bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear wave attenuation in strongly confined falling liquid films sheared by a laminar counter-current gas flow
Authors: Mergui Sophie , Lavalle Gianluca , Li Yiqin , Grenier Nicolas , Dietze Georg F.
Published: January 2023

Experiments are conducted in water films falling along the bottom wall of a weakly inclined rectangular channel of height$5$mm in the presence of a laminar counter-current air flow. Boundary conditions have been specifically designed to avoid flooding at the liquid outlet, thus allowing us to focus on the wave dynamics in the core of the channel. Surface waves are excited via coherent inlet forcing before they come into contact with the air flow. The effect of the air flow on the height, shape and speed of two-dimensional travelling nonlinear waves is investigated and contrasted with experiments of Kofman, Mergui & Ruyer-Quil (Intl J. Multiphase Flow, vol. 95, 2017, pp. 22–34), which were performed in a weakly confined channel. We observe a striking difference between these two cases. In our strongly confined configuration, a monotonic stabilizing effect or a non-monotonic trend (i.e. the wave height first increases and then diminishes upon increasing the gas flow rate) is observed, in contrast to the weakly confined configuration where the gas flow is always destabilizing. This stabilizing effect implies the possibility of attenuating waves via the gas flow and it confirms recent numerical results obtained by Lavalleet al.(J. Fluid Mech., vol. 919, 2021, R2) in a superconfined channel.
Experimental investigations of linear and nonlinear periodic travelling waves in a viscous fluid conduit
Authors: Mao Yifeng , Hoefer Mark A.
Published: January 2023

Conduits generated by the buoyant dynamics between two miscible Stokes fluids with high viscosity contrast, a type of core–annular flow, exhibit a rich nonlinear wave dynamics. However, little is known about the fundamental wave dispersion properties of the medium. In the present work, a pump is used to inject a time-periodic flow that results in the excitation of propagating small- and large-amplitude periodic travelling waves along the conduit interface. This wavemaker problem is used as a means to measure the linear and nonlinear dispersion relations and corresponding periodic travelling wave profiles. Measurements are favourably compared with predictions from a fully nonlinear, long-wave model (the conduit equation) and the analytically computed linear dispersion relation for two-Stokes flow. A critical frequency is observed, marking the threshold between propagating and non-propagating (spatially decaying) waves. Measurements of wave profiles and the wavenumber–frequency dispersion relation quantitatively agree with wave solutions of the conduit equation. An upshift from the conduit equation's predicted critical frequency is observed and is explained by incorporating a weak recirculating flow into the full two-Stokes flow model. When the boundary condition corresponds to the temporal profile of a nonlinear periodic travelling wave solution of the conduit equation, weakly nonlinear and strongly nonlinear, cnoidal-type waves are observed that quantitatively agree with the conduit nonlinear dispersion relation and wave profiles. This wavemaker problem is an important precursor to the experimental investigation of more general boundary value problems in viscous fluid conduit nonlinear wave dynamics.
Mechanisms of mass transfer to small spheres sinking in turbulence
Authors: Lawson John M. , Ganapathisubramani Bharathram
Published: January 2023

Using laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, we examine the transfer of soluble material from small, spherical particles sinking in homogeneous turbulence at large Péclet number. A theoretical analysis predicts two distinct mechanisms of convective mass transfer: strain due to turbulence and slip due to gravitational settling. Their relative strength is parametrised by the sinking ratio,

${Sr} = w_0 \tau _\eta /a$

, where

$w_0$

is the quiescent settling velocity,

$a$

is the particle radius and

$\tau _\eta$

is the Kolmogorov time scale. This analysis predicts that the topology of the concentration wake changes from a symmetric topology at

${Sr} \ll 1$

to an asymmetric topology at

${Sr} \gg 1$

as the dominant mechanism of mass transfer changes. Particle tracking flow visualisations of small spheres releasing dye in turbulence confirm the existence of this change in mechanism at

${Sr} = O(1)$

. We complement these experiments with numerical simulations of the mass transfer from sinking particles. The transfer rate predicted by the simulation is found to be in good agreement with literature data for mass transfer to turbulent suspensions of solid particles and is consistent with asymptotic expressions for mass transfer in uniform flow when

${Sr} \gg 1$

. A decomposition of the convective fluxes confirms the transition in the transfer mechanism. At

${Sr} = O(1)$

, both mechanisms provide comparable contributions to the transfer rate. Cross-correlation analysis reveals that particle-scale knowledge of both the recent strain and velocity history is required to predict the instantaneous transfer rate. Turbulence-induced particle rotation has a modest suppression effect upon convective transfer by sinking.
“A Refugee from Belief”: Agha Shahid Ali’s Poetics of Rupture
Authors: Dutta Upasana
Published: January 2023

