on the ethical review of a research protocol on the study of stress response in pigs. We discuss how our extended framework could be easily applied to facilitate a holistic approach to the ethical review process, and inform an iterative process of refinement, to support the development of research designs that are both more ethical and scientifically valid.

Health and Welfare Benefits of Computerized Cognitive Enrichment in California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) at the US Navy Marine Mammal Program

Cognitive enrichment is becoming more prevalent in professional marine mammal facilities. Research with dolphins has suggested that such enrichment provides more welfare benefits than enrichment that does not incorporate cognitive challenge. However, there is little research supporting the use of cognitive enrichment as a means to improve the welfare of sea lions. Recently, a novel form of technological cognitive enrichment, the Enclosure Video Enrichment (EVE) system, was introduced to a population of California sea lions at the US Navy's Marine Mammal Program as a means to enhance welfare. Two of the initial focal animals introduced to EVE were selected based on their health history and the possible benefits of cognitive enrichment in improving health measures. To evaluate this, information regarding the animals' consumption of their offered diet was compared to other animals in the population of similar age and the absence of a similar health history. Subsequently, the total diet consumption of the targeted animals was evaluated in the two years prior to the introduction to EVE and compared to the total diet consumption during the initial 2 years of regular EVE sessions. There was a significant decrease in the number of days in which the sea lions did not consume their entire offered diet in the two years after implementing regular EVE sessions, an increase in participation and performance of voluntary husbandry behaviors, and a reduction in the number of days animals were clinically ill. This study provides evidence of cognitive enrichment as a management tool to improve animal health and welfare as well as performance in training sessions.

The Levels of Cortisol and Selected Biochemical Parameters in Red Deer Harvested during Stalking Hunts

As a reactive species, the red deer is sensitive to both negative exogenous and endogenous stimuli. An intensive hunting period may have a particularly negative impact on game animals. The aim of this study was to determine the plasma cortisol level and biochemical parameters in 25 wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) harvested during stalking hunts in correlation with the sex and age of the animals. The mean cortisol concentrations in the stags and hinds analyzed in this study were similar (20.2 and 21.5 ng/mL, respectively). Higher HDL cholesterol values were found in the blood of the hinds than in stags (p < 0.05). Similarly, the mean levels of LDL cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase, and alanine aminotransferase were higher by 21%, 16%, and 42%, respectively, in the blood of the hinds. In contrast, the levels of alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, and aspartate aminotransferase were higher in the stags (by 30%, 49%, and 36%, respectively). There was a negative correlation of the cortisol concentration with urea and bilirubin and a positive correlation between cortisol and aspartate aminotransferase in the stags (p < 0.05). In turn, a negative correlation was found between the cortisol and urea levels in the hinds (p < 0.05). In summary, the stress caused by stalking hunts and the characteristic behavior of red deer during the mating season had an impact on chosen biochemical parameters. The increased concentration of cortisol resulted in a decrease in the carcass mass, which may lead to the deterioration of the physical condition of animals on hunting grounds.

Relationship between Ear Temperature, Behaviour and Stress Hormones in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus) during Different Interactive Activities in Zoos

Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are used for interactive activities in zoos; therefore, it is important to investigate their welfare. This study aimed to evaluate the validity of measuring the guinea pigs' body temperature of guinea pigs through the ear canal and investigate the relationship among changes in the expression of negative behavior, changes in body temperature, and changes in salivary cortisol concentration, and examine the effects of different interactive activities. In the normal interactive activities performed at the site, the decreased body temperature of pigs was observed over time. In contrast, increased body temperature was observed in excessive interactive activities, which are not recommended. Among the negative behaviors, "Head turning" and "Locomotion" increased significantly in excessive interactions compared to normal interactions, but "Head tossing" decreased significantly over time in both types of interactions. "Freezing" was observed only in excessive interactions. Salivary cortisol concentration increased significantly for all activities. Investigating the relationship between the individual expression of negative behavior and changes in body temperature and changes cortisol level made it possible to uncover the potential for inferring an animal's physiological state. Combining ear temperature monitoring and behavioral observation during zoo interaction activities is recommended as an ethical and scientifically supported practice.

