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Mogre J, Adzitey F, Teye G, Birteeb P. Cattle transporters' attitudes, indigenous knowledge, and current practices towards animal welfare, occupational well-being, and operational challenges: A survey of five regions in Ghana. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27317. [PMID: 38500988 PMCID: PMC10945195 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Ghana is a significant cattle producer in Africa with an estimated cattle population of 3 million in 2020 [1]. The role of transporters in linking farms to markets and slaughterhouses is crucial in the livestock value chain. However, cattle transportation subjects the animals to high levels of stress, compromising their welfare, and transporters face challenges such as long working hours and harsh conditions. The objective of this study was to explore current practices, indigenous knowledge, and operational risks pertaining to animal welfare among transporters. The study was conducted in five regions connected by the N16, N10, and N6 Highway, the primary route for cattle transportation from the Ghana-Burkina Faso border to the coastal capital of Accra. A total of 78 transporters participated in the study. Out of the 78 participants in this study, the majority of transporters were young adults (56.5%) with secondary school education (45.9%) and 0-5 years of experience (37.2%). The average distance and time for transporting cattle was 528 km and 18 h, respectively. The transporters highlighted significant challenges encountered during cattle transport, including feed and water shortage, particularly prominent during the dry season (32.1%), as well as the occurrence of diseases and mortality, particularly high during the rainy season (41%). Furthermore, vehicular breakdowns were a common issue reported by transporters, with a substantial majority (88.5%) experiencing breakdowns during their last 10 trips. The results showed that most transporters (84.7%) had limited knowledge of animal welfare and had not received any formal education on livestock transportation. Instead, they gained experience as assistants on other trucks before becoming drivers. The findings of this study highlight the need for improved welfare standards for cattle during transportation and formal training programs for transporters in animal welfare and livestock transportation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J.W.S. Mogre
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Animal Research Institute, P. O. Box AH 20, Achimota-Accra, Ghana
| | - F. Adzitey
- University for Development Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences, Department of Animal Science, P.O. Box TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana
| | - G.A. Teye
- University for Development Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences, Department of Animal Science, P.O. Box TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana
| | - P.T. Birteeb
- University for Development Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences, Department of Animal Science, P.O. Box TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana
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Eichler F, Duckwitz V, Isbrandt R, Nicolaisen S, Langkabel N, Wiegard M, Meemken D, Thöne-Reineke C, Doherr MG. Opportunities to Improve Animal Welfare during Transport and Slaughter of Cattle and Pigs through Staff Training-Results of a Delphi Survey. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3859. [PMID: 38136896 PMCID: PMC10740533 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
To improve animal welfare for cattle and pigs during transport and at slaughter, online training modules for all staff including employees in the lairage pen, the slaughter line as well as animal welfare officers are developed at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. Before starting the development of these modules, an expert elicitation survey using a modified Delphi approach was performed to identify action points considered most relevant for animal welfare during transport and slaughter, and as having the potential for improvement through training. In total, 49 participating experts rated predetermined action points of each step in the transport and slaughter process in two survey rounds. The rating scale included numbers 0 (='not relevant', respectively 'no possibility of improvement') to 10 (='very relevant', respectively 'very high possibility of improvement'). None of the action points were rated with a median score of less than 5. Assessment of fitness for transport, unloading at the abattoir, handling at stunning and exsanguination were amongst the highest rated action points, and were therefore selected to develop online training modules. The Delphi approach was seen as a valuable method to include external expertise to select the most relevant action points for the development of online training modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Eichler
- Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Veronica Duckwitz
- Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rudi Isbrandt
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Svea Nicolaisen
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Langkabel
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mechthild Wiegard
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Diana Meemken
- Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christa Thöne-Reineke
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus G. Doherr
- Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
