The motivation to crib was compared to the motivation to eat. Eight horses (Equus caballus) were operantly conditioned to push a switch for the opportunity to crib. When a progressive ratio was imposed, they worked as hard for a cribbing opportunity as for the opportunity to eat sweetened grain indicating a high demand. Another measure of motivation is the effort expended by the animal. The force exerted when a horse cribs was measured by attaching weights to a door and observing how heavy the weights had to be to prevent the horse from pulling a door toward itself when it cribbed. Seven horses were tested. Each neck flex of a crib-biting action was forceful enough to lift 29.4 (±5) kg. The motivation to crib and the force involved indicates that thwarting cribbing is a welfare issue.

Although bats are frequently admitted to rescue centres — mainly as orphans — very little information is available on their survival after release. Our study answered the following questions: i) do hand-reared bats survive over a short time; ii) which activities and habitat selection do they exhibit; iii) are bats loyal to the release area; and iv) are they able to join local colonies? We radio-tracked 21 hand-reared Pipistrellus kuhlii over a two-year period released on a site that differed from that where they were rescued. At the study site they were provided with the same bat boxes used in the rehabilitation room. Nineteen bats were confirmed to survive, stay in the area and actively forage over 4-14 days. Fourteen day roosts in buildings (nine of which hosted a local colony) were used by 12 subjects. Bats travelled less than 5 km in total each night; their most frequent activity was night roosting, followed by foraging and commuting. We recorded typical foraging behaviour, including hunting around street lamps at sites exploited by many conspecifics. A comparison of habitats available within individual home ranges with those within the study area showed that urban areas, riparian vegetation and farmland were equally important and preferred to woodland. When the foraging time spent in each habitat was compared with habitat composition within individual home ranges or within the study area, urban sites were preferred for foraging over all other habitats, followed by farmland and woodland and finally riparian vegetation. Overall, we showed that hand-raised orphaned P. kuhlii may readily adapt to environments they are not familiar with, exhibit a high short-term survival and select key resources in the release area, provided appropriate rehabilitation and training techniques are adopted.

We examined the effects of daily positive or negative human handling on the behaviour of Holstein-Friesian dairy calves (n = 20 calves per treatment, five calves per group). The response to humans and indicators of positive emotions were examined at four weeks of age. Calves that received positive handling approached a familiar handler within 1 min in 50% of the handling sessions compared to 17% of the sessions for negatively handled calves but showed no difference when approaching an unfamiliar person. Calves that received positive handling showed less avoidance behaviour in their home pen to an approaching unfamiliar person (score, positive: 3.7, negative: 2.8) but there was no treatment effect on flight distance when tested outside the home pen. Both treatment groups responded similarly to a novel object and performed the same amount of play behaviour. Calves that received positive handling interacted more with cow brushes than calves that received negative handling (positive: 9.9%, negative: 7.9% of the total time). At three months of age, avoidance behaviour was re-tested, this time including 20 control animals of the same breed and age, reared routinely on-farm. Controls showed more avoidance behaviour (positive: 1.5, negative: 1.0, control: 0.3) and had a greater flight distance (positive: 3.3 m, negative: 3.7 m, control: 4.9 m). The results confirm existing literature demonstrating that the quantity and quality of handling influence the response towards humans. Little evidence was found that the type of early handling influences behaviours indicative of positive emotions.

We recently used radio-tracking to demonstrate short-term, post-release survival of five orphaned, hand-reared pipistrelle bats. Here, we present further evidence of short-term, post-release survival and also demonstrate longer term survival using re-sighting data of ringed common (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and soprano (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) pipistrelle bats. Ten bats (five common and five soprano pipistrelles) were radio-tracked for between one and ten days. Three of these were retrieved after one, two and four days, respectively. In addition, five of the 39 (13%) ringed bats returned to their release boxes between 38 and 1,389 days after release, at least two of which survived over the winter in the wild. A sixth ringed bat was retrieved 27 days after release after becoming trapped in a house. We also identified potential barriers to successful rehabilitation. Two of the ten bats radio-tracked in the current project became trapped within buildings and another bat had to be retrieved following entanglement with debris. We therefore recommend that attention be paid to giving bats the opportunity, prior to release, in identifying and using small exit holes similar to those found in buildings and loft spaces. We also recommend allowing bats to self-release following prolonged pre-release flight training in a large flight cage situated in suitable bat habitat.