This article attempts a reassessment of the political aspirations within Agha Shahid Ali’s poetics through a close reading ofThe Country without a Post Office.Although Shahid’s formal innovations have often been prioritized over his political commitments within scholarly evaluations of his work, I contend that in this collection, Agha Shahid Ali practices a “poetics of rupture”: holding themes of coherence and disruption, continuity and breakage, the global and the local in sustained tension with each other throughout the volume. Forged through a political commitment to represent Kashmir in crisis, his poetics of rupture is simultaneously formally founded on breakage and discontinuity, and itself ruptures, as I eventually propose, the very binaries (poetics versus polemics, personal versus political, local versus global) that shadow political poetry. I demonstrate the specifics of Shahid’s poetics of rupture through an analysis of his work with literary allusions and poetic forms. Eventually, this article contends that recognizing the political import of his poetics of rupture has consequences for our recognition of the crisis in Kashmir itself and the ethical and formal possibilities surrounding the representation of this crisis.
L’éclipse de l'interculturalisme au Québec
Authors: Couture Jean-Pierre , St-Louis Jean-Charles
Published: January 2023

Cet article porte sur le débat idéologique que suscite l'interculturalisme dans le champ intellectuel québécois depuis les années 2000. S'il a longtemps servi de point de convergence entre intellectuel.le.s néonationalistes, cherchant à allier pluralisme et nationalisme, l'interculturalisme n'a toutefois pas empêché la recrudescence des appels en faveur du resserrement du contrôle sur les personnes migrantes et les pratiques culturelles minoritaires. Notre thèse est que cette tendance confirme l’éclipse de la tentative de concilier nationalisme et pluralisme au sein de l'interculturalisme québécois. Pour soutenir cette thèse, notre article documente la faiblesse de l'interculturalisme québécois devant les blocs idéologiques formés par le multiculturalisme fédéral, le nationalisme conservateur et la montée des critiques antiracistes et décoloniales au Québec. Face à ces positions rivales, les contradictions de l'interculturalisme quant au privilège de la majorité sur les minorités ont été mises au jour au fil de controverses que l'article examine sur une période de vingt ans.
SEYMOUR MARTIN LIPSET: MODERNIZZAZIONE, STRUTTURA SOCIALE E CULTURA POLITICA COME FATTORI DELLO SVILUPPO DEMOCRATICO
Authors: Hoffmann-Lange Ursula
Published: January 2023

Introduzione

Seymour Martin Lipset è indubbiamente uno dei maggiori scienziati sociali del ventesimo secolo, «che ha plasmato, forse più di ogni altro scienziato sociale contemporaneo, lo studio delle condizioni, dei valori e delle istituzioni della democrazia negli Stati Uniti e in tutto il mondo (Marks 1995, 765). I suoi contributi sia alla scienza politica che alla sociologia sono straordinari. È l'unico ad essere stato sia Presidente dell'American Political Science Association (1979-80), sia dell'American Sociological Association (1992-3). È stato anche Presidente o vice Presidente di molte altre associazioni professionali americane e internazionali, come la International Society of Political Psychology, la World Association for Public Opinion Research, e la Society for Comparative Research. Le sue attività in queste associazioni testimoniano l'ampio spettro degli interessi accademici di Lipset, che vanno dalla politica comparata alla stratificazione sociale. Lipset ha anche ricevuto molti riconoscimenti, come fellowships da prestigiose istituzioni accademiche (ad es. il Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences di Stanford), premi da associazioni professionali, e non meno di sette Ph. D. onorari.
International law: A discipline of ambition
Authors: Duvic-Paoli Leslie-Anne
Published: January 2023

The term ‘ambition’ appears to have infiltrated international legal discourses: it is used to, for instance, lament the lack of state action to tackle major global challenges, praise progress towards difficult goals, or evaluate the outcomes of international law-making processes. Often mobilized, the concept of ambition in international law remains, however, poorly understood. And yet, each narrative offers a specific analytical frame that influences our understanding of the world and sets distinct policy prescriptions. What argumentative functions do ambition narratives play and what implications do they carry for international law, in both its practice and study? To respond to this question, the article explores the occurrence of the term in a field where the rationale of ambition has recently taken centre stage – international climate law – and uses the crisis narrative as a means of comparison to highlight the specificity of ambition discourses. The argumentative implications of ambition are identified in terms of vision, means and temporality: this article suggests that an ambition discourse fulfils objectives that a crisis narrative is unable to accommodate by calling for structural transformations, motivating states to commit to far-reaching objectives and adopting a long-term perspective focused on incremental change. The shortcomings of an ambition narrative are also highlighted, in relation to its determination and evaluation. The study contributes to shedding light on a new international law discourse to offer a different analytical frame for the discipline.
Impact of trapping and handling on Leukocyte Coping Capacity in bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus)
Authors: Gelling M , McLaren GW , Mathews F , Mian R , Macdonald DW
Published: January 2023

