- A benchmark survey to establish the proportion of farms and the proportion of sows that use close confinement systems and the average duration of the confinement period in each reproductive cycle.
- Additional indices of distress in lambs and calves.
- Practical guidelines for inspecting the effectiveness of stunning and slaughter in redmeat slaughterhouses.
- Ante-mortem assessment of bobby calves.
- Evaluation of the most effective use of local anaesthetic for the provision of analgesia to the velvet antler of stags.
- Survey of condition score in layer hens.
- Slaughter methods for crayfish.
- Humane ways of inducing moulting in layer hens.
8. Animal Welfare
8.1 FRM 420
Summary
As a result of a welfare initiative, law in the UK now prohibits dry sow stalls and the Scientific Veterinary Committee of the EC in Brussels has made recommendations regarding sow accommodation. This programme aimed to gain information to assist MAF and the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to formulate policy and standards in this area.
The research involved a survey covering 76 breeding herds and interviews with 72 farmers to take stock of the most common systems of pig production in New Zealand. From an animal welfare perspective, New Zealand is in a favourable position because it has well established outdoor and group pen sow accommodation systems.
Objective 1: Benchmark of sow confinement
Objective 2: Description of sow systems
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Background
Dry sow stalls are now prohibited by law in the UK as a welfare initiative against confinement systems. It is anticipated that this is a signpost for similar changes in other countries. In addition, the Scientific Veterinary Committee of the EC in Brussels made the following recommendations on the accommodation for dry sows:
- dry sows should preferably be kept in groups;
- all sows should have access to soil for rooting or manipulable material such as straw;
- housing facilities for dry sows and gilts should include communal lying areas;
- no individual pen should be used which does not allow the sow to turn around easily.
In view of these recent developments, the goal of this project was to take stock of the situation at the end of this century, and to provide a record of the proportion of herds in New Zealand that are at pasture, loose-housed in pens and held in stalls. The information will be useful to MAF and the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee.
Approach & Outcomes
The survey covered 76 breeding herds (33 in the North Island and 43 in the South Island) managed by 72 farmers. Average herd size was 172 sows, or 209 breeding females. A face-to-face interview was held with each farmer. The response rate for the survey was 95%.
The most common systems of pig production in New Zealand are:
- the all-pasture system (24% or the herds, 20% of the sows);
- farrowing crates used throughout lactation followed by pens for the mating and dry periods (20% of the herds, 29% of the sows);
- farrowing crates throughout lactation followed by stalls during the mating and dry periods (13% of the herds, 16% of the sows);
- farrowing crates throughout lactation and then pens for mating followed by stalls during the dry period (12% of the herds, 12% of the sows).
The Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) has recommended that “breeding boars, sows and gilts not be confined in individual stalls and/or farrowing crates for more than 6 weeks at any one time and that, in any reproductive cycle, such confinement not exceed 60% of the period”. Overall, 44 herds in the survey met these recommendations. 48% percent of the sows were kept in confinement for more than 6 weeks at any one time, and 31% of the sows spent more than 60% of their breeding cycle in confinement. For the indoor herds, the average duration of the confinement period during the breeding cycle was 75 days, and for the indoor plus outdoor herds it was 57 days. The latter estimates exclude sows which had extended, double-litter lactations.
Bedding was provided for 18% of the herds where sows were in pens during the dry period. Bedding was more commonly used at farrowing time for those herds where sows had the run of a pen during lactation. Concrete with slatted metal was the most common floor material in farrowing crates.
From an animal welfare perspective New Zealand is in a favourable position because it has well established outdoor and group pen sow accommodation systems.
8.2 AMA 105
Programme Title: |
Additional indices of distress in lambs and calves. |
| Programme Leader: | Professor David Mellor |
| Institution: | Massey University |
Additional work is being completed on the final report for this project and a summary is therefore unavailable for inclusion in this report. The results of this project will be included in the next Research Results report.
8.3 AMA 106
Programme Title: |
Identifying strategies to facilitate transfer and uptake of knowledge on velveting best practice. |
| Programme Leader: | Dr Lindsay Matthews |
| Institution: | AgResearch, Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre (ABWRC) |
Summary
This programme aimed to develop an effective means for transferring knowledge about best velveting practice. The research established that the most effective means for transferring information to farmers was via supervising veterinarians, and that the best way to provide the veterinarians with up-to-date knowledge was through national seminars in the major velvet farming regions of New Zealand, immediately prior to the velveting season.