Inhalation of concentrations greater than 30% of carbon dioxide (CO2) by volume in atmospheric air causes aversion in pigs. The objective of this study was to assess, using aversion learning techniques and behavioural studies, the aversion to three alternative gas mixtures of nitrogen (N2) and CO2: 70% N2 and 30% CO2 (70N30C), 80% N2 and 20% CO2 (80N20C) and 85% N2 and 15% CO2 (85N15C). The experiment consisted of two trials of three groups of ten pigs each. Pigs were placed individually at the starting point of the test facility and allowed to enter the crate of a dip-lift stunning system during one control session with atmospheric air and three treatment sessions with one of the gas treatments in each group. When the pit contained any of the three gas mixtures, the time taken to cross the raceway and enter the crate did not increase compared to the control session. However, when exposed to the gas mixtures, the majority (85.80%) of pigs performed attempted retreats in the crate, 22.22% exhibited escape attempts, and 7.91% vocalised, without differences between gas mixtures. The percentage of pigs gasping was higher when exposed to 70N30C compared to 80N20C and 85N15C. The results suggest that pigs show signs of aversion to the inhalation of 15 to 30% CO2 in nitrogen atmosphere compared to atmospheric air but the aversion response did not increase in consecutive sessions.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of group size and stocking density on the welfare and performance of hens housed in furnished cage systems during summer. A total of 924 Hy-Line Brown hens were assigned to three housing systems: a standard battery cage system (control, 4 hens per cage and 398 cm2 per hen), two furnished systems (including perches and nest); one with a small (SFC, 21 hens per cage; 586 cm2 per hen) and one with a large group size (LFC, 48 hens per cage; 543 cm2 per hen). The results showed that hens housed in SFC and LFC had a higher feed intake and a poorer feed efficiency compared to control hens. Laying rate and egg weight were not significantly affected by housing systems. Hens housed in LFC and SFC systems showed less sitting and more walking behaviours than control hens. SFC hens showed more nesting and less perching behaviours than LFC hens. Hens kept in SFC systems showed fewer signs of heat stress during summer, with less panting activity than LFC or control hens, and a relatively lower rectal temperature than controls. The rectal temperature of LFC hens did not differ from the SFC hens and controls. Blood concentrations of luteinising hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and oestradiol were not significantly influenced. In conclusion, group size and stocking density in furnished cages have an effect on behaviour and performance of hens. The furnished cage systems with small group sizes were favourable for hen welfare without markedly affecting performance. Group size should be considered in the development of furnished cage systems.

Personalised identification (ID) tags that contain the contact information of pet owners can help ensure a pet gets home quickly. Recent research found that even though ID tags can help get pets home, the majority of pet owners do not consistently provide ID tags. The objectives of this study were to identify the number of animals at our study site wearing an ID tag as well as the owners’ reasons for not having them do so and to evaluate the attitudes and perceptions of owners towards pet identification. Pet owners were surveyed when visiting one of five veterinary hospitals and a low cost spay/neuter clinic in Oklahoma City, USA. Out of the 291 pets in the survey, only 59 (20.3%) were currently wearing an ID tag with correct information. When asked how important it was for pets to wear identification, 79.6% of the surveyed pet owners reported it was very or extremely important with only 0.7% reporting that ID tags were not at all important. The most common reason for not placing a tag on their pet was that their pet was ‘indoor only’ (35.3%), with another 10% reporting their pet did not wear ID because the pet was uncomfortable wearing a collar. The results of this research suggest that a high percentage of pets do not have ID tags and that a programme to place ID tags directly onto the pets has a good potential for success, as there is a positive attitude toward tagging among pet owners.