Small mammals are routinely live-trapped and subsequently handled for a range of ecological and behavioural studies. Despite the techniques commonly employed being potentially stressful for the individual animals involved, it has hitherto been difficult to quantify the physiological impact. Here, we report on the first instance of using the Leukocyte Coping Capacity technique (LCC) in bank voles(Clethrionomys glareolus)and wood mice(Apodemus sylvaticus)to investigate the physiological impact of routine trapping and handling techniques. Twenty microlitres of blood were obtained from 40 animals, of which 25 were handled following standard protocols and 15 were not. We found that even a short period of acute stress is sufficient to trigger an immune response which was measurable using the LCC technique. These results further validate the use of the LCC technique for measuring the physiological impact of standard trapping and handling treatments on wild mammals.
Corticosterone differences rather than social housing predict performance of T-maze alternation in male CD-1 mice
Authors: Fitchett AE , Barnard CJ , Cassaday HJ
Published: January 2023

This study examined the effects of social housing manipulations on bodyweight, corticosterone levels, and performance of T-maze alternation in male CD-1 mice. Males that adopted a dominant social rank were heavier than those that adopted a subordinate social rank. Dominant males also had lower corticosterone concentrations than the subordinates. However, there was little to suggest that these physiological indicators of social rank were moderated by housing condition. Indeed, statistical analysis confirmed that the difference in bodyweights was evident before males were socially housed. The mice showed high levels of spatial alternation on the T-maze from the start of testing so performance accuracy was high. Neither social rank nor housing condition had any clear categorical effect on T-maze performance. However, performance did fluctuate over successive blocks of testing and there was a negative association between accuracy on the T-maze and corticosterone levels (consistent with performance impairment because of elevated corticosterone). Therefore, under present conditions, individual differences in corticosterone were a better predictor of T-maze performance than social rank or housing condition. The results of the present study lend further support to the proposition that corticosterone levels measured non-invasively in urine may be used to predict diverse welfare outcomes for laboratory mice, from bodyweight to cognitive performance. Moreover, intrinsic physiological parameters rather than external influences, such as social housing, may have more influence on mouse behaviour.
From operant learning to cognitive enrichment in farm animal housing: bases and applicability
Authors: Manteuffel G , Langbein J , Puppe B
Published: January 2023

This study has its basis in recent findings by our own and other laboratories and proposes a type of rewarded operant learning that seeks the detection of discriminatory cues as a cognitive enrichment in intensive husbandry systems. This type of cognitive enrichment has the ability to activate the intrinsically-rewarding mesolimbic brain axis when an animal acquires successful strategies to cope with environmental demands. It provides animals with the opportunity to develop positive affects through control of their environment and the anticipation of consummatory reward. If true animal welfare is considered more than simply the absence of stress and harm, provoking better affective conditions may be a suitable way of increasing the well-being of intensively-housed animals. Recent research with elaborated operant learning equipment, under experimental and quasi-commercial conditions, revealed better health, reduced boredom and less maladaptive behaviour as potentially practical advantages. A number of the issues regarding the transfer of this suggested form of cognitive enrichment to large scale, commercial farming are discussed.
A review of mulesing and other methods to control flystrike (cutaneous myiasis) in sheep
Authors: Phillips CJC
Published: January 2023

Flystrike (cutaneous myiasis) in sheep has the potential to have a major impact on the welfare of significant numbers of sheep worldwide, but particularly in Australia. The main control method used in Australia, the mulesing operation to remove folds of skin from the hindquarters of the sheep, is effective in controlling the disease, but will be terminated from 2010 as a result of concerns that the operation itself has too great a negative impact on sheep welfare. Alternative treatment methods are considered, and it is proposed that they need to be appraised for each farm separately, based on the conditions prevailing and the potential to apply the different treatments. Sheep are predisposed to flystrike if their fleece is wet or contaminated with faeces or urine. Monitoring and awareness of the weather conditions will enable farmers to strategically treat their sheep with insecticides, or to observe them and treat affected animals more regularly. Frequent removal of wool by crutching, dagging and shearing will aid wool desiccation after rainfall and decrease the likelihood of fleece contamination with excreta. Some control of diarrhoea can be achieved by good grazing management and treatment of diseases that predispose sheep to the disorder. Reducing fly populations can be achieved by the use of traps, and parasitoid wasps also offer some promise. Alternative methods of removing wool and wrinkles from the hindquarters of sheep, including the topical application of quarternary ammonium compounds, phenols, caustic soda or plastic clips, have yet to be proven to be effective, without severely impacting on the welfare of the animal as well as compromising operator safety. In the long term, the breeding of sheep without wrinkles or wool on their hindquarters offers the most likely method of control, although a small proportion of sheep are affected on other parts of their body.
The influence of losing or gaining access to peat on the dustbathing behaviour of laying hens
Authors: Wichman A , Keeling LJ
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the influence of being reared with or without access to peat as well as the effects of losing or gaining substrate access on the dustbathing behaviour of young, domestic fowl(Gallus gallus domesticus).There were four treatments, based on the period of time chicks had access to peat during rearing: (i) always (LL), (ii) never (NN), (iii) from 0 to 6 weeks of age (LN) and (iv) from 6 weeks of age onwards (NL). Observations on the number and length of dustbaths performed were made for six days with birds aged six weeks and 50% of the birds either lost or gained access to litter. The birds then remained in the same treatment conditions until 16 weeks of age, at which point the same behavioural observations were repeated. NL birds (which had just gained access to peat) were found to be quicker than LN birds (which had just lost access to peat) to perform a dustbath during the first observation period. A significant difference was seen in the variation of the duration of the dustbathing bouts; both LL and NL birds varied less in the lengths of their bouts than NN and LN birds over both observation periods. Hence, early rearing environment had less effect on birds’ dustbathing behaviour than current access or lack of access to litter. The irregular dustbathing pattern exhibited by birds that dustbathe without litter could be a sign of frustration; an indication that dustbathing without litter — unlike dustbathing in litter — does not provide the required feedback.
Assessment of the efficiency of captive-bolt stunning in cattle and feasibility of associated behavioural signs
Authors: Gouveia KG , Ferreira PG , da Costa JC Roque , Vaz-Pires P , da Costa P Martins
Published: January 2023

