Josef Troxler

Skin Lesions and Callosities in Group-Housed Pregnant Sows: Animal-Related Welfare Indicators

An on-farm investigation of 55 herds of pregnant sows housed in various group-housing systems was carried out. Management factors, pen design and abnormalities of the integument of 1177 pregnant sows were examined. The arithmetic mean of injured body regions was 1.49 as a total value per sow, 0.94 on the front part of the body and 0.56 on the rear part of the body. Group size, the design of the feeding place and area per sow (within stable groups) showed a significant influence on the extent of lesions. The limbs displayed 3.53 callosities on average per sow. In littered systems the prevalence of callosities was significantly lower. Callosities were positively correlated with decubital lesions. This investigation showed that lesion patterns on the skin do act as indicators of welfare. An adequately designed feeding area, good management and the maintenance of groups with established social ranks can minimise fighting. A smooth lying area and the opportunity to move around reduce the incidence of callosities.

The contribution of applied ethology in judging animal welfare in farm animal housing systems

Abstract In 1981, the Swiss animal welfare legislation introduced an authorisation procedure for mass-produced farm animal housing systems. If appropriate, practical tests are carried out to identify animal welfare problems in systems or devices that are proposed by manufacturers. Such tests may include veterinary, physiological and behavioural measurements. We briefly review practical tests of group cages for laying hens, electric cow-trainers and farrowing crates for sows. These examples illustrate how ethological studies make important contributions in judging animal welfare. It is also stressed that the development of alternative housing systems that are adapted to the behavioural organisation of farm animals should be a major field of applied ethology.

Influence of pop hole dimensions on the number of laying hens outside on the range

1. The aim was to evaluate whether pop hole width is a factor influencing the number of laying hens on the range. 2. Eight groups of 256 birds each were kept in 8 compartments in a deep litter system. Hens could leave each compartment through two equally-sized pop holes arranged evenly along the side of each compartment. Pop hole dimensions were varied every second week in each compartment in a random order from 30, 60, 90, 120 up to 150 × 30 cm (width × height). Range per hen (10 m2) were provided. The number of laying hens on range was counted hourly from 07:00 to 20:00 h. 3. Pop hole width did not significantly influence the number of laying hens on the range. 4. Our findings show that, within the limits of the dimensions investigated, other factors are more important than pop hole dimensions.

Stability of fear and sociality in two strains of laying hens.

1. This trial studied the effects of strain and age on tonic immobility (TI) duration, emergence time (ET) and social reinstatement time (SRT) in laying hens and investigated the consistency of individual behavioural characteristics over rearing and laying periods and the correlations between these behavioural traits. 2. One hundred chicks from each of ISA Brown (ISA) and Lohmann Tradition (LT) laying hens were reared from one day old in pens. At 3 weeks, birds of each line were divided into 4 groups. Twenty birds in one group of each line were marked individually for repeated testing and the other groups were assigned for single testing to test the habituation effect and possible age effects at a group level. 3. ISA birds had higher overall means for TI duration and latency to leave the start box. ISA also showed longer latency in SRT at week 28 than Lohmanns. TI duration increased from weeks 3 to 10 and then decreased to week 35 in both lines. The latency to explore the test area and to reinstate decreased from weeks 10 to 35. 4. Tonic immobility, exploratory and social reinstatement behaviours were consistent over time in both lines, as revealed by Kendalls W coefficient of concordance. 5. In social test situations, an inter-situational consistency was found, that is, birds emerged quickly from the start box and reinstated quickly with their companion. TI (non-social test) was negatively correlated with ET and SRT. Thus the two lines of laying hens respond differently in social and non-social tests.

Alternative housing systems for fattening bulls under Austrian conditions with special respect to rubberised slatted floors

Previous studies have noted significant welfare problems in cattle housed on fully slatted floors. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of alternative housing systems under on-farm conditions. Health, behavioural and farm data of fattening bulls were collected on seven Austrian farms between January 2006 and April 2007. The housing systems studied comprised fully slatted concrete floor pens (CS), fully slatted floor pens covered with rubber mats (RS), straw-bedded pens (ST) and a system combining straw-bedded pens (for bulls weighing 450 kg; SS). The numbers of scabs/wounds on the carpal joint and severe lesions/partial losses of the tail tip were significantly higher in CS and SS than in RS and ST. The claws of bulls in ST and RS showed clear signs of reduced abrasion, but this does not seem to have any negative impact on the corium. Behavioural alterations were observed mainly in CS and SS. The numbers of lying and short standing bouts were significantly higher in ST and RS than in CS; the mean duration of lying bouts was significantly lower. Mean duration of lying down and standing up was significantly lower in ST than in CS and SS. Bulls in ST had a significantly higher daily weight gain than bulls in all other systems. It is concluded that rubber mats improve the welfare of bulls housed on slatted floors. However, neither the RS nor the SS system reached the welfare potential of straw bedding provided throughout life.