The high levels of compliance with velveting standards during an audit demonstrates that the information needs of farmers were correctly identified, and that seminars were an effective means of technology transfer. A similar format should be used for future technology transfer requirements.
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Background
Recent research is leading to the development of new and alternative procedures (e.g. compression analgesia) for inducing analgesia prior to velvet removal. Effective means of transferring new information to farmers and veterinarians need to be identified. The goal of this project, in conjunction with the New Zealand Game Industry Board (NZGIB), was to develop strategies to ensure effective transfer of recent research information and practical farmer and veterinary experience on best velveting practice to farmers.
Approach & Outcomes
New information was collated from: published and unpublished research reports, AWAC and Industry Welfare Codes and farmer and veterinary practical experiences. This information was made available to cervine velveting supervisory veterinarians in a series of seminars (twelve in total) held throughout the country immediately prior to the 1998/99 velveting season. The effectiveness of this technology transfer process was quantified by measuring the performance of farmers during velvet removal in the 1998/99 season.
There was exceptionally high level of compliance by farmers with the standards of best velvet practice when both traditional (chemical) techniques and a new method based on compression analgesia with NaturO™ rings were used to induce analgesia. One farmer only required a re-audit.
Thus, the seminar format used in the 1998/99 year resulted in wide uptake and subsequent dissemination of information to farmers. Therefore it is concluded that face-to-face contact with veterinarians in the period leading up to the velveting season is the most successful technique for passing new information on velveting standards to supervising veterinarians.
8.4 AMA 107
Programme Title: |
Practical guidelines for inspecting the effectiveness of stunning and slaughter in redmeat slaughterhouses. |
| Programme Leader: | Professor Neville Gregory |
| Institution: | Massey University |
Background
The goal of this project was to prepare a set of practical guidelines which Meatworks personnel and veterinarians can adopt when evaluating the humaneness of stunning and slaughtering methods. The guidelines supplement the recommendations given in the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee Code.
Approach & Outcomes
When the first draft for the guidelines was prepared they were submitted for comment to a MAF Quality Management meatworks veterinarian. The draft was then revised and submitted for comment to a second MQM meatworks veterinarian. The third and final draft was submitted to MAF Policy in fulfillment of the project.
The meat industry is being encouraged to take responsibility for its own operations. MAF’s role in meatworks is to assess the ability of the company to control those operations. These guidelines are presented in a way that should allow both meat company and MAF uptake.
The guidelines cover the presentation of livestock for stunning, recommendations on judging the effectiveness of captive bolt and electrical stunning, care and maintenance of stunning equipment, equipment testing, human safety, problem solving, minimum currents when using electrical stunning, practical suggestions for operators on how to apply stunning equipment, assessing the effectiveness of sticking.
The findings of the research were made available to appropriate MAF staff for distribution to meatworks personnel.
8.5 AMA 108
Programme Title: |
Ante-mortem assessment of bobby calves. |
| Programme Leader: | Professor David Mellor |
| Institution: | Massey University |
Additional work is being completed on the final report for this project and a summary is therefore unavailable for inclusion in this report. The results of this project will be included in the next Research Results report.
8.6 AMA 113
Collaboration: AgResearch, Ruakura participated in a similar project during 1997/98
Summary
This programme aimed to evaluate methods for local anaesthesia of the antler pedicle. Results show clearly that a high dose ring block was the technique that provided the greatest analgesia with the shortest wait period. This data can be applied to improving compliance levels within the National Velvet Harvesting Programme.
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Background
The goal of this project was to provide data to help explain the level of non-achievement of local anaesthesia observed by the assessment and audit process of the deer industry’s velvet-harvesting programme.
Approach & Outcomes
Research was undertaken to evaluate the effect of dose rates and sites of application of local anaesthetic for provision of analgesia of the antler pedicle of stags. Three dose rates of anaesthetic given by ring block and four variations of the regional nerve block, including block of the auriculopalpebral nerve, were applied to 23-24 animals/treatment. An electrical stimulation test assessed analgesia at 1, 2 and 4 minutes. Subsequently, treatments were applied and the antlers removed in the normal manner.