The full extent to which inherited disorders occur in different breeds of domestic horse (Equus caballus) has not been previously been investigated. A systematic search was carried out to review scientific literature on inherited disorders in domestic horse breeds and examine patterns in potentially inherited disorders. A two-part search was conducted: (i) electronic bibliographic databases for published studies; and (ii) existing online databases of inherited disorders in animals. A total of 230 papers were identified, discussing 102 inherited disorders in the horse. Few cases (17) were found in which disorders were reported to have a direct link to a conformational or phenotypic trait. Forty-nine breeds of domestic horse were described as being predisposed to one or more inherited disorders, but such predispositions did not distinguish between genetic or environmental causes. There were few patterns in the number of disorders to which breeds were reportedly predisposed or in the extent to which disorders were researched. The structure and grouping of disorders presented here could assist with standardisation in the terminology used for describing inherited disorders.

Education of children about farm animal welfare could affect welfare standards, through influence on current and future purchasing of animal products, and improve general consideration for animals. Establishing success requires evaluation. Here, a farm animal educational event for 13 to 14 year-old schoolchildren, focusing on chicken biology, welfare and food labelling, was assessed. Alterations in knowledge, attitude and a proxy measure of behaviour towards animals and their welfare, key aspects expected to impact on animal welfare, were investigated using questionnaires. These key aspects were predicted to increase following event attendance and remain higher than in the non-attending control group three months later. Knowledge and positive behaviour towards specific poultry species increased significantly in attendees but, although remaining greater than pre-attendance, tended to diminish over time. Value afforded to animal life was unaffected by the event. Consideration of welfare needs was significantly greater overall in attendees than non-attendees, but appeared to be characteristic of children choosing to attend the event, rather than the event per se. Importance attributed to animal welfare followed a hierarchy from survival-relevant, eg freedom from hunger and thirst, to less critical needs, eg stimulation. The specific species under consideration had the most significant effect on attitudes; consistent with predictions based on perceptions of the animals’ ‘complexity’, cognitive ability, similarity to humans and use. Further investigation into the aetiology of attitude and potential barriers to attitude change is required to effect attitude change and determine whether attitude alteration could support maintenance of shifts in knowledge and behaviour.

The mortality and morbidity of unweaned dairy calves and management practices that may impair calf health and welfare were surveyed on 115 farms in Canada (Quebec) and 60 farms in Central Europe (Austria and Germany) to examine whether outcome-based measures of calf health could be used to identify farms that use management practices that place calf health at risk. Quebec herds had higher juvenile mortality incidence than those in Central Europe. Juvenile mortality was poorly estimated by producers. Low levels of mortality did not include low levels of morbidity in the same herds. Health status was not necessarily associated with management practices generally recommended for health and welfare. Many management practices that may impair calf health and welfare were found in Quebec while only some were found in Central Europe; these were related to calving management and care of the newborn, colostrum management, calf-dam separation, calf feeding, weaning and calf housing. Inadequate recording of calf morbidity and mortality can be a problem in using recorded measures to assess the level of calf health on a farm. The recorded mortality and morbidity do not necessarily show the extent that producers use management practices that pose a risk to calf health.