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Bacon H, Bell C, Dwyer CM, Waran N, Qing Y, Xia L, Shaw DJ. Exploration of cultural norms and behavioural beliefs about zoo animal behaviour, welfare, ethics and husbandry practices in a sample of the international zoo community. Zoo Biol 2023; 42:416-428. [PMID: 36683292 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Beliefs influence the intentions of people to behave in certain ways towards animals. This study presents survey responses from 237 people working in zoos in China and Europe and describes their demographic characteristics. It explores their beliefs about zoo animal behaviour, welfare and ethical issues, and zoo practices, using a survey methodology. These beliefs may be influenced by individual demographic or cultural factors such as age, gender and region of employment, as well as experiential or situative 'norms' within the work environment. Beliefs were significantly influenced by the region of employment with Chinese respondents beliefs being significantly different to beliefs from respondents in the United Kingdom or the rest of Europe. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the survey generated clusters of people from both regions who indicated positive beliefs about zoo animal welfare as well as clu sters indicating a lack of understanding of some zoo animal welfare issues. In addition, a cluster suggesting cognitive dissonance between beliefs about animals welfare and zoo practices was generated from Chinese responses. Factor analysis identified that prioritisation of in-situ conservation within good animal welfare was a key feature in Chinese respondents, whereas European beliefs prioritising in-situ conservation were distinct from those on supporting good animal welfare. This paper identifies similarities and differences in beliefs about zoo animal welfare and zoo husbandry practices between Europe and China, and discusses the underlying norms and values that these beliefs may reflect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Bacon
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.,Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Catriona Bell
- Learning Enhancement and Academic Development (LEAD) Centre, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh, UK
| | - Cathy M Dwyer
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.,Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Natalie Waran
- Faculty of Education, Humanities and Health Science, Eastern Institute for Technology, Taradale Napier, New Zealand
| | - Yan Qing
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.,China Programme, Global Food Partners, Central Business District, Singapore
| | - Liu Xia
- China Programme, Global Food Partners, Central Business District, Singapore
| | - Darren J Shaw
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
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Hortêncio MC, Costa LRM, de Souza MVP, de Freitas WD, Fonseca BB, Silva MJB, Cossi MVC. Time series evaluation of condemnation at poultry slaughterhouses enable to export in Southeastern Brazil (2009-2019): a tool for optimizing resources in the poultry production chain. BMC Vet Res 2022; 18:427. [PMID: 36482399 PMCID: PMC9730635 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03521-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Even with the technological advances in management, health and genetics applied to poultry farming worldwide, there is still a high rate of carcasses condemnation at slaughterhouses, which result in losses for the poultry production chain. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the condemnation occurrence index (COI) and adjusted seasonal index (ASI) of poultry (turkey, griller, and heavy chicken) between 2009 and 2019, in a slaughterhouse enable to export in southeastern Brazil. Data were obtained from official spreadsheets from the Brazilian Federal Inspection Service (FIS) and used to calculate the COI, correlation analysis between the main causes of condemnation, and ASI assessments throughout the year. RESULTS Seven percent (55,594,318) of the poultry carcasses were condemned (partial or total), and the most frequent causes, contamination, and contusion/traumatic injury, amounted to 63.5% of the total condemnation. There was a trend of increasing condemnation throughout the time series evaluated, with COI varying between 45,282-149,809 condemnations per 1,000,000 poultry slaughtered. Considering the ASI, it was identified that for ascitic syndrome, July has a higher index value (1.63) than the months between January-June (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The main causes of condemnation were contamination and contusion/traumatic injury, both technological causes. ASI showed that in July there is a greater carcasses condemnation due to ascitic syndrome than in the months between January and June. The variations observed in the ASIs can provide subsidies for preventive measures and optimization of human and financial resources, generating positive impacts on food safety, productivity, and profitability of the sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carolina Hortêncio
- Federal Inspection Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Letícia Roberta Martins Costa
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-240 Brazil
| | - Maria Victória Pereira de Souza
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-240 Brazil
| | - Weslley Domenicci de Freitas
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-240 Brazil
| | - Belchiolina Beatriz Fonseca
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-240 Brazil
| | - Marcelo José Barbosa Silva
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-240 Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinícius Coutinho Cossi
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-240 Brazil
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Prevalence of gross lesions and handling practices in pigs and their association with pork quality, Kiambu, Kenya. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272951. [PMID: 36026517 PMCID: PMC9417192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-slaughter handling of pigs has been documented to affect the quality of meat though no studies have investigated this relationship in the Kenyan context. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gross lesions and practices related to sub-optimal welfare in pigs presented for slaughter while analyzing the relationship between occurrence of these lesions and meat quality. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a medium scale, non-integrated pig abattoir supplying to the Nairobi market, with a capacity to slaughter approximately 40 pigs a day. Data on welfare-associated lesions and handling practices were obtained from 529 pig carcasses and traders respectively. 