• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.593-600
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• 1992

Animal welfare is often neglected by livestock productionists when considering the utilization of animal wastes for livestock feeds. The present review has been carried out to examine the nutritive value of poultry wastes for ruminants, the health risks involved with feeding it, the treatment and feeding methods and the production responses of animals fed on it. It was found that mineral, crude protein, crude fibre and metabolisable energy concentrations are influenced by the system of poultry production, the storage of the waste and the treatment method. Heating at $60^{\circ}C$ kills all pathogens apart from Clostidium botulinum whereas proper ensiling kills all. Apart from the kidney fat and the liver, animal tissues have not shown residues of drugs or heavy metals from poultry wastes. Palatability is affected when the moisture is more than 200 g/kg. Production responses are satisfactory when poultry wastes replace portions of concentrates. It was concluded that poultry litter generally has higher metabolisable energy contents than poultry manure, but research is needed to classify poultry litters on their energy values. The adverse effects of toxic minerals and drug residues are negligible in balanced poultry waste feeding systems.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.469-477
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• 2023

Animal welfare has been gradually gathering more attention from consumers over time, making it increasingly important to assess the level of stress experienced by livestock. Traditionally, stress has been measured by collecting blood to assess cortisol levels, an action that can be considered distressing for the animal. Therefore, we aimed to explore the feasibility of using hair as an alternative medium to blood for stress assessment. We utilized B/F (blood collected at the farm), B/A (blood collected after transport to the auction), and H/A (hair collected at the auction after blood sampling) from calves at the age of 7-9 months transported from the farm to the auction. Hair underwent a washing and extraction process to utilize hair extracts, while blood was centrifuged to analyze using ELISA. The cortisol concentration in the blood was significantly higher in B/A compared to B/F (p<0.05), confirming that the calves experienced stress during transportation. Additionally, H/A was significantly lower than both B/A and B/F (p<0.0001). These results emphasized that cortisol in hair is not suitable for investigating short-term stress in livestock, as it is with blood. While measuring stress indices using hair may not be appropriate for replacing blood, it is considered a highly suitable practice for animal welfare, and further research in this area should be continued.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1714-1720
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to analyze the effects of stocking density on growth and carcass quality, and behavior of Hanwoo cattle to conform with global trends, targeting animal welfare production through the practice of environmentally friendly condition. Methods: Thirty six steers were randomly assigned to three treatment groups (C: 5 heads, T1: 4 heads, T2: 3 heads) and reared in separate pens with a constant stocking density of $50m^2$ (C: $10m^2/head$, T1: $12.5m^2/head$, T2: $16.67m^2/head$) per group from 12 to 30 month of age. Growth performance, behavior and carcass quality traits of each steer were recorded and compared between the treatment groups. Results: In general, the average daily gain during the fattening period was lower in group T2 than in T1 and the control groups. However, carcass weight and dressing percentage was lower in the control group than in T1 or T2 groups (p<0.05). Also, marbling score at 30 months of age was the lowest in the control group (p<0.05), while the three heads group (T2) had the greatest longissimus muscle area and marbling score (p<0.05). The behavior of walking time was the greatest in T2 group, while self-grooming and fighting occurred with the most frequency in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results show that the steers in more spacious stocking density had better carcass quality and wellbeing related behaviors, indicating that a lower density has a positive effect on raising management and carcass quality. Thus it is a need to install appropriate pens fitted to welfare-oriented management practices from growing to fattening period in Hanwoo cattle.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.95-109
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• 2021