The high dose ring block consistently achieved the best analgesia at the shortest time period. All ring block treatments provided more rapid and reliable analgesia than any of the nerve block routes chosen. When the regional block was applied, greater analgesia was achieved when the auriculopalpebral nerve was blocked. The electrical stimulation responses were consistent with cutting as the test stimulus. Several recommendations were proposed to improve compliance with the requirement to achieve local analgesia using a shorter wait period, thus reducing the welfare cost of velvet antler removal using local anaesthetic.
Publications
Wilson, P.R., Thomas, D.G., Stafford, K.J., Mellor, D.J., (1999). Preliminary report of studies of local anaesthesia of the velvet antler. In: Proceedings of a Deer Course for Veterinarians No 16, Deer Branch NZVA. Ed: P R Wilson. In Press.
(Note: this paper was presented at the Deer Branch NZVA Annual Conference, Hastings, March 1999)
A scientific publication is in preparation for submission to the New Zealand Veterinary Journal.
8.7 AMA 114
Programme Title: |
Review of literature: castration/tailing distress in lambs. |
| Programme Leader: | Professor David Mellor |
| Institution: | Massey University |
Summary
This programme aimed to provide an overview of the literature on castration and/or tailing distress in lambs and calves:
- by comparing the pain-induced distress caused by the different methods,
- by evaluating the efficacy of different ways of alleviating that distress and
- by considering what practical advice can now be given to minimise animal welfare compromise in this area.
Imposing bans on those methods that apparently cause the greatest pain-induced distress, as indicated by cortisol responses, is not favoured. Rather, farmers should be encouraged to choose the lowest ranked method that is economically and practically feasible for them in their particular circumstances. In this way more farmers would be recruited into willingly making some welfare improvement than would result from imposing bans.
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Background
The goal of this project was to review the international literature on castration and tailing distress in lambs to collate and analyse the research data and provide considered comment on what practical advice AWAC can now provide on this subject. Acute castration and/or tailing distress in lambs and calves have been examined extensively during the last decade. Marked or subtle differences in the methods used and the circumstances of their use have resulted in published assessments of at least 59 different approaches. The literature is therefore quite complex.
Approach & Outcomes
The integrated cortisol responses to each method were calculated. When integrated responses (i.e. the areas under the cortisol curves while the plasma concentration is above pretreatment values) were not reported they were calculated from the published cortisol concentration-time graphs. Variations between studies were allowed for by assigning a score of 100% to the responses of several equivalent reference groups. The relative values of all integrated responses in each study were then calculated as the ratio of the response for each treatment against the response for the reference group, expressed as a percentage. Thus, a 6-point ranking scale emerged: rank 1 = 1-30%, rank 2 = 30-55%, rank 3 = 70-85%, rank 4 = 75-125% (includes 100% reference groups), rank 5 = 165-170%, and rank 6 = 190-205%.
The following major points emerged.
- Surgical methods of castration and/or tailing cause the greatest cortisol responses, ranked 5 or 6.
- Most ring and ring plus clamp methods of castration plus tailing or castration alone, applied without a local anaesthetic or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), cause rank 4 responses.
- One form of ring plus clamp castration reduces the cortisol response to rank 1. It involves applying the clamp for 10 s across the full width of the scrotum distal to the ring in lambs aged no more than 1 week. When such lambs are also tailed by applying a ring and clamp in a similar manner to the tail, they also exhibit a rank 1 response. The same ring plus clamp method is less effective in older lambs.
- Local anaesthetic given 10-20 min, 1-2 min or 10-15 s before, or even 10-15 s after ring only castration and/or tailing can virtually abolish the cortisol response (ranked 1), depending on the site(s) of injection and the method. For ring or ring plus clamp castration, the most effective sites (as judged by cortisol responses) are the neck of the scrotum or the testes, provided that with both approaches local anaesthetic is also deposited in the vaginal cavity of the scrotum. Injecting only the spermatic cords before castration is less effective, as that elicits a rank 3 response. Delivery of local anaesthetic to achieve successful nerve blockade can be by needle, high-pressure needleless injection or, for the tail only, by an aerosol spray.
- Local anaesthetic injected into the scrotal neck, spermatic cords and/or testes has little effect on the overall cortisol response to surgical or clamp castration. The combined use of local anaesthetic and an NSAID with these methods should be investigated.
