- Researcher in the area of animal husbandry, animal welfare and One Health.edit
Centrum for Infektionsekologi och Epidemiologi (IEE) : en ny plattform for okat samarbete mellan veterinarer, lakare och ekologer
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This chapter describes the most commonly used methods for the stunning of poultry and the regulatory and welfare aspects in relation to each method.
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Stocking density is not the sole crucial factor for broiler (Gallus gallus domesticus) welfare; management and environmental factors are certainly also very important. When talking about optimal stocking density it is vital to realise... more
Stocking density is not the sole crucial factor for broiler (Gallus gallus domesticus) welfare; management and environmental factors are certainly also very important. When talking about optimal stocking density it is vital to realise that the birds have no choice in this, as in practice economical factors play the most important role in the producer’s decision making process. We must acknowledge that from the producer’s perspective the ethical reasoning behind these choices are based on a view that animals may be used by humans for our purposes as long as they are properly cared for, i.e. fed, given water and are kept in good health. For the general public, good animal welfare for may be defined as ‘animals kept happy and healthy’. Ethical decisions are complex and ethical arguments may weigh differently for different stakeholders, leading them to very different conclusions regarding optimal stocking density and broiler welfare.
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In Sweden, laying hens are killed using the following methods: i) traditional slaughter; ii) on-farm with CO2in a mobile container combined with a grinder; or iii) with CO2inside the barn. The number of hens killed using the latter method... more
In Sweden, laying hens are killed using the following methods: i) traditional slaughter; ii) on-farm with CO2in a mobile container combined with a grinder; or iii) with CO2inside the barn. The number of hens killed using the latter method has increased. During these killings a veterinarian is required to be present and report to the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Data were registered during four commercial killings and extracted from all official veterinary reports at CO2whole-house killings in 2008-2010. On-farm monitoring showed that temperature decreased greatly and with high variability. The time until birds became unconscious after coming into contact with the gas, based on time until loss of balance, was 3-5 min. Veterinary reports show that 1.5 million laying hens were killed, in 150 separate instances. The most common non-compliance with legislation was failure to notify the regional animal welfare authorities prior to the killings. Six out of 150 killings were defined as ani...
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Outdoor farrowing huts facilitate a less restricted maternal behaviour in sows compared with sows kept indoors in farrowing pens. The aim of our study was to investigate whether there are behavioural differences between primiparous sows... more
Outdoor farrowing huts facilitate a less restricted maternal behaviour in sows compared with sows kept indoors in farrowing pens. The aim of our study was to investigate whether there are behavioural differences between primiparous sows kept outdoors in farrowing huts and indoors in pens, and whether the maternal behaviour during the second parity, when all sows were kept outdoors in farrowing huts, would differ between sows that have experienced the indoor or the outdoor environment, respectively, during their first parturition. A total of 26 Yorkshire×Swedish Landrace sows were studied. Of these, 11 sows were housed outdoors in farrowing huts during both parturitions (group=OUTOUT). The other 15 sows were kept indoors in a barn with single farrowing pens during their first parturition. During their second parturition, sows were kept outdoors in farrowing huts (group=INOUT). The behaviour was video recorded from 2 hprepartumto 48 hpostpartum. The sows’ responsiveness to playbacks o...
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Hot-iron branding is still commonly performed in cattle farming in tropical countries, and possibly has negative consequences for animal welfare and weight gain. This study examined the behavioural and weight gain responses of pure and... more
Hot-iron branding is still commonly performed in cattle farming in tropical countries, and possibly has negative consequences for animal welfare and weight gain. This study examined the behavioural and weight gain responses of pure and crossbred Nellore heifer calves subjected to hot-iron branding on the cheek, without and with use of anaesthesia and analgesia. Ninety-two heifer calves, around 120 days old, were studied prospectively when subjected to hot-iron branding on the cheek (a statutory procedure in Brazil following brucellosis vaccination). Four randomly selected groups of calves were allocated to four treatments: no pain control (CO); subcutaneous anaesthetic local block (LA); intramuscular analgesia (meloxicam) (LT); and local anaesthesia plus meloxicam (LL). Behaviour, flight speed and body weight were evaluated before, during, and five (5-d) and 60 days (60-d) after branding. For these parameters, the only difference observed was higher tension in the CO group 5-d post-...