387 pork samples were collected, and their quality evaluated by measuring their pH, meat color and drip loss. These three parameters were used to classify pork into four recognized categories namely: Red, Firm, Non-exudative (RFN), Pale Soft Exudative (PSE), Dark Firm Dry (DFD) and Red Soft Exudative (RSE). Almost all pigs were inefficiently stunned as evidenced by the presence of consciousness post-stunning. The majority of pigs (82.97%) having one or more welfare-associated gross lesions. Other animal welfare malpractices observed were high loading density and inadequate rest periods between transport and slaughter. A quarter of the pork samples were of sub-optimal quality including: RSE (11.36%), PSE (2.58%) and DFD (2.58%). Multinomial logistic regression revealed that pork originating from pigs transported at a high loading density had increased odds of being classified as DFD (OR 13.41, 95% CI 2.59–69.46). The findings indicate the need to educate stakeholders in the pork value chains on improved pig handling before and during slaughter to enhance pig welfare pre-slaughter and pork quality post-slaughter. Animal welfare legislation enforcement and implementation was observed to be insufficient. There is a need to educate key stakeholders on its importance of being put into practice both from economic and welfare perspectives.
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Platto S, Serres A, Jingyi A. Chinese College Students’ Attitudes towards Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020156. [PMID: 35049779 PMCID: PMC8772567 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary College students, specifically from veterinary, animal, agricultural, and life sciences majors represent the future professionals who will closely work with animal industry stakeholders. Therefore, it is important to understand their attitudes towards animals and their knowledge about animal welfare. A survey on Chinese college students was conducted across different majors and Chinese geographical regions to understand their attitude towards the animal Sentient and the Five Freedoms models for pets, laboratory, farm, and wild animals. Most of the respondents exhibited a good attitude towards both the animal Sentient and the Five Freedoms models, with best scoring for pet animals followed by wild animals. Respondents showed less concerns towards farm and laboratory animals. A previous animal welfare education, the ownership of animals, and the participation in laboratory work involving animals positively influenced the attitude of the respondents towards animal welfare. These experiences might have helped students to develop concerns towards the animals’ treatment. When compared to previous studies, our results suggest that Chinese college students improved their attitudes towards animals in recent years. Abstract Understanding the attitude of stakeholders towards animals is critical for the development and improvement of animal welfare in a country. College students from veterinary, animal, and life sciences majors represent future key stakeholders that will interact with professionals from animal industries. Therefore, it is critical to understand these college students’ attitudes towards animals and their knowledge about animal welfare. The present survey aimed to investigate Chinese college students’ concerns towards different animal classes (i.e., pets, farm, laboratory, and wild animals) through the animal Sentient and Five Freedoms models. Chinese college students from different majors (i.e., related to animal sciences or not) scored very well in their attitude towards both the animal Sentient and Five Freedoms models, with differences depending on the animal class considered. Pets (dogs and cats) had better consideration for both animal Sentient and Five Freedoms models, followed by wild animals, while farm and laboratory animals were less considered. Veterinary science major students showed the strongest differences in attitudes depending on the animal classes considered compared to other majors. Furthermore, respondents showed better attitude scoring if they currently owned or had owned animals, had participated in animal welfare courses, or in laboratory work that involved animals. When compared to previous studies, our results suggest a general improvement of Chinese college students’ attitudes towards animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Platto
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Jianghan University, No. 8, Sanjiaohu Rd., Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, Wuhan 430056, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Agathe Serres
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 28 Luhuitou Road, Jiyang District, Sanya 572000, China;
| | - Ai Jingyi
- Department of Translations, College of Foreign Language, Jianghan University, No. 8, Sanjiaohu Rd., Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, Wuhan 430056, China;
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Australian Livestock Export Industry Workers' Attitudes toward Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051411. [PMID: 34069177 PMCID: PMC8156523 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding live export industry workers' attitudes and beliefs toward animal welfare can provide insight into their decision-making processes and likely behavior. Industry workers (n = 265) with various roles within the supply chain were surveyed from different global regions. Participants were divided into ten categories according to their industry roles and compared using ordinal regression. Respondents were highly likely to have a positive attitude toward animal welfare; the majority of workers enjoyed working with livestock (95.8%) and agreed that livestock should be treated with respect (97.7%). Workers demonstrated a strong understanding of animal welfare concepts, 168 respondents (63.4%) provided examples of ways they had improved animal welfare in their workplace, and 164 workers (61.9%) suggested ways that animal welfare could be improved further. Most workers (95.8%) agreed that animal welfare was satisfactory in their workplace. Five out of the 24 multiple-choice responses differed significantly by the participant's industry role, but no particular group displayed consistently divergent beliefs or attitudes. Given the community concern regarding animals in the livestock export supply chain, it is imperative to understand the attitudes of industry personnel who are responsible for the daily management of the animals. This knowledge assists in the development of animal welfare policy and can inform strategies to manage public perception.