Efficient stunning is essential for the welfare of animals destined for slaughter. Several studies have dictated certain signs as reliable for the assessment of stunning efficiency in cattle. However, there is still a lack of data concerning the viability of these signs. The aim of the following study was to assess stunning efficiency at a slaughterhouse, studying the relationship between age, sex and breed of cattle and the efficiency of stunning and determining the feasibility of the following signs in assessing stunning efficiency: immediate collapse, muscle spasms, rhythmic breathing, rotation of the eyeballs, painful response to ear or nose pinch, vocalisation and muscle tone of the ears. Cattle were observed immediately after stunning and hoisting onto the bleed rail. Results showed that stunning efficiency decreased with age, was greater in females than males (for animals greater than 12 months of age) and was superior in ‘dairy’ compared to ‘beef’ cattle at all age ranges. Presence of ear muscle tone, absence of muscular spasms, presence of rhythmic breathing, and vocalisation were the most common signs of inefficient stunning recorded in the present study. Recognition of the most frequently occurring signs associated with inefficient stunning will point out the need for re-stunning, preventing animals from regaining sensibility.
A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of lameness in finishing pigs, gilts and pregnant sows and associations with limb lesions and floor types on commercial farms in England
Authors: KilBride AL , Gillman CE , Green LE
Published: January 2023

The prevalence and risks for abnormal gait in finishing pigs(Sus scrofa), gilts and pregnant sows from a representative cross-section of indoor and outdoor herds in the United Kingdom were investigated. The prevalence of abnormal gait in finishing pigs, maiden gilts, pregnant gilts and pregnant sows from 88 herds was 19.7, 11.8, 14.4 and 16.9%, respectively. In a multivariable analysis of 98 herds, there was an increased risk of abnormal gait in pregnant sows housed on slatted floors compared with pregnant sows housed on solid concrete floors with straw bedding or sows housed outdoors on soil. The lowest prevalence of abnormal gait in finishing pigs occurred in pigs housed outdoors (3.4 vs 19.7% in indoor-housed finishing pigs) however, the difference was not significant because only three farms in the study housed finishing pigs outdoors. In indoor-housed finishing pigs, there was an increased risk of abnormal gait in pigs housed on solid concrete floors with sparse bedding, partly-slatted floors or fully-slatted floors compared with those housed on solid concrete floors with deep bedding in all areas. However, there were no significant associations between floor type and abnormal gait in gilts. There was an increased risk of abnormal gait associated with increasing callus, bursitis and capped hock score on the limbs of finishing pigs. This might have occurred because limb lesions cause discomfort or because lame pigs spend more time lying and this increases the risk of limb lesions developing.
A survey of cat shelters in Sweden
Authors: Eriksson P , Loberg J , Andersson M
Published: January 2023