Behavioral and physiological responses of horses to ground-based adaptive horsemanship lessons for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Little literature exists on horses in adaptive horsemanship (AH) despite concerns about their well-being. The study objective was to evaluate behavioral and physiological responses of horses to ground-based AH lessons for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Lessons were expected to alter horses' hormone concentrations, behavior, and muscle activity. Geldings were assigned to AH (n=6; 20.3 ± 1.9 yrs., mean ± SE) or control (CON; stall in arena, n=6; 13.8 ± 1.7 yrs.) conditions for 8-week sessions based on current occupation (AH = equine-assisted services; CON = recreational riding). Plasma cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and oxytocin concentrations from samples at 0 (start of lesson), 3, 5, 25, and 30 (end) min were determined using assays validated in horses. Surface electromyography (sEMG) (masseter and brachiocephalic; Noraxon, Scottsdale, AZ, USA) and video were recorded continuously. Average rectified values (ARV) and median frequency (MF) were calculated (100 ms) after sEMG data were normalized, rectified, and filtered. The number, number of unique, and duration of stress related behaviors (ethogram) were recorded by three trained (ĸ ≥ 0.7) observers. Data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVAs (significance P ≤ 0.05) with fixed effects of treatment, time point, week, and their interactions as appropriate and random effect of horse. CON horses had elevated cortisol concentrations (P = 0.0023) at 25 and 30 min. AH horses displayed fewer (P ≤ 0.0491) stress related and unique behaviors. CON horses were described as more (P < 0.0001) anxious, nervous, and stressed than AH horses (calm, comfortable, patient, and relaxed) in qualitative behavior analysis (22 observers). AH horses were less stressed than CON horses.

A new approach and insights on modelling the impact of production diseases on dairy cow welfare

Animal welfare is becoming an important consideration in animal health-related decision-making. Integrating considerations of animal welfare into the decision-making process of farmers involves recognising the significance of health disorder impacts in relation to animal welfare. Yet little research quantifies the impact, making it difficult to include animal welfare in the animal health decision-making process. Quantifying the impact of health disorders on animal welfare is incredibly challenging due to empirical animal-based data collection constraints. An approach to circumvent these constraints is to rely on expert knowledge whereby perceived welfare impairment weights are indicative of the negative welfare effect. In this research, we propose an expertise-based method to quantify the perceived impact of sub-optimal mobility (SOM) on the welfare of dairy cows, because of its welfare importance. We first quantified perceived welfare impairment weights of SOM by eliciting expert knowledge using adaptive conjoint analysis (ACA). Second, using the perceived welfare impairment weights, we derived the perceived welfare disutility (i.e., perceived negative welfare effect) of mobility scores 1-5 (1 = optimal mobility, 5 = severely impaired mobility). Third, using the perceived welfare disutility per mobility score, we quantified the perceived welfare impact at case- and herd-level of SOM for different SOM severity. Results showed that perceived welfare disutility increased with each increase in mobility score. However, the perceived welfare impact of SOM cases with lower mobility scores was higher compared to SOM cases with higher mobility scores. This was because of the longer-lasting duration of the SOM cases with lower mobility scores. Moreover, the perceived herd-level welfare impact was largely due to SOM cases with lower mobility scores because of the longer duration and more frequent incidence compared to the SOM cases with higher mobility scores. These results entail that better welfare of dairy cows with respect to SOM can be achieved if lower mobility scores are detected and treated sooner. Our research demonstrates a novel approach that quantifies the perceived impact of health disorders on animal welfare when empirical evidence is limited.

