The effects of witnessing the slaughter of conspecifics on the stress responses of pigs were investigated. Previously catheterized pigs were allowed to see the stunning and sticking (exsanguination) of pigs in a nearby pen. Heart rate was monitored and serial blood samples were taken to assess stress responses. Packed cell volume (PCV), Cortisol and β-endorphin were determined in the samples. In addition, behavioural observations and subjective assessments of animals’ responses were made. Although the levels of hormones, PCV and heart rate tended to be generally high due to handling, there were no specific increases in response to witnessing stunning and slaughter. These results suggest that witnessing the slaughter act does not distress pigs.

The aim of the study was to characterize dogs in which fear-motivated aggression was diagnosed, to describe the therapy used, and to evaluate the effectiveness of this therapy using a retrospective descriptive study. During the research period 284 dogs were referred for problem behaviour. Fear-motivated aggression was diagnosed in 73 (26%) dogs: intact males (35), castrated males (15), intact females (11) and castrated females (12). The mean age of the animals was 3.4 years ± 2.2 (SD). Mixed-breed dogs were most frequent, followed by Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers and Bernese Mountain Dogs. The majority of the dogs expressed growling, snapping, biting, ears down, tail down and low posture. The aggression occurred mainly inside the house, towards adults or children, and especially when the dog was approached and/or touched. Diagnosis was based on data about the behavioural expressions of the animals, and about owner-dog interactions, obtained from both the owner and our own observation. Treatment consisted of 1) avoiding eliciting stimuli, 2) optimizing owner-dog communication, 3) adaptation of the owner's punishing threats to the dog's response to punishment, and 4) for a certain period fitting the dog with a choker chain connected to a leash during the day. The behaviour of the dogs improved (55; 75%), remained unchanged (13; 18%), or deteriorated (5; 7%). In conclusion: fear-motivated aggression in dogs is likely to be more frequent than generally is assumed. Growling or biting in a low posture towards both adults and children, especially when the animals were approached or touched inside the house, were the main characteristics on which the diagnosis fear-motivated aggression was based. Therapy, mainly based on optimizing communication between owner and dog, proved significantly effective.

Enrichment of the environments of captive primates is currently of interest as both a basic and an applied research question, particularly when social and inanimate enhancements are used simultaneously. We measured the behavioural effects of two intensities of inanimate enrichment on 12 unimale-multifemale groups and 12 all-male groups from three cohorts of three to four-year-old rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Half of the groups received a simple, inexpensive enrichment programme while the other groups received a more complex and costly combination of physical andfeeding enhancements. Observations were conducted on 93 subadults of both sexes during their initial year of group housing. Intensity of enrichment did not differentially affect the amount of time subjects spent in any of the activities analysed. Subjects that received the more complex programme spent only 8.3 per cent of their time using the extra enhancements. Therefore, there was little demonstrated benefit of the more costly enrichment programme. The three cohorts differed in the amount of time that they spent inactive, behaving agonistically, playing and located near a group mate. A planned comparison of one cohort that had been single-housed without visual access to social groups, to the two cohorts that had visual access to social groups during single caging, revealed differences in play and socially-located behaviour, which may have been due to differences in extra-cage conditions two years prior to the present study. When primates are housed socially with conspecifics as ‘social enhancements ‘, the relatively simple inanimate enrichment programme we used was as effective as the more costly programme. When enrichment resources are limited, inanimate enrichment efforts should be focused on monkeys that are not socially enriched.

Research into the responses of hens on perches is important in order to assess the welfare impact of alternative systems for egg production which incorporate perches in their design. Previous studies suggest that many flight and landing accidents occur in such systems as birds attempt to move between perches and facilities, resulting in a high incidence of bone breakage. In this study three horizontal perches were set with a gradient between them of 0, 30, 45 or 60 degrees according to treatment. Four groups of 15 ISABrown laying hens were individually exposed to each treatment, being placed on the uppermost perch (Perch 1) with a food reward available at the lowest perch (Perch 3). Behaviours performed before reaching Perch 3 were recorded over time. More birds failed to move to Perch 3 in 10 minutes when perches were separated by 45 or 60 degrees. In birds which stayed on the perches for the full 10 minutes, without reaching Perch 3, downward head movements, calling, intended jump behaviours, side-stepping and wing-flapping decreased significantly with time spent on the perches. Motivation to complete the task, in order to gain the food reward, was high in all treatments. However, when birds found perches difficult to negotiate, behaviours indicating intention to move to the food decreased with time and the incidence of behaviours indicating frustration and thwarting increased. In non-cage systems such frustration could reduce bird welfare.

Japanese whalers use the electric lance as a secondary method of killing minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). The lances are dropped into the body, and currents varying between 2.2 and 14. OA, with a mean of 6.8A, are applied.

When currents of 5A were applied to the carcasses of dead whales, varying in size from 1.8 to 15.7m in length, no current densities induced in the target organs were sufficient to cause either insensibility (10mA cm−2 in the brain), or to cause ventricular fibrillation (0.5mA cm−2 in the heart), except in a few cases where electrodes were specifically placed to span the heart. When electrodes were placed in positions normally used in whaling operations, no current densities were produced which would have been sufficient to cause brain and cardiac dysfunction.