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Additional file 3. Forms for individual calves regarding feeding routines.
Bio-logging devices can provide unique insights on the life of freely moving animals. However, implanting these devices often requires invasive surgery that causes stress and physiological side-effects. While certain medications in... more
Bio-logging devices can provide unique insights on the life of freely moving animals. However, implanting these devices often requires invasive surgery that causes stress and physiological side-effects. While certain medications in connection to surgeries have therapeutic capacity, others may have aversive effects. Here, we hypothesized that the commonly prescribed prophylactic treatment with enrofloxacin would increase the physiological recovery rate and reduce the presence of systemic inflammation following the intraperitoneal implantation of a heart rate bio-logger in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). To assess post-surgical recovery, heart rate was recorded for 21 days in trout with or without enrofloxacin treatment. Contrary to our hypothesis, treated trout exhibited a prolonged recovery time and elevated resting heart rates during the first week of post-surgical recovery compared to untreated trout. In addition, an upregulated mRNA expression of TNFα in treated trout indica...
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Farmers today must comply with animal welfare legislation and often one or more private standards. This makes the number of regulations quite comprehensive and the control arena more complex, with several different animal welfare... more
Farmers today must comply with animal welfare legislation and often one or more private standards. This makes the number of regulations quite comprehensive and the control arena more complex, with several different animal welfare inspections and audits taking place at farm level. This study investigated perceptions among dairy farmers in Sweden of the official animal welfare inspections and the private Arla and KRAV audits, both separately and in relation to each other, and examined associated factors that could potentially influence their perceptions. An electronic questionnaire was developed and answered by 216 Swedish dairy farmers during spring 2021. The respondents in general acknowledged the need for animal welfare inspections, but had rather diverse perceptions of the actual inspections and inspectors, reporting both positive and negative experiences. They reported more negative experiences of official and Arla inspections than of KRAV (organic farming) inspections and most d...
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The implementation of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) is emphasized in EU Directive 2010/63. The task of the animal welfare bodies (AWB) is to strengthen animal welfare and develop the 3Rs at research animal facilities. In... more
The implementation of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) is emphasized in EU Directive 2010/63. The task of the animal welfare bodies (AWB) is to strengthen animal welfare and develop the 3Rs at research animal facilities. In 2016, we surveyed the knowledge, attitudes towards and implementation of the 3Rs within AWBs at eight major Swedish universities. Based on responses of 34 closed-ended questions from 44 of 90 AWB members, the overall attitude towards the 3Rs was positive. Animal Welfare Body members did not believe that the 3Rs slow down innovation or result in increased costs, and refinement is considered beneficial for research quality. Animal Welfare Body members were particularly positive towards refinement questions in the survey. A majority of the AWB members answered that alternative methods will never replace animal use. Researchers as a group represented in the AWBs were significantly less positive towards the 3Rs, compared to the group of veterinarians. T...
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Den har rapporten ar framtagen av SLUs vetenskapliga rad for djurskydd i syfte att utvardera djurvalfarden hos minkar inom svensk palsdjursproduktion och bedoma om den vetenskapliga litteraturen ger stod for att produktionen, sa som den... more
Den har rapporten ar framtagen av SLUs vetenskapliga rad for djurskydd i syfte att utvardera djurvalfarden hos minkar inom svensk palsdjursproduktion och bedoma om den vetenskapliga litteraturen ger stod for att produktionen, sa som den bedrivs i dag, ger djuren mojlighet att bete sig naturligt. Minkar som fods upp for palsproduktion i Sverige maste hallas och skotas enligt Statens jordbruksverks foreskrifter och allmanna rad (SJVFS 2012:14) om uppfodning och hallande av palsdjur. Rapporten har tagits fram pa uppdrag av Jordbruksverket som en del i ett regeringsuppdrag om minkhallning. Den beskriver minkens ursprung och domesticering, naturligt beteende hos vild mink, inhysning och skotsel vid palsuppfodning, onormalt beteende, miljoberikningar, smittskydd, forekommande sjukdomar och avlivningsmetoder. I rapporten ges rekommendationer baserat pa tillganglig vetenskaplig litteratur, och behov av framtida forskning identifieras. Minken ar en opportunistisk kottatare som behover ata re...