Anatomy and Physiology of Water Buffalo Mammary Glands: An Anatomofunctional Comparison with Dairy Cattle

The present review aims to analyze the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the mammary gland and udders of water buffalo by making an anatomofunctional comparison with dairy cattle. It will also discuss the knowledge generated around the physiological regulation of milk ejection in the water buffalo. It was found that buffalo's average udder depth and width is approximately 20 cm smaller than Bos cattle. One of the main differences with dairy cattle is a longer teat canal length (around 8.25-11.56 cm), which highly influences buffalo milking. In this sense, a narrower teat canal (2.71 ± 0.10 cm) and thicker sphincter muscle are associated with needing higher vacuum levels when using machine milking in buffalo. Moreover, the predominant alveolar fraction of water buffalo storing 90-95% of the entire milk production is another element that can be related to the lower milk yields in buffalo (when compared to Bos cattle) and the requirements for prolonged prestimulation in this species. Considering the anatomical characteristics of water buffalo's udder could help improve bubaline dairy systems.

Welfare Implications for Tigers in Travelling Circuses

There are very few studies that have focused on species-specific welfare implications for tigers in a travelling circus. The absence of scientific evidence to inform nationwide legislation means that tigers are still commonly used in travelling circuses across the world. A systematic review of relevant published studies was conducted using the bibliographic databases Web of Science and Scopus, supplemented by a narrative search. In total, 42 relevant studies were identified that assessed the welfare of tigers in captivity, including circuses and zoos. Only eight papers assessed the welfare implications for tigers in circuses directly, evidencing the lack of research in this area. Given that circuses provide a sub-optimal environment compared to zoos, implications for tiger welfare were also inferred from zoo research, within the Five Domains framework. Collectively, these papers infer that the travelling nature of a circus often negatively impacts the welfare domains of nutrition, physical environment, health, and mental state. This is due to limitations in enclosure size, as well as in both environmental and behavioural enrichment. There is also often difficulty in sourcing appropriate food and specialised routine veterinary care. The literature is divided concerning behavioural interactions, specifically whether training can improve welfare by offering mental stimulation. However, circus performances are often associated with negative welfare due to noise disruption from spectators. The collective scientific evidence indicates that tigers are not well suited to circus living, due to the inability of a travelling circus to provide for their species-specific psychological, physiological, and behavioural needs.

The behavior and welfare of neglected species: some examples from fish and mammals

Animal welfare is the state of an animal's body and mind and the level to which its requirements are satisfied. Animal welfare is affected by human decisions and actions. Numerous decisions concerning animals are driven by human desires to enhance their own lives, and some of these decisions may be influenced by self-interest or a strong emphasis on economic factors. How to assess the welfare state of animals is a central issue in animal welfare science. Two critical questions can be used to address animal welfare: first, is the animal healthy, and second, does the animal have what it needs? Both of these questions can potentially be answered using the study of animal behavior. The development of behavioral methodologies is crucial for evaluating welfare in contexts where concern for animal welfare is often highest, such as on intensive modern farms and sites where working animals are used. Herein, we discuss animal welfare by focusing on some of its major concepts and explanations. Later, to illustrate key aspects of animal welfare, we chose to examine the information that is available for some 'neglected' livestock species, which are commercially important on a global basis and found in large numbers: buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), camels (Camelus dromedarius), donkeys (Equus asinus), mules (Equus asinus × Equus caballus), and lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus). We chose these species because there are major ongoing concerns about their welfare, and more research is required to help solve the various problems. Overall, there are strong imbalances in terms of the species that are usually studied in terms of animal welfare research, and we call for greater attention to those that have traditionally been neglected.

Acute post-orchiectomy pain does not reduce alpha rams' interest in feed resources

