In order to evaluate the welfare of lambs reared up to 4 months of age in different management systems in Europe, nine lamb meat farms (3 in Spain, 2 in Portugal, 1 in Germany, 1 in Slovenia and 2 in Italy) belonging to different production systems (intensive, semi-intensive, semi-extensive, extensive, shepherded) throughout Europe were visited. The first level welfare assessment according to the AWIN protocol for sheep was used, the data collection flow being as follows: (1) qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA), social withdrawal, stereotypy, excessive itching, panting; (2) fleece cleanliness, fleece quality, tail length, faecal soiling, lameness; (3) familiar human approach; (4) stocking density, access to shade/shelter, water availability; (4) lamb mortality. A great heterogeneity was observed because the breeds and the productive systems in which the animals have been raised are very different; only one of the purely extensive farms had no sheds for the animals, whereas the stocking density in confined animals was always appropriate. The results showed a high degree of compliance with the needs of the animals, which also corresponded to good productive results, but the objectification of the emotional state through the QBA yielded highly variable results, those animals reared under intensive and semi-intensive farms grouped around positive descriptors, which may indicate that lambs reared in intensive conditions show a different and apparently calmer mental state than those reared in very extensive conditions.
On farm welfare assessment of European fattening lambs / Bodas, R.; Garcia-Garcia, J. J.; Montanes, M.; Benito, A.; Peric, T.; Baratta, M.; Viola, I.; Gess, A.; Ko, N.; Cadavez, V.; Gonzales-Barron, U.; Dominguez, E.; Olmedo, S.. - In: SMALL RUMINANT RESEARCH. - ISSN 0921-4488. - 204:(2021), p. 106533.106533. [10.1016/j.smallrumres.2021.106533]
On farm welfare assessment of European fattening lambs
Baratta M.Membro del Collaboration Group
;
2021-01-01
Abstract
In order to evaluate the welfare of lambs reared up to 4 months of age in different management systems in Europe, nine lamb meat farms (3 in Spain, 2 in Portugal, 1 in Germany, 1 in Slovenia and 2 in Italy) belonging to different production systems (intensive, semi-intensive, semi-extensive, extensive, shepherded) throughout Europe were visited. The first level welfare assessment according to the AWIN protocol for sheep was used, the data collection flow being as follows: (1) qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA), social withdrawal, stereotypy, excessive itching, panting; (2) fleece cleanliness, fleece quality, tail length, faecal soiling, lameness; (3) familiar human approach; (4) stocking density, access to shade/shelter, water availability; (4) lamb mortality. A great heterogeneity was observed because the breeds and the productive systems in which the animals have been raised are very different; only one of the purely extensive farms had no sheds for the animals, whereas the stocking density in confined animals was always appropriate. The results showed a high degree of compliance with the needs of the animals, which also corresponded to good productive results, but the objectification of the emotional state through the QBA yielded highly variable results, those animals reared under intensive and semi-intensive farms grouped around positive descriptors, which may indicate that lambs reared in intensive conditions show a different and apparently calmer mental state than those reared in very extensive conditions.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
---|---|---|---|
Raul Bodas Small Rum Res 2021.pdf
solo utenti autorizzati
Tipologia:
Versione (PDF) editoriale
Licenza:
NON PUBBLICO - Accesso privato/ristretto
Dimensione
978.95 kB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
978.95 kB | Adobe PDF | Visualizza/Apri Richiedi una copia |
AWIN VSI SRR.pdf
Open Access dal 01/07/2022
Tipologia:
Documento in Post-print
Licenza:
Creative commons
Dimensione
288.05 kB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
288.05 kB | Adobe PDF | Visualizza/Apri |
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.