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Employee Management and Animal Care: A Comparative Ethnography of Two Large-Scale Dairy Farms in China. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051260. [PMID: 33925746 PMCID: PMC8147064 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary China’s dairy industry is growing and restructuring to favor large-scale dairy farms. The lead author lived on two large-scale dairy farms in China and conducted immersive fieldwork where she participated in daily cattle care alongside the workers, conducted interviews with workers, and collected relevant documents. We found that employee management critically shaped animal care on both farms. Workers reported improvements to animal care on both farms, attributing these to improved employee management practices. Our findings suggest that cattle care may be improved through employee management practices such as fostering a positive organization culture, ensuring better working conditions, and incentivizing farm workers. Abstract Farm management can directly and indirectly affect animal care. We explored how farm management affected animal care on two large dairy farms in China (anonymized as Farm A and Farm B). We used a mini-ethnographic case study design whereby the first author lived for 38 days on Farm A and 23 days on Farm B. She conducted participant observation and ethnographic interviews with farm staff positions within five departments in Farm A and six departments in Farm B. In addition, she conducted 13 semi-structured interviews (seven on Farm A; six on Farm B). We used template analysis to generate key themes. On both farms, workers believed that animal care practices had improved over time, due to three key employee management factors: 1) organizational culture, 2) competency of worker and management, and 3) an effective incentive system. Our results suggest that animal care may be improved in this context by: 1) promoting a culture in which workers have ‘grit’ and are eager to learn, 2) ensuring basic worker wellbeing, and 3) using animal care outcomes as performance indicators linked to pay.
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Human Behaviour Change Interventions in Animal Care and Interactive Settings: A Review and Framework for Design and Evaluation. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10122333. [PMID: 33302506 PMCID: PMC7764651 DOI: 10.3390/ani10122333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In many cases, to improve animal welfare, we must change the behaviour of the people who manage them, care for them, and interact with them. This can be achieved through behaviour change interventions. In this review, we aimed to explore the current state of the behaviour change literature in animal care and interactive settings. We identified significant deficiencies in the design, evaluation, and reporting of these interventions. It was often unclear what behaviours were targeted, how the intervention was designed to work, what was in it, and how it was delivered. Without this information, interventions cannot be rigorously evaluated, built upon by others, or implemented in other settings. Transparent reporting and a structured approach to the design and evaluation of interventions is now required to help the field move forward in a more consistent and robust way. We present such a framework, the “Ten-Task” guide, based on the intervention mapping framework, and demonstrate how its adoption would help progress this field substantially. Abstract Behaviour change interventions may be one of the most promising avenues to improve animal welfare. Yet there has been limited systematic research involving them in animal-related settings. We searched three major databases for studies involving an intervention to change interactive or care-related behaviours in any animal-related setting. Forty-seven papers were included in the review and each paper was coded for specific design and evaluation elements. We found a series of limitations in the quality and consistency of intervention design, evaluation, and reporting. Hence, we present a framework, the “Ten-Task” guide, based on the intervention mapping framework, to guide future work in this field. Adopting this structured approach will improve the quality and efficacy of behaviour change interventions for animal welfare and allow for the field to progress in a harmonious way.
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