Although cats are extremely common, pet owners seem to have a poor understanding of their natural behaviour and needs and a large number end up in cat shelters. In Sweden, no records exist of the number of cat shelters or their activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of cat shelters in Sweden. We found 62 cat shelters during 2006; the year in which this study was conducted. Questionnaires were sent to these shelters with questions concerning: received animals, reasons for relinquishing cats, cat husbandry and how the shelter was run. The most common reason for relinquishing a cat was that the cat was homeless; another common reason was that the owner had an allergy to cats. The shelters had, on average, space for 29 cats, but this varied from six-to-100, and they received on average ten cats per month. This means that a total of around 7,400 cats enter the 62 shelters in Sweden each year. On average, the cats stayed more than three months in the shelter. Less than 10% of the relinquished cats were euthanised. Our study reveals that there are shelters that continuously receive unwanted cats. The majority of these cats are said to be homeless, therefore in order to minimise the number of cats in shelters in Sweden, the focus should be on reducing the number of homeless cats.
Reliability of categorical versus continuous scoring of welfare indicators: lameness in cows as a case study
Authors: Tuyttens FAM , Sprenger M , Van Nuffel A , Maertens W , Van Dongen S
Published: January 2023

Many animal welfare traits vary on a continuous scale but are commonly scored using an ordinal scale with few categories. The rationale behind this practice is rarely stated but appears largely based on the debatable conviction that it increases data reliability. Using 54 observers of varying levels of expertise, inter-observer reliability (IOR) and user-satisfaction were compared between a 3-point ordinal scale (OS) and a continuous modified visual analogue scale with multiple anchors (VAS) for scoring lameness in dairy cattle from video. IOR was significantly better for the VAS than for the OS. IOR increased with self-reported level of expertise for the VAS, whereas for the OS it was highest for observers with a moderate level of expertise. The mean continuous scores and the mean categorical scores were highly correlated. Three times as many observers stated a preference for the VAS (n = 27) compared to the OS (n = 9) in investigating differences in lameness between herds. Contrary to common perception, these results illustrate that it is possible for a continuous cattle lameness score to be more reliable and to have greater user acceptability than a simple categorical scale. As continuous scales are also potentially more sensitive, and produce data more amenable to algebraic processing and more powerful parametric analyses, the scepticism against their application for assessing animal welfare traits should be reconsidered.
Preliminary evaluation of a prototype welfare monitoring system for sows and piglets (Welfare Quality® project)
Authors: Scott K , Binnendijk GP , Edwards SA , Guy JH , Kiezebrink MC , Vermeer HM
Published: January 2023

The Welfare Quality® project aims to develop a European on-farm welfare assessment standard for pigs, amongst other species. A prototype monitoring system was developed for sows and piglets using predominantly animal-based measures of behaviour, health and physiology to assess welfare. The prototype monitoring system was evaluated on a total of 82 farms in the UK and The Netherlands, encompassing a wide variety of farming systems. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates that the incidence of clinical welfare problems were low, with 1.2, 0.8, 1.1 and 0.1%, respectively of pregnant and lactating sows recorded as having substantial skin lesions, bursitis and vulval lesions, and extremely poor body condition. Some clinical problems were more prevalent in certain types of feeding system than others, particularly the severity of vulval lesions with electronic sow feeding (ESF) systems. Fear of humans, assessed by the extent of withdrawal behaviour from an unknown human, was low, and median scores were similar for sows housed in groups indoors, outdoors and in stalls. Some form of stereotyped behaviour was observed on almost 75% of farms visited, with sham chewing the most commonly recorded stereotyped behaviour. System design affected the practicality of some measures, particularly on outdoor farms. Full investigation of the complete data set will enable a refined, final, on-farm monitoring system to be developed and benchmark standards established.
Genotype rather than non-genetic behavioural transmission determines the temperament of Merino lambs
Authors: Bickell S , Poindron P , Nowak R , Chadwick A , Ferguson D , Blache D
Published: January 2023

Merino ewes have been selected, over 18 generations, for calm (C) or nervous (N) temperament using using an arena test and an isolation box test. We investigated the relative contributions of genotype versus the post-partum behaviour of the dam on the temperament of the lambs using a cross-fostering procedure. Forty-eight multiparous calm and 52 nervous ewes were artificially inseminated with the semen of a sire of the same temperament. At birth, 32 lambs of a given temperament line were cross fostered to ewes from the other line (16 N × C, 16 C × N), 34 lambs were cross fostered to ewes from the same line (15 C × C, 19 N × N) and 30 lambs were left with their birth mother (15 C, 15 N), to control for the effect of cross fostering. The temperament of the progeny was assessed at two occasions, one week after birth by measuring locomotor activity during an open-field test and at weaning (16 weeks) by measuring locomotor activity during an arena test and agitation score measured during an isolation box test. There was a genotype effect but no maternal or fostering effect on the lamb temperament at one week. This may be because the maternal behaviour of the foster ewes did not differ considerably between the calm and nervous mothers during adoption or within the first week, post partum. Similarly, at weaning, only a genotype effect was found on the locomotor and agitation score. Therefore, it appears that temperament in Merino sheep is mainly determined by the genetic transmission of the trait across generations rather than behaviours learned from the mother.
Welfare assessment in pet rabbits
Authors: Schepers F , Koene P , Beerda B
Published: January 2023