Sheep pain is an animal welfare issue monitored based on behavioral responses, including appetite. Dominant (alpha) males have priority for accessing limited feed resources, however, the effects of pain on feed interest in members of a group with defined social hierarchy are unknown. Our objective was to investigate effects of acute post-orchiectomy pain on alpha rams' interest in accessing a limited feed resource. Eighteen rams were randomly housed in pens of 3 rams. After acclimation, the first 5-d (consecutive) battery of a behavior test was performed. In this test, 180 g of the regular diet concentrate was placed in a portable trough in the center of the pen; this feed was supplemental to the diet and represented a limited, albeit strongly preferable feed resource. Rams were filmed for 5 min after the feed introduction. Hierarchical levels (alpha, beta, and gamma) were defined based on the social hierarchical index according to higher initiator and lower receptor agonistic behaviors from the social network analyses. After 15 d, a second 5-d behavioral test battery was repeated. On the following day, alpha rams were castrated. Flunixin meglumine was given immediately before surgery and a final behavioral test was performed 8 h post-orchiectomy, concurrent with an expected peak in postoperative pain. For all recordings, the latency, frequency, and duration of time that each ram had its mouth inside the feed trough were recorded, and the Unesp-Botucatu sheep acute pain scale pain scale (USAPS) was applied. The social hierarchical index was highest in alpha rams, followed by beta and gamma. The pain scores were statistically equivalent across the 11 evaluation days for beta and gamma rams, whereas there was an increase in the final evaluation for alpha. There was no difference in latency, frequency, and duration between alpha, beta, and gamma rams across evaluations. We concluded that acute post-orchiectomy pain did not decrease alpha rams' interest in accessing limited feed. Routine feeding offers a valuable chance to detect pain-related behavior using the USAPS in rams. However, dominance may confound appetite-related behaviors in assessing acute pain, as alpha rams' interest in limited feed remained unaffected by the pain.

Use of an expert elicitation methodology to compare welfare impacts of two approaches for blood sampling European badgers (Meles meles) in the field

In the UK and Republic of Ireland, the European badger (Meles meles) is considered the most significant wildlife reservoir of the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis, the cause of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). To expand options for bTB surveillance and disease control, the Animal and Plant Health Agency developed a bespoke physical restraint cage to facilitate collection of a small blood sample from a restrained, conscious badger in the field. A key step, prior to pursuing operational deployment of the novel restraint cage, was an assessment of the relative welfare impacts of the approach. We used an established welfare assessment model to elicit expert opinion during two workshops to compare the impacts of the restraint cage approach with the only current alternative for obtaining blood samples from badgers in the field, which involves administration of a general anaesthetic. Eleven panellists participated in the workshops, comprising experts in the fields of wildlife biology, animal welfare science, badger capture and sampling, and veterinary science. Both approaches were assessed to have negative welfare impacts, although in neither case were overall welfare scores higher than intermediate, never exceeding 5-6 out of a possible 8. Based on our assessments, the restraint cage approach is no worse for welfare compared to using general anaesthesia and possibly has a lower overall negative impact on badger welfare. Our results can be used to integrate consideration of badger welfare alongside other factors, including financial cost and efficiency, when selecting a field method for blood sampling free-living badgers.

Comparison of animal welfare assessment tools and methodologies: need for an effective approach for captive elephants in Asia

Welfare is a fundamental aspect of animal management and conservation. In light of growing public awareness and welfare concerns about captive elephants, there is an urgent need for comprehensive, globally coordinated efforts for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) that participate in religious, logging, or tourist activities in range countries where the majority reside, and where welfare issues have been identified but not addressed. This review provides a comparative analysis of available animal assessment tools. Each offers distinct features for assessment that allow institutions to select criteria for specific needs and available resources. Most are applied to general animal welfare assessments, although some are tailored to particular species, including elephants. The tools span diverse formats, from digital to primarily paper-based assessments. Assessments operate at individual and institutional levels and across multiple welfare domains. Methodologies rely on keeper ratings or expert evaluations, incorporate numerical scoring and Likert scales for welfare grading, and encompass inputs including behaviors, health, and physiological indicators. For tourist camp elephants, one challenge is that the tools were developed in zoos, which may or may not have application to non-zoological settings. Digital tools and assessment methodologies such as keeper ratings face logistical challenges when applied across tourist venues. As with any tool, reliability, validity, and repeatability are essential and must address the unique welfare challenges of diverse captive settings. We propose that a holistic, context-specific, evidence-based, and practical tool be developed to ensure high elephant welfare standards in non-zoological facilities throughout Asia.

Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses' Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress

Horses are often still exposed to stressful or inadequate conditions and difficult relationships with humans, despite growing concerns about animal welfare. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different approaches of short-term handling sessions on young Lusitanian horses raised on a high-breed farm, specifically on their later adaptability to humans and stressful environments. Thirty-one foals (3 months old ± 15 days), from both sexes, were separated into three groups, one submitted to 3 consecutive days of handling sessions (Int-H), another to one handling session each month for 3 months (Month-H), and one left undisturbed (control). At 8 months old ± 15 days, all foals were evaluated during behavioral tests (restraint in a stock and forced-person test). Evaluations were based on behavioral observations and physiological assessments. The handled foals (Int-H and Month-H) reacted less to being isolated and restrained and better tolerated human contact and veterinary procedures than the control ones. The handled foals displayed less evasive and negative behaviors toward human approach, but also sought less human contact and did not interact, regardless of the handling timeframe. All animals displayed signs of stress when restrained in the stock, with increased neutrophil counts and CHCM levels in the blood, and no differences in metabolic (CK and LDH) and other hematological parameters. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in handled foals than in control ones, suggesting low standards of welfare. Our data suggest that early forced handling decreases fearfulness in new environments; however, it does not improve the horses' relationship with humans, and it decreases welfare.

Flesh Without Blood: The Public Health Benefits of Lab-Grown Meat

Synthetic meat made from animal cells will transform how we eat. It will reduce suffering by eliminating the need to raise and slaughter animals. But it will also have big public health benefits if it becomes widely consumed. In this paper, we discuss how "clean meat" can reduce the risks associated with intensive animal farming, including antibiotic resistance, environmental pollution, and zoonotic viral diseases like influenza and coronavirus. Since the most common objection to clean meat is that some people find it "disgusting" or "unnatural," we explore the psychology of disgust to find possible counter-measures. We argue that the public health benefits of clean meat give us strong moral reasons to promote its development and consumption in a way that the public is likely to support. We end by depicting the change from farmed animals to clean meat as a collective action problem and suggest that social norms rather than coercive laws should be employed to solve the problem.

Dolphin-WET-Development of a Welfare Evaluation Tool for Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under Human Care

Ensuring high standards of animal welfare is not only an ethical duty for zoos and aquariums, but it is also essential to achieve their conservation, education, and research goals. While for some species, animal welfare assessment frameworks are already in place, little has been done for marine animals under human care. Responding to this demand, the welfare committee of the European Association for Aquatic Mammals (EAAM) set up a group of experts on welfare science, cetacean biology, and zoo animal medicine across Europe. Their objective was to develop a comprehensive tool to evaluate the welfare of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), named Dolphin-WET. The tool encompasses 49 indicators that were either validated through peer review or management-based expertise. The first of its kind, the Dolphin-WET is a species-specific welfare assessment tool that provides a holistic approach to evaluating dolphin welfare. Inspired by Mellor's Five Domains Model and the Welfare Quality®, its hierarchical structure allows for detailed assessments from overall welfare down to specific indicators. Through combining 37 animal-based and 12 resource-based indicators that are evaluated based on a two- or three-level scoring, the protocol offers a detailed evaluation of individual dolphins. This approach allows for regular internal monitoring and targeted welfare management, enabling caretakers to address specific welfare concerns effectively.

Guidance on Minimum Standards for Canine-Assisted Psychotherapy in Adolescent Mental Health: Delphi Expert Consensus on Health, Safety, and Canine Welfare

As interest in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and canine-assisted psychotherapy (CAP) grows, there are increasing calls for the management of related health, safety, and welfare concerns for canines, providers, and clients. Existing health and safety guidelines lack empirical support and are, at times, contradictory. Welfare is increasingly prioritized; however, tools to monitor and manage welfare are underutilized and under-reported. The aim of this study was to provide expert consensus on the minimum health, safety, and welfare standards required to develop and deliver a CAP group program to adolescents experiencing common mental health disorders. Diverse AAT experts were recruited globally. Using Delphi methodology, over two rounds, 40 panelists reached a consensus agreement to include 32 items from a possible 49 into the minimum standards. Health and safety measures included risk assessment, veterinary screening, preventative medicine, training in infection control, and first aid. Welfare measures included training in welfare assessment, documentation of welfare, and flexible, individualized responses to promote wellbeing. Intestinal screening for parasites and the prohibition of raw food were not supported. Flexible and individualized assessment and management of canine welfare were supported over fixed and time-limited work schedules. Clinical practice implications are discussed, and recommendations are made.