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In poultry flocks, flock weight uniformity is often defined as the percent individuals within 10% of the mean body weight (BW) and the variability of this uniformity can be expressed as the CV of BW. Flock weight uniformity is a... more
In poultry flocks, flock weight uniformity is often defined as the percent individuals within 10% of the mean body weight (BW) and the variability of this uniformity can be expressed as the CV of BW. Flock weight uniformity is a standardized and objective measured, and could potentially be used as a welfare indicator; however, little is known about the relationship between flock uniformity and other production measures on-farm or at slaughter. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between carcass weight uniformity (CV of BW) and production measures on-farm and at slaughter in Norwegian commercial broiler flocks. A total of 45 randomly selected mixed-sex Ross 308 broiler flocks were visited prior to slaughter at 28 to 30 D of age (average slaughter age 30.6 D). All flocks were raised under similar farm management systems. The Welfare Quality protocol for broilers was used to assess different animal welfare indicators in each flock. All production data from the sla...
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Studies that address fish welfare before slaughter have concluded that many of the traditional systems used to stun fish including CO2narcosis are unacceptable as they cause avoidable stress before death. One system recommended as a... more
Studies that address fish welfare before slaughter have concluded that many of the traditional systems used to stun fish including CO2narcosis are unacceptable as they cause avoidable stress before death. One system recommended as a better alternative is electrical stunning, however, the welfare aspects of this method are not yet fully understood. To assess welfare in aquaculture both behavioural and physiological measurements have been used, but few studies have examined the relationship between these variables. In an on-site study aversive behaviours and several physiological stress indicators, including plasma levels of cortisol and ions as well as blood physiological variables, were compared in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) stunned with CO2or electricity. Exposure to water saturated with CO2triggered aversive struggling and escape responses for several minutes before immobilization, whereas in fish exposed to an electric current immobilization was close to instant. On average...
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In Sweden, the County Administrative Board (CAB) and Swedish Trotting Association (STA) both perform animal welfare inspections of the premises of trotting horse trainers. The CAB inspection checks for compliance with the legislation, and... more
In Sweden, the County Administrative Board (CAB) and Swedish Trotting Association (STA) both perform animal welfare inspections of the premises of trotting horse trainers. The CAB inspection checks for compliance with the legislation, and the STA inspection checks for compliance with the private ‘Trotter Health Standard’, which mainly sets the same requirements as the legislation. This study investigated the views of trainers on these inspections both as separate events and in relation to each other. A digital questionnaire was sent out to trotting horse trainers in Sweden during spring 2021, and 396 trainers responded. Descriptive and statistical analyses were used to evaluate the responses. In general, the trainers reported positive experiences of both the CAB and STA inspections, but they had consistently more positive views about the private STA inspections than the official CAB inspections. The outcome of the inspections, i.e., non-compliance or not, did not affect trainers’ pe...
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I enlighet med Jordbruksverkets forfragan behandlar denna rapport tre omraden for digital teknik vid overvakning och kontroll av djur som vistas utomhus pa stora ytor: (1) kamerateknologi, t.ex. anvandning av dronare, (2)... more
I enlighet med Jordbruksverkets forfragan behandlar denna rapport tre omraden for digital teknik vid overvakning och kontroll av djur som vistas utomhus pa stora ytor: (1) kamerateknologi, t.ex. anvandning av dronare, (2) positioneringsteknologi som GPS och (3) teknologi for att styra djurens rorelser, som drivning med dronare och anvandning av s.k. virtuella stangsel. De tre teknikomradena overlappar delvis varandra. Digital tillsyn av utegaende djur ar beroende av att sensorer mater det man tror att de mater med tillracklig noggrannhet och att data kan overforas och bearbetas till information som lagras och analyseras pa ett sakert och korrekt satt. Sadana teknologier benamns med samlingsnamnet ’Precision Livestock Farming’ (PLF). Anvandningen av informationen ar avgorande for teknikens anvandbarhet i tillsyns- och djurskyddsarbete. Tillampningarna ar till viss del reglerade av gallande lagstiftning, exempelvis genom krav pa tillsyn, begransad anvandning av elektricitet for att st...