One million pet rabbits are kept in The Netherlands, but there are no data available on their behaviour and welfare. This study seeks to assess the welfare of pet rabbits in Dutch households and is a first step in the development of a welfare assessment system. In an internet survey, housing systems, general up-keep and behaviour of pet rabbits were reported by their owners. The answers of 912 respondents were analysed with behavioural observations carried out on 66 rabbits in as many households. The rabbits were observed in their home cage and during three fear-related tests: a contact test, a handling test and an open-field test. The survey revealed that the average lifespan of the rabbits is approximately 4.2 years (the maximum potential lifespan is 13 years) and solitary housing appears to reduce lifespan. Close to half of respondents subjected their rabbit(s) to solitary housing and the majority housed them in relatively small cages (< 5,000 cm2). Health risks may arise from a failure to inoculate rabbits and via inappropriate diet. During the contact test, solitary-housed rabbits made more contacts with a human than group-housed rabbits and rabbits in a small housing system made more contacts than those in a large system. Observations in the home cage differed greatly compared with the natural time budget of rabbits, ie displaying increased stereotypic behaviour and decreased foraging and, in solitary-housed rabbits, a complete lack of social behaviour. Nearly 25% of rabbits displayed strong resistance to being picked up, indicating socialisation problems. During the open-field test, solitary-housed rabbits sat up more than social-housed rabbits suggesting increased fearfulness. These findings indicate that the conditions in which pet rabbits are kept often have a negative impact on their welfare, further underlining the need to study this in greater detail.
The response of untamed (unbroken) ponies to conditions of road transport
Authors: Knowles TG , Brown SN , Pope SJ , Nicol CJ , Warriss PD , Weeks CA
Published: January 2023

The response to a one-hour road journey was observed in 145 semi-feral ponies unused to handling. Ponies were transported singly or in groups of four or eight at a typical commercial ‘high’ stocking density or at a slightly reduced ‘low’ density (range 139 to 316 kg m−2). Blood samples were obtained for plasma biochemistry post transport. Behaviour during the journey of 40.2 miles was recorded using overhead video cameras. Analysis of these revealed that levels of aggression were lower in groups of four, as were the number of slips, falls, stumbles and collisions (SFSC). Within groups of four or eight, reduced stocking density was associated with lower levels of plasma cortisol and creatine kinase, reduced aggression and fewer SFSC. Levels of aggression pre-transit (observed over one hour the day before travel) were not predictive of aggression on the lorry. Single ponies were constrained to align at right angles to the direction of transport, whereas ponies transported in groups could also align forwards or backwards and were able to re-align themselves during transport especially at reduced stocking density. Of those transported singly, younger ponies showed separation anxiety, with highly-significantly greater levels of pawing and sniffing at the ground and increased packed cell volume. Thus, transporting young, untamed ponies singly is not recommended. A suitable maximum stocking density for ponies transported in groups would be approximately 200 kg m−2. However, minimum stocking density for grouped and single untamed ponies transported by road requires future investigation. Whilst stocking density was correlated with many of the variables measured during transport, stocking rate (animals per unit floor area) was not.
Ethics of feeding: the omnivore dilemma
Authors: Kasanen IHE , S⊘rensen DB , Forkman B , Sand⊘e P
Published: January 2023

The way in which animals are fed is an important aspect of their welfare. Not only does food provide the energy and nutrients vital for survival, but feeding is also associated with a number of other factors contributing to the well-being of animals. The feeding method can determine the animals’ abilities to fulfil basic behavioural needs, such as foraging. The aim of this paper is to review and discuss the dilemma of choosing betweenad libitumfeeding (AL) and dietary restriction (DR). AL can produce obese individuals with severe health problems, though it does appear to be compatible with welfare-friendly management systems. On the other hand, DR is often associated with improved physical health and longevity but can leave animals suffering from hunger, frustration or aggression. The species discussed are the laboratory rat, pigs and poultry all of which are omnivores sharing many characteristics in their eating habits. The welfare implications of different feeding methods depend upon the definition of welfare used. Based on a definition of welfare in terms of functioning, DR could be considered the best way to feed animals, because it results in improved physical health and longevity. If welfare is defined in terms of natural living, it is also a requirement for the animal to be able to engage in natural foraging behaviours. From the feelings-based approach, DR can be viewed as preferable only in circumstances when animals are anticipated to live so long that they would otherwise suffer from the negative long-term consequences of AL. It is argued that incentives are needed to make farmers spend resources to ensure that farm animals are allowed to have their foraging-related needs fulfilled. Feeding of laboratory animals creates special dilemmas when it is important either to under- or over-nourish the animals for experimental purposes, in such instances there is a need for Refinement.
Strengthening US organic standards on animal health and welfare
Authors: Merrigan KA , Bailey MR , Lockeretz W
Published: January 2023