The Behavioral Cost of Care: Changes in Maintenance Behavior during Equine-Assisted Interventions

This study examined human-animal symbiosis in an animal-assisted intervention through observations of animal maintenance behaviors. The rise of psychotherapy, learning, and recreation incorporating animals warrants exploration of the welfare of the animals involved in these interventions. The analysis of welfare in multispecies engagements can be discussed in terms of symbiosis. Regarding an intervention's animal provider (e.g., therapy horse) and human recipient (psychotherapy client), the balance of cost and benefit is important. Research describing human and animal interactive behavior during interventions is limited, whether focusing on client outcomes or animal welfare. The present study adapted ethological methods to study humans and animals in an equine-assisted intervention, observing equine maintenance behaviors and equid-human interactive behavior. Maintenance behaviors were recorded before, during, and after equine-assisted (psychosocial) learning sessions with youth, providing 1600 observations. Equine alertness, eating behavior, and ambulation varied significantly before, during, and after the equine-assisted sessions. Such interruptions of typical behavior are an important aspect of welfare and unit of analysis when examining symbiotic relationships. A total of 267 sequences of equid-human approach-response behavior were also recorded, indicating that human-animal interaction was predominantly from humans toward equids. Equids' dominant response to human approach was no response, followed by avoidance, while humans' dominant response to equid approach was reciprocation. The findings are discussed in terms of symbiosis and animal welfare.

Guidelines for the establishment and functioning of Animal Ethics Commitees (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees) in Africa

Animals are used for scientific purposes across Africa to benefit humans, animals or the environment. Nonetheless, ethical and regulatory oversight remains limited in many parts of the continent. To strengthen this governance framework, the Pan-African Network for Laboratory Animal Science and Ethics brought together experts from 12 African countries to create an Africa-centric practical guide to facilitate the establishment and appropriate functioning of Institutional Animal Ethics Committees across Africa. The Guidelines are based on universal principles for the care and use of sentient animals for scientific purposes, with consideration of the cultural, religious, political and socio-economic diversity in Africa. They focus on 11 key elements, including responsibilities of institutions and of the Institutional Official; composition of the Committee; its responsibilities, functioning and authority; ethical application and review processes; oversight and monitoring of animal care and use and of training and competence; quality assurance; and the roles of other responsible parties. The intent is for African institutions to adopt and adapt the guidelines, aligning with existing national legislation and standards where relevant, thus ensuring incorporation into practice. More broadly, the Guidelines form an essential component of the growing discourse in Africa regarding moral considerations of, and appropriate standards for, the care and use of animals for scientific purposes. The increased establishment of appropriately functioning animal ethics committees and robust ethical review procedures across Africa will enhance research quality and culture, strengthen societal awareness of animals as sentient beings, improve animal well-being, bolster standards of animal care and use, and contribute to sustainable socio-economic development.

The Cetacean Sanctuary: A Sea of Unknowns

Housing cetaceans in netted sea pens is not new and is common for many accredited managed-care facilities. Hence, the distinction between sanctuary and sea pen is more about the philosophies of those who run these sanctuary facilities, the effects of these philosophies on the animals' welfare, and how proponents of these sanctuaries fund the care of these animals. Here, I consider what plans exist for cetacean sanctuaries and discuss the caveats and challenges associated with this form of activist-managed captivity. One goal for stakeholders should be to disregard the emotional connotations of the word "sanctuary" and explore these proposals objectively with the best interest of the animals in mind. Another focus should be related to gauging the public's understanding of proposed welfare benefits to determine if long-term supporters of donation-based sanctuary models will likely see their expectations met as NGOs and their government partners consider moving forward with cetacean sanctuary experiments.

