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Welfare of farm animals: environmental perception cognition interaction and management

Reference	BB/C518922/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Christopher Wathes
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Siobhan Abeyesinghe, Dr Theodorus Demmers, Dr John Jarvis, Miss Morven Mcleman
Institution	Royal Veterinary College
Department	Clinical Sciences and Services
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	2,790,766
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/10/2005
End date	31/01/2011
Duration	64 months

Abstract

Provision of an optimal environment is essential for good welfare. An animal¿s interaction with its environment is established via perceptual and cognitive processes, which determine affective states that set behavioural and physiological responses. We hypothesise that the physical and social environments of livestock husbandry can affect physical and mental health, and hence welfare, (i) chronically throughout life via abnormal development and/or function of perceptual, cognitive, physiological and behavioural mechanisms; and (ii) acutely through direct and indirect effects of the immediate environment experienced by the animal on the same biological mechanisms. Direct evidence for this hypothesis in intensively farmed animals includes multi-factorial diseases with an environment aetiology, aggression and abnormal behaviours, and production disorders. Furthermore, an environment that is optimal for production may not guarantee good welfare while the unnatural environment of modern husbandry may be outwith the evolutionary experience of the ancestors of modern breeds, potentially leading to maladaptive physiological and behavioural responses. The overall aim is to quantify, model, predict and control the biological and physical interactions between housed pigs and fowl and their physical and social environment. The inter-disciplinary research programme is based on three projects with domestic fowl and pigs: (i) visual perception; (ii) social cognition and behaviour; and (iii) environmental management. These reflect current concerns over poor welfare and permit both the chronic and acute hypotheses about the interaction between an animal and its environment to be tested. The findings will provide targets or guidelines for environmental management of domestic fowl and pigs while the underlying principles have a generic relevance whenever animals are kept intensively. Animal responses will be quantified using mainly behavioural methods and predictive mathematical models will be developed that account for the steady-state and dynamic responses or animal behaviour, physiology and growth to the physical and social environment. Using control engineering principles, we will devise new environmental control systems that promote welfare while satisfying other requirements of sustainable livestock farming.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	Animal Health, Animal Welfare, Neuroscience and Behaviour
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Animal Welfare Programme (AWP) [2004]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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