Organic livestock production has been increasing in the US, although it still merely constitutes a small fraction of total production. Its success will require detailed standards supported by scientific knowledge and consistent with organic farming principles. However, such standards, mandated under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, are yet to be fully developed. Regulations issued by the USDA's National Organic Program identify livestock health and welfare concerns that must be addressed in a farmer's organic farm plan (eg that there be appropriate housing). However, specifics regarding achievement of these goals are not provided in the form of clear standards for organic livestock production. This paper provides a new starting point to further the development of such standards. First, we outline a rationale based upon the legal context and state of the organic livestock industry detailing the reasons why development of these standards is timely. Second, using a review of existing organic and nonorganic national and international animal health and welfare standards, a search of available scientific research, and a consensus of key stakeholders, we identify areas in which organic standards should be readily adopted. We conclude by presenting one example of a plausible organic standard for each of four major US livestock categories: minimum space for feedlot beef cattle; prohibition of routine tail-docking in dairy cows; provision of perches for laying hens and prohibition of gestation crates for sows.
The assessment of emotional expression in dogs using a Free Choice Profiling methodology
Authors: Walker J , Dale A , Waran N , Clarke N , Farnworth M , Wemelsfelder F
Published: January 2023

This study explores the use of Free Choice Profiling (FCP) methodology for the qualitative behaviour assessment of emotional expression in the domestic dog(Canis familiaris). Qualitative behaviour assessment is based upon the integration of many pieces of information that in conventional quantitative approaches are recorded separately or not at all. Observers are asked to focus on an animal's interaction with its surrounding environment, and to describe the animal's expressive demeanor, or ‘body language’. A specific characteristic of FCP methodology is that it allows observers the freedom to devise their own descriptive terms, and then to use these personal terms to quantitatively score observed subjects. Application of FCP to qualitative behaviour assessment in animals was originally tested for pigs, and more recently for dairy cows, horses, and ponies. The goal of this study was to apply FCP to the domestic dog, and to investigate the inter-observer reliability of assessments of emotional expression in 10 individual Beagles by a group of 18 untrained observers. The data was analysed using Generalised Procrustes Analysis (GPA), a multivariate statistical technique associated with FCP. The observers achieved highly-significant agreement in their assessments of the dogs’ expressions, thereby establishing the applicability of this methodology for the first time in the domestic dog.
Euthanasia methods, corticosterone and haematocrit levels in Xenopus laevis: evidence for differences in stress?
Authors: Archard GA , Goldsmith AR
Published: January 2023

Amphibians, like other vertebrates, respond to acute stressors by releasing glucocorticoid steroid hormones that mediate physiological and behavioural responses to stress. Measurement of stress hormones provides a potential means to improve the welfare of laboratory animals. For example, manipulations of laboratory housing and procedures combined with measurement of glucocorticoids may identify which conditions are more stressful to animals. This is important because there is very little experimental evidence to guide best practice for welfare in amphibians and other lower vertebrates. We investigated the effect of different methods of euthanasia on the circulating plasma corticosterone levels in the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), a model amphibian organism that is frequently used in laboratories. In particular, we investigated the effect of different concentrations and pH of the anaesthetic tricaine methanesulphonate (MS-222). Low concentration and unbuffered (low pH) solutions of MS-222 caused elevated corticosterone levels, but only after the effect of MS-222 treatment on blood fluid volume had been taken into account. The level of disturbance that animals experienced also affected corticosterone levels. Thus, our data suggest that to minimise stress to X. laevis, animals should be euthanised after minimal disturbance and in a 3 g L−1 MS-222 solution, buffered to pH 7. The potential for the improvement of amphibian welfare using corticosterone measures as a tool is discussed.
Toward a synthesis of conservation and animal welfare science
Authors: Fraser D
Published: January 2023