Skepticism in the Early Stage of the Introduction of Environmental Enrichment in Japanese Zoos

This study examines the Japanese zoo staff's initial skepticism and bewilderment regarding animal welfare and environmental enrichment in the mid-1990s. Utilizing a 2001 questionnaire conducted by the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums and existing literature reveals that this resistance stemmed from inadequate information, cultural history, and legal perspectives on animal care. Specifically, environmental enrichment was initially misunderstood as an exhibition strategy, partly due to post-WWII trends in mobile zoos and legal views of animals as non-sentient under Japan's Animal Protection Law. The research highlights the early hurdles in adopting animal welfare and environmental enrichment in non-Western settings, aiming to provide insights for other regions dealing with similar transitional challenges. It also addresses misperceptions about environmental enrichment in the context of empathetic relationships and professional ethics in Japanese zoology, offering insights into regions facing similar issues. Additionally, the paper discusses the progression of animal welfare practices in Japanese zoos and related managerial challenges, acknowledging cultural and institutional factors. Despite regional differences, this study aims to contribute to understanding and improving the universal acceptance and application of animal welfare.

Active walking in broiler chickens: a flagship for good welfare, a goal for smart farming and a practical starting point for automated welfare recognition

Automated assessment of broiler chicken welfare poses particular problems due to the large numbers of birds involved and the variety of different welfare measures that have been proposed. Active (sustained, defect-free) walking is both a universally agreed measure of bird health and a behavior that can be recognized by existing technology. This makes active walking an ideal starting point for automated assessment of chicken welfare at both individual and flock level.

A perspective on ungulate management and welfare assessment across the traditional zoo to large landscape spectrum

Wild ungulates are managed in human care in a range of settings from traditional zoos to large ranches. These varied settings present different portfolios of risks for good or poor welfare, which leads some to question whether a particular setting is "good for welfare" and have frustrated others interested in comparing the welfare of ungulates across these settings. Differing housing and management scenarios present different challenges and opportunities in terms of welfare but this commentary posits that good welfare is possible in all of these settings. In this commentary, we also consider natural behaviors that may, at face value, compromise welfare and discuss how taking a long view on welfare addresses concerns about these behaviors, in part using arguments related to normal behavioral development that likely improves welfare at other life stages. We also highlight the role of motivation in seemingly welfare-compromising behaviors. Finally, some indicators of welfare that we believe transcend management scenarios, and are thus able to be compared across scenarios, are suggested.

Calming Hungarian Grey Cattle in Headlocks Using Processed Nasal Vocalization of a Mother Cow

Sound analysis is an important field of research for improving precision livestock farming systems. If the information carried by livestock sounds is interpreted correctly, it could be used to improve management and welfare assessment in this field. Therefore, we hypothesized that the nasal vocalization of a mother cow could have a calming effect on conspecifics. The nasal vocalization in our study was recorded from a mother cow (not part of the test herd) while it was licking its day-old calf. The raw sound was analyzed, cleaned from noises, and the most representative vocalization was lengthened to two minutes. Thirty cows having calves were randomly selected from eighty Hungarian grey cattle cows. Two test days were selected, one week apart; the weather circumstances in both days were similar. The herd was collected in a paddock, and the test site (a restraining crate with a headlock) was 21 m away from them. The cows from the herd were gently moved to the restraining crate, and, after the installation of the headlock, Polar® heart rate monitors were fixed on the animals. The recording of the RR intervals was carried out for two minutes. On day one of the test, the processed nasal sound was played to every second cow during the heart rate monitoring. When the sound ended, the heart rate monitor was removed. On test day two, the sound and no sound treatments were switched among the participating cows. At the end of the measurement, the headlock was opened, letting the animals out voluntarily, and a flight test was performed along a 5 m distance. The time needed to pass the 5 m length was measured with a stopwatch and divided by the distance. The RR intervals were analyzed with the Kubios HRV Standard (ver. 3.5.0) software. The following data were recorded for the entire measurement: average and maximum heart rate; SD1 and SD2; pNN50; VLF, LF, and HF. The quasi-periodic signal detected in the sound analyses can hardly be heard, even when it is enhanced to the maximum. This can be considered a vibration probably caused by the basis of articulation, such as a vibration of the tongue, for example. The SD2/SD1 ratio (0.97 vs. 1.07 for the animals having no sound and sound played, respectively, p = 0.0110) and the flight speed (0.92 vs. 1.08 s/m for the animals having no sound and sound played, respectively, p = 0.0409) indicate that the sound treatment had a calming effect on the restrained cows. The day of the test did not influence any of the measured parameters; therefore, no effect of the routine was observed. The yes-no sequence of the sound treatment significantly reduced the pNN50 and flight speed values, suggesting a somewhat more positive association with the headlock and the effectiveness of the processed nasal sound. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that, by means of sound analyses, not only information about individuals and the herd can be gathered but that, with proper processing, the sound obtained can be used to improve animal welfare.