- Prior injection of NSAIDs has received little attention, but beneficial reductions in cortisol responses to clamp castration or to ring tailing can occur.
- In lambs, most tailing methods apart from surgery elicit cortisol responses that are several ranks lower than those caused by castration plus tailing or castration alone.
- Although most tailing methods used without pain relieving drugs elicit rank 1 cortisol responses in lambs, use of local anaesthetic or an NSAID can reduce the response within the rank 1 range.
Publications
Mellor, D.J. and Stafford, K.J. Acute castration and/or tailing distress and its alleviation in lambs. Submitted to the New Zealand Veterinary Journal.
8.8 AMA 115
Programme Title: |
Survey of condition score in layer hens. |
| Programme Leader: | Dr Neville Gregory |
| Institution: | MIRINZ |
Summary
This programme aimed to assess body condition in end-of-lay hens. It is suspected that hens could become emaciated if genetic selection for egg production is taken too far. Condition score was graded in 1034 brown and 558 white breed, layer hens to determine the prevalence of poor body condition in end-of-lay hens. A sample of the poorest condition birds was taken, and their carcasses dissected into fat, muscle and bone, to quantify the level of emaciation.
Seven percent of the end-of-lay hens in the survey had zero rating for body condition score. In three of the eleven flocks that were sampled, at least ten percent of the birds had a zero condition score (10, 11 and 22% in each of those flocks). When 26 of the zero condition score birds were dissected, five of them had less than 16g of body fat; this amount corresponding to the energy contained in a large egg. By combining the findings for the survey and the dissection work, it was estimated that 3% of the white birds and 0.3% of the brown birds in the study had less than 16g of fat and so were classed as severely emaciated. In the flock with the highest prevalence of zero score birds, 9% of the flock was estimated as being severely emaciated.
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Background
The goal of this project was to conduct a survey of body condition score in end-of-lay hens in New Zealand to evaluate if the hens could became emaciated when genetic selection for egg production was taken too far. Egg laying strains of chicken have been genetically selected for increased egg production and improved feed conversion efficiency. Associated with this, over the last 20 years they have developed a small mature body size. This means that hens are now achieving high egg yields with a smaller metabolic mass in comparison with earlier strains. If such genetic selection was taken to an extreme, or if the feeding of the bird was inappropriate for their high level of egg production, there would be a greater risk that birds would be over-challenged by the metabolic demands of egg production, and emaciation would develop. To help monitor this situation, body condition and composition was monitored in a sample of end-of-lay hens in New Zealand.
Approach & Outcomes
Condition score has been graded in 1034 brown and 558 white breed layer hens to determine the prevalence of poor body condition in end-of-lay hens. A sample of the poorest condition birds was taken, and their carcasses dissected into fat, muscle and bone, to quantify the level of emaciation. The results have been analysed. A report on the results was produced.
Seven percent of the end-of-lay hens in the survey had zero rating for body condition score. In three of the eleven flocks that were sampled, at least ten percent of the birds had a zero condition score (10, 11 and 22% in each of those flocks). When 26 of the zero condition score birds were dissected, five of them had less than 16g of body fat; this amount corresponding to the energy contained in a large egg. By combining the findings for the survey and the dissection work, it was estimated that 3% of the white birds and 0.3% of the brown birds in the study had less than 16g of fat and so were classed as severely emaciated. In the flock with the highest prevalence of zero score birds, 9% of the flock was estimated as being severely emaciated.
Publications
One short communication is in press in the Veterinary Record.
8.9 AMA 116
Programme Title: |
Slaughter methods for crayfish. |
| Programme Leader: | Dr Neville Gregory |
| Institution: | MIRINZ |
Summary
This programme aimed to assess the killing methods used for rock lobsters. The killing methods used for rock lobsters have received some adverse publicity in recent years, and this needs to be addressed by providing recommendations on the most appropriate methods. Interviews were held with six retailers and eight restaurateurs in the North Island.
Various combinations of nine procedures were described by the interviewees. The methods included chilling, freezing, drowning, boiling, head spiking, chest spiking, splitting, and tailing. Boiling and freezing were not commonly used, and tailing without prior chilling was used at only one of the premises. The preferred methods from an animal welfare perspective involved chilling before killing. An alternative would be splitting an unchilled lobster by a skilled operator. Chilling is not a practical procedure for lobsters killed directly from live display tanks. This could be overcome by using tanks for display only, and killing the lobsters from a reserve of chilled stock.