Consumer's interest in sustainable livestock farming methods has grown in response to concerns for the environment and animal welfare. The purpose of this study is to examine the different influences of sustainability product information on sensory characteristics and purchase behaviors. To accomplish this aim, the study used salami, which is an Italian-style sausage processed by fermentation and drying. Three different types of information were provided: salami made from the pork of an antibiotic-free pig (SMAFP), of an animal welfare pig (SMAWP), and of a grazing pig (SMGP). This study was conducted as an off-line experiment with Korean participants (n=140). As a result, there were sensory differences according to the sustainability information. For the SMAFP, it had a significant difference in, sourness (p<0.05). With the SMAWP, there was a difference in gumminess (p<0.10), and the SMGP had significant differences in sourness (p<0.01), sweetness (p<0.01), andmoisture (p<0.05). Moreover, the purchase intention and willingness to pay were significantly higher when the sustainability information was given. Especially, among the three types of salamis, participants were willing to pay the most for the SMAWP. This is one of the first consumer studies to investigate sensory evaluation and purchase behavior for various types of sustainable livestock production. These results contribute by helping sustainable meat producers and marketers become aware of the kind of sustainable information to which consumers are sensitive.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1800-1807
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of different cooling sessions (CSs) as a water conservation strategy on physiological, and production responses and welfare in Holstein Friesian cows during subtropical summer in Pakistan. Methods: Twenty-one cows were subjected to three CS in a completely randomized design. The treatments were: i) eleven hours continuous cooling with sprinklers - control (CNT), ii) four CS, and iii) two CS. The CNT represented the practices of the commercial dairy farms in the area, while the other CSs were used as water reduction strategies. Each CS lasted for 1 h with a 12 min cycle (3 min water on and 9 min off) with a sprinkler flow rate of 1.25 L/min. Results: The average temperature humidity index of the shed and the outside open area were 81.9 and 82.5, respectively. The results showed that both physiological responses were highest in the 2CS group followed by the CNT and the 4CS (p = 0.001). The CNT and 4CS groups had similar milk yield (p = 0.040). The 4CS group had more lying and eating times than the CNT and 2CS groups (p = 0.000). The cortisol level in the 2CS group was 2.0 and 2.2 ㎍/dL more than the CNT and the 4CS groups, respectively (p = 0.000). Conclusion: In conclusion, the 4CS was more efficient in cooling the cows and had better welfare, as it yielded similar milk yield, and better physiological responses than the CNT despite using 90% less water.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.755-764
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• 2017

The current review seeks to highlight the concerns that have been raised on pre-slaughter stress, contributing factors and its consequent effects on cattle behavioural responses and the quality of beef; inter-linking the activities involved from birth to slaughter. Such information is crucial in light of the consumer concerns on overall animal welfare, quality of meat and food security. Slaughter animals are exposed to different conditions during production and transportation to abattoirs on a daily basis. However; the majority of studies that have been done previously singled out different environments in the meat production chain, while conclusions have been made that the welfare of slaughter animals and the quality of meat harvested from them is dependent on the whole chain. Behaviour is a critical component used to evaluate the animals' wellbeing and it has been reported to have an effect on product quality. Apart from the influence of on-farm, transportation and abattoir conditions, the genetic background of the animal also affects how it perceives and responds to certain encounters. Stress activates the animals' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity, triggering release of various stress hormones such as catecholamines and cortisol, thus glycogen depletion prior slaughter, elevated ultimate pH and poor muscle-meat conversion. Pre-slaughter stress sometimes results to cattle attaining bruises, resulting to the affected parts of the carcass being trimmed and condemned for human consumption, downgrading of the carcass and thus profit losses.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1252-1256
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• 2006

This study estimated the effects of parity (1-3) and stage of lactation (early, mid and late) on daily milk yield (DMY), somatic cell score (SCS), milk urea nitrogen (MUN), blood glucose, and immunoglobulin G (IgG), their heritabilities and genetic correlations between them in Holsteins (n = 200). Means and standard deviations of DMY, SCS, MUN, blood glucose, and IgG in the experimental herd were $23.35{\pm}7.75kg$, $3.81{\pm}2.00$, $13.99{\pm}5.68mg/dl$, $44.91{\pm}13.12mg/dl$, and $30.36{\pm}6.72mg/ml$, respectively. DMY was the lowest in first parity, and in late lactation. SCS increased with parity; however, it was lowest in mid-lactation. MUN was lowest in first parity, and no difference was noted across stage of lactation. Blood glucose was similar between parities, however the highest blood glucose was observed during mid lactation. IgG level was significantly different between first and second parity; however, stage of lactation did not affect its level. Heritability of DMY was 0.16. Its genetic correlations with SCS and with blood glucose were -0.67 and 0.98, respectively. Heritability of SCS was 0.15. Genetic correlations of SCS with MUN, glucose, and IgG were -0.72, -0.59, and 0.68, respectively. Heritability of MUN was estimated to be 0.39 and had a genetic correlation of -0.35 with IgG. Heritabilities of blood glucose and IgG were 0.21 and 0.33, respectively. This study suggested that MUN, blood glucose and IgG could be considered important traits in future dairy selection programs to improve milk yield and its quality with better animal health and welfare. However, further studies are necessary involving more records to clarify the relationship between metabolic and immunological traits with DMY and its quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1680-1688
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• 2008