I enlighet med Jordbruksverkets forfragan behandlar denna rapport tre omraden for digital teknik vid overvakning och kontroll av djur som vistas utomhus pa stora ytor: (1) kamerateknologi, t.ex. anvandning av dronare, (2)... more
I enlighet med Jordbruksverkets forfragan behandlar denna rapport tre omraden for digital teknik vid overvakning och kontroll av djur som vistas utomhus pa stora ytor: (1) kamerateknologi, t.ex. anvandning av dronare, (2) positioneringsteknologi som GPS och (3) teknologi for att styra djurens rorelser, som drivning med dronare och anvandning av s.k. virtuella stangsel. De tre teknikomradena overlappar delvis varandra. Digital tillsyn av utegaende djur ar beroende av att sensorer mater det man tror att de mater med tillracklig noggrannhet och att data kan overforas och bearbetas till information som lagras och analyseras pa ett sakert och korrekt satt. Sadana teknologier benamns med samlingsnamnet ’Precision Livestock Farming’ (PLF). Anvandningen av informationen ar avgorande for teknikens anvandbarhet i tillsyns- och djurskyddsarbete. Tillampningarna ar till viss del reglerade av gallande lagstiftning, exempelvis genom krav pa tillsyn, begransad anvandning av elektricitet for att st...
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Detta yttrande svarar pa foljande fraga av Djurskyddet Sverige, Svenska Djurskyddsforeningen, Djurens Ratt, World Animal Protection Sverige, Compassion in World Farming Sverige och Vi Konsumenter, som vant sig till det vetenskapliga radet... more
Detta yttrande svarar pa foljande fraga av Djurskyddet Sverige, Svenska Djurskyddsforeningen, Djurens Ratt, World Animal Protection Sverige, Compassion in World Farming Sverige och Vi Konsumenter, som vant sig till det vetenskapliga radet med anledning av Jordbruksverkets andring av djurskyddsbestammelserna for gris, Statens jordbruksverks foreskrifter och allmanna rad m ( SJVFS 2017:25) om grishallning inom lantbruket m.m., saknr. L 106: Ar det forenat med battre, likvardig eller samre djurvalfard, vid en sammantagen bedomning av saval smagrisens valfard som suggans, om smagrisar avvanjs fran suggan vid 21 dagars alder i stallet for vid 28 dagars alder? Radet ombads att belysa fragan utifran ett brett perspektiv innefattande saval psykisk som fysisk halsa och valbefinnande.
Simple Summary Transporting cattle from the farm to the slaughterhouse is often stressful for the animal. With the gunshot method, it is stunned using a rifle while together with familiar herd members in an enclosure on the farm. The shot... more
Simple Summary Transporting cattle from the farm to the slaughterhouse is often stressful for the animal. With the gunshot method, it is stunned using a rifle while together with familiar herd members in an enclosure on the farm. The shot makes the animal unconscious. Then, as in normal slaughter, the animal is bled to death. Finally, it is transported to a nearby slaughterhouse. We aimed to assess the consequences for animal welfare and food safety of using the gunshot method. Twenty Hereford steers were shot with a hunting rifle using small-calibre ammunition from an elevated position and distance of 6–12 m. Each time, only one out of four to seven animals in a 16 × 10 m corral was shot. Based on the animals’ behaviour and physiological blood values, stress levels before shooting were low. Eleven animals were considered completely unconscious, while seven showed some signs of consciousness and two were poorly stunned. Two animals were reshot with heavier ammunition. Bleeding was s...
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Additional file 5. Regional differences concerning proportion of maize of total diet in 19 Swedish dairy herds with high (n = 9) or low (n = 10) calf mortality risk, day 1–90.
Additional file 2. Vitamin E and beta carotene in cow/calf/colostrum. Questionnaire.