A retrospective study on the prevalence of main clinical findings in brown bears (Ursus arctos) rescued from substandard husbandry conditions

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are kept under varied captive conditions, some of which may greatly compromise their welfare. FOUR PAWS is an NGO that rescues some of these bears kept in substandard conditions and houses them in species-appropriate sanctuaries, where preventive and reactive veterinary care is provided. This retrospective study aims to provide an overview of pathologies and clinical abnormalities reported in veterinary records and their prevalence according to body system affected and pre-rescue bear origin. Origin was categorised as subzoo (bears coming from substandard zoos), dancing (used to "dance" upon a music cue), restaurant (used to attract clients), private keeping (used for various purposes, such as photo props), circus (used for shows), and bear-baiting (exploited for hunting dog training in baiting stations). Clinical findings were extracted from reports of veterinary examinations done from 2006 to 2021, during rescue, routinely, in response to clinical signs, and/or post-mortem. Their prevalence was calculated according to the body system affected and neoplasia (specific group independent from the organ) over the findings' total number. Prevalence was also calculated according to pre-rescue origin (general and relative values in proportion to the number of reports per origin). Results refer to 302 veterinary reports of 114 bears examined, rescued from 1998 to 2021, with the age at rescue varying from a few months to 30 years (median 13 years). The total number of clinical findings was 1,003, and the systems with more findings were oral cavity (56.0%), abdominal cavity and digestive system (7.9%), integumentary (7.9%), ocular systems (7.7%), and musculoskeletal (7.6%). Findings involving other body systems and neoplasia were less prevalent (≤2.8%). Results showed a higher prevalence of some clinical findings for bears rescued from certain origins compared to others. Straightforward associations between pre-rescue origin and clinical findings were not feasible due to unknown anamnesis and details on pre-rescue conditions, and because some housing and management characteristics might be transversal to origins. Results suggest that bears rescued from certain origins were prone to specific clinical findings, supporting the need for the creation of ad hoc preventive veterinary and husbandry management plans after rescue, thus contributing to the improvement of captive bear welfare.

Aquarium Visitors Catch Some Rays: Rays Are More Active in the Presence of More Visitors

Humans are a constant in the lives of captive animals, but the effects of human-animal interactions vary. Research on the welfare impacts of human-animal interactions focus predominantly on mammals, whereas fish have been overlooked. To address this lack of research, we assessed the impacts of aquarium visitors on the behaviors of ten members of four elasmobranch species: an Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis sabina), four southern stingrays (Hypanus americanus), two blue-spotted maskrays (Neotrygon kuhlii), and three fiddler rays (Trygonorrhina dumerilii). The rays engaged in a significantly higher proportion of active behaviors and a lower proportion of inactive behaviors when visitor density levels were high; however, there were no significant changes for negative or social behaviors. Individual analyses indicated that all three fiddler rays and one of the southern stingrays' active behaviors differed across visitor density levels, whereas there was no association between active behavior and visitor density levels for the other rays. Further research is needed to determine whether this pattern is an adaptive or maladaptive response to visitors, but this research provides much needed initial data on activity budgets within elasmobranch species.