Caregiver Reports of Interactions between Children up to 6 Years and Their Family Dog—Implications for Dog Bite Prevention

In children up to 6 years, interactions such as interfering with the dog’s resources and also benign behaviors (e.g., petting) commonly precede a bite incident with the family dog. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the development of everyday interactions between children up to 6 years and their family dogs and whether parents’ attitudes to supervision are related to those interactions. Additionally, we investigated whether behavior of dogs that had lived in the family for longer than the child differed from those that grew up with children. A self-selected sample of caregivers living with a child up to 6 years and a family dog was surveyed via an online questionnaire (N = 402). Frequency of observed child behaviors directed toward the dog and dog behaviors directed toward the child were scored on a six-point scale (1—never and 6—very often). Data on characteristics of the caregiver, the child, and the dog were collected, and a section surveying attitudes to supervision of child–dog interactions was included. Additionally, we asked whether the dog already injured the child. Benign child behaviors toward dogs were most frequently reported (mean ± SD: 4.1 ± 1.2), increased with child age (rs = 0.38, p < 0.001), and reached high levels from 6 months on. Overall, resource-related interactions were relatively infrequent (2.1 ± 1.1). Most common was the dog allowing the child to take objects from its mouth (4.1 ± 1.7). This behavior was more common with older children (rs = 0.37, p < 0.001). Reported injuries during resource-related interactions occurred while feeding treats or taking objects from the dog during fetch play. Dogs that had lived in the family for longer than the child showed less affiliative behaviors toward the child (e.g., energetic affiliative: U = −7.171, p < 0.001) and more fear-related behaviors (U = −3.581, p < 0.001). Finally, the caregivers’ attitudes to supervision were related to all child behaviors (e.g., allow unsafe behaviors—benign child behavior: rs = 0.47, p < 0.001). The results of this study underline the need for a dog bite prevention approach directed toward the caregivers very early in the child–dog relationship, taking into account the child’s age and individual needs of the dog.

Bewertung innovativer Schweinemastverfahren im Rahmen einer Feldstudie - Statistische Auswertung von Verhaltensbeobachtungen und Integumentbonituren

In a field study on four innovative pig fattening systems, each was tested on ethological and process-engineering aspects in five stables per system. In this paper, the statistical test planning for behaviour observation, realisation and analysis, using a mixed effects model, will be presented. The effect of the husbandry system was significant for nearly all of the observed parameters.

Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von Galakturoniden als Futtermittelzusatz im Vergleich zum Leistungsförderer Flavophospholipol und einer Kontrollgruppe bei Absetzferkeln

Gegenstand und Fragestellung: Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von Galakturoniden als Futtermittelzusatz im Vergleich zum Leistungsforderer Flavophospholipol und einer Kontrollgruppe bei Absetzferkeln. Material und Methoden: In einer Futterungsstudie wurden Galakturonide als Futterzusatz im Vergleich zu Flavophospholipol in der Ferkelaufzucht getestet (Galakturonide: 10 g bzw. 5 g/kg Futter, Flavophospholipol: 10 mg/kg Futter). Die Ferkel erhielten drei Tage vor bis 27 Tage nach dem Absetzen die verschiedenen Futterzusatze oder keinerlei Futterzusatz. Den Futterrationen der Gruppe 1 (n = 42) wurden Galakturonide, der Gruppe 3 (n = 42) Flavophospholipol und der Gruppe 2 (n = 40) kein derartiger Futterzusatz beigefugt. Von allen Ferkeln wurden rektale Kottupferproben in drei- bis siebentagigen Intervallen genommen und einer mikrobiologischen Untersuchung unterzogen. Ergebnisse: Bezuglich bakteriologischer Untersuchungsergebnisse (Inzidenz von hamolysierenden pathogenen E. coli, Serotypen, Antibiogramme), der Lebendmassezunahme und des Futteraufwandes ergaben sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den verschiedenen Gruppen. Ein- bis mehrfach resistente hamolysierende E. coli wurden von Absetzferkeln aller Gruppen ausgeschieden. Schlussfolgerung: Die weitere Untersuchung von aus Pflanzen gewonnenen Futterzusatzen ist sinnvoll.

Gesamtheitliche Bewertung innovativer Schweinemastverfahren in einer Feldstudie - Versuchsplan und ethologisches Bewertungskonzept

Eine einjahrige Feldstudie uber vier innovative Schweinemastverfahren wird in je funf Praxisstallen durchgefuhrt. Sie dient einer ganzheitlichen Nutzwertanalyse mit ethologischem Schwerpunkt. Nachfolgend wird die Direktbeobachtung der Tiere mit der Scan-Sampling Methode und Videounterstutzung sowie die Integumentbeurteilung vorgestellt. Nach ersten Ergebnissen erlaubt das ethologische Bewertungskonzept eine Differenzierung der einzelnen Verfahren.

Beschäftigungstechnik für Mastschweine im Vergleich

Um intensive Standardhaltungssysteme artgemas zu gestalten, wurden Techniken zur Beschaftigung von Mastschweinen entwickelt und erprobt. Damit sollen gegenseitiges Beknabbern und vor allem das Schwanzbeisen innerhalb der Tiergruppen reduziert werden, ohne dass kosten- und arbeitsintensive Anderungen am bestehenden Haltungssystem vorgenommen werden mussen. Zur Beurteilung verschiedener bekannter und neuer Beschaftigungstechniken werden in teil- und vollperforierten Buchten mehrere Mastdurchgange von jeweils zwolf Wochen Dauer durchgefuhrt. Als entscheidende Kenngrosen werden die Leistung, die Gesundheit und das Verhalten der Tiere herangezogen.