A survey of attitudes towards the welfare and rights of animals was conducted in universities in 11 European and Asian countries, to improve understanding of cultural differences that might impact on trade and international relations. Collaborators’ universities were recruited in each country to assist in the design, translation and administration of the survey via the internet in a convenient selection of the country's universities, providing 3,433 student responses from at least 103 universities. Respondents rated the acceptability of 43 major concerns about animals (focused on type of use, animal integrity, killing animals, animal welfare, experimentation on animals, changes in animal genotypes, the environment for animals and societal attitudes towards animals). Students from European countries had more concern for animal welfare than students from Asian countries, which may be partly explained by increased affluence of European students as there was a positive correlation between student expenditure and concern for animal welfare and rights. Southern and central European countries had most concern for animal rights and unnatural practices. Those in communist or former communist countries in Asia and Europe had most concern about killing animals and those in northern European countries the least. Regional similarities between neighbouring countries were evident in responses to animal issues and there were no differences between ethnic groups within a country. Thus, there were national and continental differences in European and Asian students’ attitudes to animals’ welfare and rights, which appear to arise as a result of the socio-political situation in regions rather than religious or other differences.

Field-based animal researchers need to balance the potential adverse effects of their research activities against the benefits of research outcomes, but the data required to do this are often lacking. Assessing, and subsequently reporting the effects of researcher activities on wild animal populations can be difficult, so that studies to detect these effects sometimes lack rigour or fail to encompass sufficient time to ensure that the effects are tested under a range of environmental stresses. We monitored the effect of investigators working in colonies of two seabirds, the short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris) and the little penguin (Eudyptula minor). Disturbance of breeding birds while checking nests or the weighing of chicks to monitor growth are very common activities for demographic and ecological studies, but how these activities may influence the birds is rarely measured. We investigated differing levels of disturbance during both activities between 2002-03 and 2008-09 to assess their effect on egg laying, chick survival and growth rate and observed no effect for nest checking or handling of short-tailed shearwaters and indeterminate effects for handling in little penguins. Over a period of several years the study has observed a large-scale decline in the number of breeding shearwaters and includes years when control nests had above and below average breeding success.

Previous studies have noted significant welfare problems in cattle housed on fully slatted floors. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of alternative housing systems under on-farm conditions. Health, behavioural and farm data of fattening bulls were collected on seven Austrian farms between January 2006 and April 2007. The housing systems studied comprised fully slatted concrete floor pens (CS), fully slatted floor pens covered with rubber mats (RS), straw-bedded pens (ST) and a system combining straw-bedded pens (for bulls weighing < 450 kg) and fully slatted floor pens (for bulls weighing > 450 kg; SS). The numbers of scabs/wounds on the carpal joint and severe lesions/partial losses of the tail tip were significantly higher in CS and SS than in RS and ST. The claws of bulls in ST and RS showed clear signs of reduced abrasion, but this does not seem to have any negative impact on the corium. Behavioural alterations were observed mainly in CS and SS. The numbers of lying and short standing bouts were significantly higher in ST and RS than in CS; the mean duration of lying bouts was significantly lower. Mean duration of lying down and standing up was significantly lower in ST than in CS and SS. Bulls in ST had a significantly higher daily weight gain than bulls in all other systems. It is concluded that rubber mats improve the welfare of bulls housed on slatted floors. However, neither the RS nor the SS system reached the welfare potential of straw bedding provided throughout life.

A majority of laying hens fracture their keel bones during the laying cycle. It is not easy for a farmer to identify hens with fractures and hen survival rate seems high. Thus, the effect of both recent and healed fractures on bird welfare is unclear. We aimed to investigate the impact of these keel-bone fractures on hens’ production and behaviour. The egg production, mobility and behaviour of Lohmann Brown hens without keel fractures were compared with that of hens with old healed fractures of varying severity. In addition, the keel-bone strength and body temperature around the fracture site was measured for each group. Hens with no fractures laid more eggs and had a higher egg-quality score (derived from measures of egg weight, egg surface area, shell weight, shell percentage and shell density). These hens had the highest keel area temperature, strongest keel bones, accessed perches more frequently and took a shorter time to negotiate a walkway obstacle test and to fly down from a raised perch. Hens without keel fractures were better in all investigated parameters than hens with keel fractures, indicating a detrimental effect of fractures on both welfare and economic return.