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Background
The goal of this project was to assess the slaughter methods used for rock lobsters. In recent years there has been some negative publicity about killing methods used for lobsters in restaurants in New Zealand. For example, there were accounts about “dancing crayfish” which continued to walk after they had been tailed whilst alive. It was felt that an overview was needed of the methods that are used for killing rock lobsters, and from this, some recommendations could be made on the most and least acceptable methods.
Approach & Outcomes
Six retailers and eight restaurants took part in the survey that was conducted as face-to-face or telephone interviews. The interviewees provided information on the killing methods that they used for rock lobsters, and they have been summarised in the full report.
The interviewees described various combinations of eight procedures. The methods included chilling, freezing, drowning, boiling, head spiking, chest spiking, splitting, and tailing. Boiling and freezing were not commonly used, and tailing without prior chilling was used at only one of the premises. The preferred methods from an animal welfare perspective involved chilling before killing. An alternative would be splitting an unchilled lobster by a skilled operator. Chilling is not a practical procedure for lobsters killed from live display tanks. This could be overcome by using tanks for display only, and killing the lobsters from a reserve of chilled stock.
Publications
One short article published in New Zealand Science Monthly.
8.10 FRM 424
Programme Title: |
Humane ways of inducing moulting in layer hens. |
| Programme Leader: | Dr Neville Gregory |
| Institution: | MIRINZ |
Summary
This programme aimed to produce a discussion paper which assesses the effects of forced moulting, from a review of scientific literature, and suggests theoretical alternatives which might be more humane. Over seventy scientific papers are cited, from a wide range of countries. A wide range of aspects was considered, and at the end of the review the welfare advantages and disadvantages of the main methods were summarised.
It was concluded that from the animal welfare perspective, prolonged feed withdrawal, feeding low calcium or Vitamin D3 were likely to be the least acceptable methods that have been used either commercially or experimentally. Feeding low dietary sodium or administering gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists were likely to be the most acceptable from a welfare perspective. The most commonly used method in New Zealand is short-term feed withdrawal followed by feed restriction. That method was rated as being intermediate in terms of animal welfare acceptability. There is no financial incentive for egg producers to change from that method.
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Background
There is growing concern that the methods used for inducing moulting in layer hens are not humane. Moulting systems used in New Zealand at the moment are based on withdrawing and restricting the amount of feed and water that is given to the birds. Moulting is not widely used commercially, but it is adopted when market conditions are appropriate. The goal of this project was to improve our understanding of the objectives, mechanisms, effects and welfare issues associated with this husbandry practice.
Approach & Outcomes
The scientific, patent and farm advisory literature on forced moulting of layer hens, broiler breeders and turkey breeders was examined. Where appropriate, correspondence relating to industry practice in New Zealand has been included, and industry experts in New Zealand were asked questions about typical practice. There was also some correspondence with the USDA, and Freedom Foods Ltd.
This review considers the reasons for moulting, the market forces which determine whether a flock will be moulted, the physiology of moulting, the effect of moulting on productivity and egg quality, its effect on bone strength, cannibalism, susceptibility to disease and heat stress, and the ways of inducing moulting. The ways used for inducing moulting in commercial layers include feed withdrawal, feed restriction, water withdrawal, and changing the lighting pattern. The methods which have been tested experimentally for inducing moulting include low dietary calcium, high dietary zinc, low dietary sodium, high dietary aluminium, high dietary magnesium, high dietary copper, high dietary iodine, feeding Vitamin D3, administering gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, progesterone, thyroxine, anti-oestrogenic compounds, or anti-gonadotropic agents.
In the Conclusions Section of the review, the different commercial and experimental methods were ranked according to their likely acceptability from an animal welfare perspective. The outcomes were that prolonged feed withdrawal, feeding low dietary calcium and feeding Vitamin D3 were likely to be the least acceptable methods, and that feeding low dietary sodium, or administering leuprolide or similar compounds, were likely to be the most acceptable methods. In the case of the low dietary sodium method, early action would need to be taken if there was an outbreak of cannibalism.
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