Conservation biology and animal welfare science are multidisciplinary fields of research that address social concerns about animals. Conservation biology focuses on wild animals, works at the level of populations, ecological systems and genetic types, and deals with threats to biodiversity and ecological integrity. Animal welfare science typically focuses on captive (often domestic) animals, works at the level of individuals and groups, and deals with threats to the animals’ health and quality of life. However, there are many areas of existing or potential overlap: (i) many real-life problems, such as environmental contamination, urban development and transportation, create problems for animals that involve both welfare and conservation; (ii) research methods from each field are needed to address some of the scientific problems of the other; and (iii) policies and practices targeting either conservation or animal welfare may prove unproductive if they do not take account of both areas of concern. Moreover, scientists in both fields face the common challenge of applying science to guide policy and practice, often to issues that are both empirical and ethical, and often under conditions of uncertainty. There are many cases where communication and co-operation between the fields should lead to better science and better practical outcomes.
Transportation of beef cattle to slaughterhouses and how this relates to animal welfare and carcase bruising in an extensive production system
Authors: Huertas SM , Gil AD , Piaggio JM , van Eerdenburg FJCM
Published: January 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate conditions during transport and their effects on welfare and carcase bruising of beef cattle in Uruguay, a country with an extensive, pasture-based, production system. Twelve abattoirs were visited periodically during two years (2002-2003) and 448 trucks were inspected on arrival. The state of vehicle maintenance was deemed ‘unacceptable’ for the transport of animals in 16.5 (± 3.2)% of cases and most of the vehicles (99.1 [± 0.1]%) had a ‘guillotine-type’ door at the rear end. Both characteristics showed a significant association with the presence of carcase bruising. No overall significant difference was found with the year of vehicle manufacture (24.6 [± 0.2]% before 1990), the presence of rollers bars in 51.3 (± 0.1)% of the trucks on one or both sides of the doors, and the working experience of the men who transported the cattle (> 10 years). The average distance travelled with the animals loaded onto trucks was 240 (± 9) km and the mean journey length was 305 (± 7) min (5 h). A statistically significant effect of the distance travelled and the state of the roads on the occurrence of bruising was found. The use of devices to force animals to move, such as: electric prod (75%), sticks (3%), loud shouts (40%) and a combination of all of the above were positively correlated with bruising. After slaughter, carcase bruising was identified, quantified, and classified into three degrees of muscle injury. From 15,168 beef cattle observed, 60.0% (9,106) had at least one injury. Of the injured carcases, 33.1% (3,015) had one bruise, 25.1% (2,289) had two bruises, 16.2% (1,474) had three bruises and 25.6% (2,328) four or more bruises. Transporting animals in a humane fashion will reduce the amount of bruising on carcases, thereby increasing both the welfare of beef cattle and the profitability of the beef industry in Uruguay.
Frequency of dehydration and metabolic depletion in cattle and water buffalo transported from India to a livestock market in Bangladesh
Authors: Alam MR , Gregory NG , Jabbar MA , Uddin MS , Widdicombe JP , Kibria ASMG , Khan MSI , Mannan A
Published: January 2023

The effects of presumed long distance transport on blood parameters were examined in cattle and water buffalo exported from India to Bangladesh. The aim was to assess the welfare of the animals in terms of the frequency of dehydration, metabolic depletion and muscle injury or activation, when they reached their destination. The physiological indicators were total plasma protein, serum sodium, plasma glucose, serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and serum creatine kinase (CK). Ninety-eight cattle and 57 water buffalo were randomly selected from 24 trucks as they arrived at the market between 0700 and 1000h each day during the hot season (April). In the majority of animals, all five blood variables were higher than published normal values. In all the cattle, total plasma protein concentration, serum NEFA concentration and serum CK activity were higher than the normal range and these values were higher than normal in over 84% of the buffalo. Seventy-two percent of all the animals were hypernatraemic. About 90% of the buffalo and 86% of the cattle were hyperglycaemic. There were no differences in total plasma protein and serum sodium between cattle and water buffalo. By contrast, cattle had significantly higher NEFA and CK and lower glucose than water buffalo. It was evident that this long distance export trade was associated with dehydration, lipolysis and muscle injury or activation. It is recommended that both cattle and water buffalo are given adequate feed and water whenever they are off-loaded from vehicles during the course of journeys.
Stunning pigs with different gas mixtures: gas stability
Authors: Dalmau A , Llonch P , Rodríguez P , Ruíz-de-la-Torre JL , Manteca X , Velarde A
Published: January 2023

The stability and uniformity of the following gas mixtures: 90% argon; 85% argon and 15% carbon dioxide (CO2); 70% argon and 30% CO2; 98% nitrogen (N2); 92% N2and 8% CO2; 90% N2and 10% CO2; 85% N2and 15% CO2; 80% N2and 20% CO2; 70% N2and 30% CO2; and 90% CO2by volume in atmospheric air were assessed in a commercial dip-lift stunning system when the cradle was either stationary or in motion. The gas mixtures of 90% argon, 85% argon and 15% CO2, 70% argon and 30% CO2, 85% N2and 15% CO2, 80% N2and 20% CO2, 70% N2and 30% CO2and 90% CO2by volume in atmospheric air could be sustained in a commercial dip-lift stunning system. The stability of the gas mixtures 92% N2and 8% CO2, and 90% N2and 10% CO2by volume in atmospheric air were lower than in the previous cases. On the other hand, an N2concentration higher than 94% by volume in atmospheric air could not be sustained in the stunning system. In addition, gas mixtures of argon and CO2showed a higher stability than gas mixtures of N2and CO2. The uniformity at different levels inside the pit (defined as the capacity of the gas to maintain its concentration constant at different levels inside the pit) was higher in 90% argon, or argon and CO2mixtures and N2and CO2mixtures than in 90% CO2. This fact ensures that for the whole time the animals are inside the pit, the same conditions are applied, which is not the case for 90% CO2.