Development of village chicken production can be a sustainable way of helping to meet the welfare needs of rural populations and raise their living standards. There is a dearth of information on research conducted to characterize, understand and develop the village chicken production systems in Zimbabwe. This review focuses on constraints, opportunities and research needs for the improvement of village chicken productivity in Zimbabwe. Village chicken production in Zimbabwe is extensive and dominated by indigenous chickens that exhibit remarkable adaptation to local environments. The multitude functions of village chickens, which include the provision of high quality protein meat and eggs, cash through sales and socio-cultural roles, are discussed in detail. Human gender aspects in village chicken production are highlighted. The factors that hamper village chicken productivity are reviewed together with opportunities and research needs. The major constraints include shortage of feed, poor health and housing management. Any improvements in these constraints may lead to sustainable increase in village chicken productivity.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.536-546
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• 2024

Objective: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of grain-based pecking blocks on productivity and welfare status at two commercial broiler welfare-certified farms. Methods: Production and welfare indicators were assessed at two farms (designated Farm A and B). Both farms had two windowless houses with forced tunnel-type ventilation and housed broilers at stocking densities of approximately 16.7 birds/m² (Farm A) and 16.8 birds/m² (Farm B). Each house was divided into two or three equal sections and was provided with or without pecking blocks. Grain-based pecking blocks, measuring 25 × 25 × 25 cm, were given to broilers in both farms at 1 block per 1,000 birds. Various parameters including productivity (body weight and flock uniformity), corticosterone levels (in fecal droppings and feathers), footpad dermatitis, hock burn, feather dirtiness, gait score, litter quality, body surface temperature, and volatile fatty acids in fecal samples were assessed at 26 days of age, whereas litter quality was analyzed at 13 and 26 days of age. Results: There were no significant effects of providing pecking blocks on productivity (body weight and uniformity), fecal and feather corticosterone, welfare indicators (i.e., footpad dermatitis, hock burn, feather cleanliness, and gait score), and litter quality (i.e., moisture, nitrogen, and pH). No differences in body surface temperature between the control and enrichment treatments were noted in Farm B, but body surface temperatures of the head (p = 0.029) and legs (p = 0.011) in the enrichment vs. control group were elevated in Farm A. Butyrate concentration in the enrichment vs control group was higher in Farm B (p = 0.023), but this effect was not detected in Farm A. Conclusion: It is concluded that grain-based pecking blocks did not affect performance and welfare indicators. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the potential impact of grain-based pecking blocks on gut health indicators.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.129-154
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• 2006

Last year, over 800 Australian live cattle were imported, underwent quarantine procedure for one month in the port of Incheon and Busan and distributed to general farm house holds in Gyeongju city, Gyeongbuk province, and Gimhae city, Namhae county, Gyeongnam province. But Hanwoo association took violent actions to prevent from entering the country for fear that the imported live cattle would destroy the 'Hanwoo industry', and in turn leads to the collapse of the industry. In Australia, national animal protection body 'Animals Australia' investigated the level of cruelty involved in this trade and made a report 'The death file'. Australia governments drive to expand Its market for 'live animal exports' and it has resulted in a corresponding increase In casualties associated with the long-haul overseas trade in live livestock animals over the past years. After the stress of transportation, all the surviving cattle and sheep face death on foreign soil, many into countries which have no animal welfare laws or, at best, inadequate laws. They will usually be killed without pre-stunning and often even without adequate restraint facilities. The result is inherent and persistent suffering. West Australian(WA) Police acting on behalf of the West Australian Government and the Office of the WA State Solicitor have laid animal cruelty charges against a leading WA live export company for breaching the WA Animal Welfare Act. With the aim of eventually substituting it for the live sheep trade, the Senate Select Committee on Animal Welfare (SCCAW) recommended that the Federal Government 'promote and encourage the expansion of the refrigerated sheep meat trade to the Middle East and other countries'. Animal welfare standards have been improved time after time, there is another incident, another public outcry, another inquiry and more assurances.