Further investigations on changes in current density with time post mortem after application of a controlled current of 5A showed, during a 60 hour period, a fourfold increase in the current density in the heart, and more than a twofold increase in the brain. Thus contrary to previous criticisms, if these studies had been carried out on live animals, all current densities would have been below threshold values.

There are no records of signs of epileptic form seizure, which are associated with an effective electrical stun, in whales subjected to the electric lance.

It is concluded that the electric lance as used in whaling operations is ineffective and likely to cause extra pain and suffering to an already distressed animal.

The behaviour of 10 adult individually-caged male cats was measured either in their normal cage or with additional objects, a log and a ball. Each cat was observed during five days in each condition. Results show an important novelty effect at the beginning of observations, especially for rubbing and paddling behaviour. Introduction of objects in the cages resulted in a decrease in inactivity and self-play activities, and an increase in sniffing objects and play behaviours with objects. This was particularly important with the ball. Whereas these modifications decreased over days with the log, a high level of activity was maintained with the ball. The importance of the movement and of the function of the object is discussed. An improved way of rearing isolated cats is suggested.

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), introduced from Australia about 150 years ago, has become a major pest threatening the native biota of New Zealand. It is also an important disease vector, acting as a wildlife reservoir of infection. Conventional methods of control have had little effect on reducing the national population, so there is a quest to find more effective and humane methods. This has led to an upsurge in research aimed at increasing our knowledge of the biology of this marsupial, with an attendant increase in requirements for access to colony-housed animals.

Possums kept for research purposes have often been housed in individual cages, and several colonies have experienced high mortality rates. After capture, possums have shown inappetence, weight loss and a predisposition to infection, suggesting that this species is susceptible to post-capture stress. For our reproductive studies, research animals are only useful if maintained under conditions that ensure behavioural and physiological processes remain normal. We have adopted an ‘animal husbandry’ approach for our possum colony, where social interaction and the ability to exhibit instinctive behaviour patterns are considered as important as adequate nutrition and housing.

In this colony, group-housed possums show no signs of post-capture stress, and mortality rate has been less than one per cent (of > 600 animals housed to date). Virtually all possums gain weight over the first month of captivity. Procedures for monitoring, handling and the collection of data from these animals, are carried out with little apparent stress to either animals or staff.

In the UK an increasing percentage of the pig breeding herd is being kept outdoors. Some surveys have suggested that perhaps 30 to 35 per cent of sows now spend all or a significant part of their year outside. They are usually kept in groups in paddocks containing a number of small moveable huts which have been designed and constructed to accommodate a breeding sow and her litter.

Since October 1996, Cambridge University's Pig Disease Information Centre (PDIC) has been on-line. The URL (Internet address) of the PDIC web site is http://www-pdic.vet.cam.ac.uk/. From this base, clicking on icons provides round the clock access to many other pig information sites around the world. The PDIC provides information on diseases, breeding and infertility, UK and international news, and it also provides search facilities and discussion pages for vets.

This is an excellent video. It is designed to be appropriate for the Science National Curriculum, Key Stage 4, and ‘A’ level teaching and it provides a very interesting and clear introduction to the stimulus response behaviour of farm animals (and more). The video has six sections: introduction (five steps in the stimulus response chain and how these are studied); stimuli (visual, heat, tactile, olfactory and internal); receptors; co-ordination (types of learned behaviour, habituation, classic conditioning, trial and error learning and observational learning); effectors, and responses (irritation, internal effectors and responses, stress in a non-stimulating environment, enriched environment, stereotyped behaviour, nesting and foraging behaviour), ending with a summary. This is a good, scientifically rigorous story, well-told and portrayed by a glittering cast of piglets, chickens, sheep, goats and cows. There is no moralizing; the animals ‘speak’ for themselves and the film will be, I suspect, quite a powerful force for animal welfare. An enjoyable piece of work which deserves very wide circulation.

These Codes of Recommendations are a practical guide for those involved in animal production in New Zealand and are intended to encourage the adoption of the highest standards of animal husbandry. Written by working groups of the New Zealand Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, the Codes are based on the familiar ‘five freedoms’ and complement the New Zealand legislation by outlining to the informed general public the minimum welfare standards which are currently acceptable.

Over recent years there has been growing concern about the potential detrimental effects of underwater man-made noise on marine wildlife. This report, produced by the Sea Watch Foundation, is concerned with the sounds emitted by airguns used in seismic survey operations to find oil and gas deposits below the seabed. Sound source levels of airguns are generally greatest at the lower frequencies (50-140Hz) although the report also describes work which found significant levels of energy at much higher frequencies (1-20kHz) closer to the source.

Working donkeys in Ethiopia often receive poor treatment and, consequently, their lives are unnecessarily hard and short. This children's book is an imaginative way of addressing the problem of inadequate owner education.