Rosanna Scipioni

Assessment of welfare in pigs

Abstract According to the definition given by Appleby (1996), animal welfare represents the state of well-being brought about by meeting the physical, environmental, nutritional, behavioural and social needs of the animal or groups of animals under the care, supervision or influence of people. Suitable husbandry techniques and disease control (in which man is directly involved) may satisfy an animal’s physical, environmental and nutritive needs. However, it cannot be stated that people’s supervision or influence always guarantee the satisfaction of behavioural and social needs. Thus, special attention must be paid to these factors in intensive husbandry. This paper calls attention to the main factors characterizing pig welfare on the basis of productive, physiological, pathological and behavioural indicators; to the behavioural needs, which are characterised by several peculiar traits (it is noteworthy that, since the beginning, all categories of reared pigs have been involved in welfare legislation); to all categories of pigs that often show the effects of negative stimuli on their behaviour (limitations, variations); to the main critical points on the farm likely to cause welfare impairment or stress including buildings, inner facilities, space allowance, microclimate, lighting systems, environmental stressors, feeding management, mutilations, weaning, social factors, and stockmanship; and to environmental stressors including dust, odours (especially ammonia) and noises. This paper takes into account sources, effects and possible solutions for noises; the positive effect of fibrous feeding; environmental enrichment and other possible techniques for improving social status and for preventing/reducing stereotypic behaviour and abnormal reactions (e.g. tail biting). The scientific/objective evaluation of welfare for intensively reared pigs may be carried out by means of direct observation of the animals themselves (animal-based or encompassing performance or output criteria), as well as through examinations of a structural nature (design or resource-based, or derived from engineering or input criteria). Preference should be given to the former since they are can be better adapted to the different pig categories and management systems. Design criteria, on the other hand, are easier to evaluate and they should integrate animal criteria. Thus, the most correct protocols for on-farm evaluation of pig welfare should involve both animal-based criteria and design criteria. Examples of both criteria are reported herein. In extensive farming which includes (although somewhat improperly) outdoor and organic farming, achieving a good level of welfare is one of the declared objectives. However, there are several causes of welfare impairment that can be successfully overcome only if highly professional workers are employed: unfavourable climate, parasitic diseases, intake of plants containing poisons or anti-nutritional factors, high piglet mortality.

Pea (Pisum sativum) in dairy cow diet: effect on milk production and quality

Abstract The use of alternative plant protein in place of soybean meal protein in diets for farmed animals aims to reduce the extra-EU soybean import and partially substitute GMO in the food chain. Among the possible alternatives, the heat-processed (flaked) pea appears interesting in dairy cow diets. Two consecutive experiments were carried out to test flaked peas as a partial substitute for soybean meal in the diet of Reggiana breed dairy cows producing milk for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese-making. In both experiments a “Control” concentrate (8.3% soybean meal) was compared to a “Pea” concentrate (5% soybean meal and 15% flaked peas). Forages fed to animals included mixed grass hay and alfalfa hay in experiment 1, and hay (mixed grass and alfalfa) plus mixed grass in experiment 2. Milk yield and quality, and the characteristics of grab faecal samples, examined to get some empirical indicators of digestibility, were similar between feeding groups. Compositional changes (crude protein and solubility) in forages used as common base in the diets of both experiments had a slight effect on milk and plasma urea contents. There was a tendency for a higher milk urea content in the “Pea” group (32.3 vs 30.1mg/dl in experiment 1, P<0.1; 30.2 vs 28.0mg/dl in experiment 2, P<0.1). The plasma urea content was different only in experiment 2 (4.9 vs 5.6mmol/l, respectively for “Control” and “Pea” groups; P<0.05). The inclusion of the heat-processed pea within the allowed limit of the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium for diet formulation could represent a feasible opportunity for a partial substitution of soybean meal.

Faba beans (Vicia faba) in dairy cow diet: effect on milk production and quality

The use of alternative plant proteins in place of the soybean meal protein in diets for farmed animals aims to reduce the extra-EU soybean import and partially substitute the GMO in the food chain. Among the possible alternatives, the heat-processed (flaked) faba beans appears interesting for dairy cow diet. Two consecutive experiments were carried out to test flaked faba beans as a partial substitute for soybean meal in the diet of Reggiana breed dairy cows producing milk for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese-making. In both experiments a “Control” concentrate (12% soybean meal, no faba beans) was compared with a “Faba” concentrate (7.5% soybean meal and 10% flaked faba beans). Forages fed to animals were hay (mixed grass and alfalfa) plus mixed grass in experiment 1, hay only in experiment 2. Milk yield and quality and the characteristics of grab faecal samples as empirical indicators of digestibility, were similar between feeding groups. The milk urea content was slightly lower in the “Faba” group, particularly in experiment 2 (“Control” vs “Faba”: 34.6 vs 32.9 mg/dL in experiment 1, P<0.1; 27.4 vs 23.4 mg/dL in experiment 2, P<0.01); the plasma urea content in experiment 2 confirmed the trend observed in milk (3.9 vs 3.0 mmol/L, P<0.01). The inclusion of faba beans, within the allowed limit of the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium for diet formulation, could represent a feasible opportunity for a partial substitution of soybean meal.

Livestock animal science and sustainable development

Livestock farming systems are playing a very important role at world level, with an estimated contribution of around 40% of the total global value of agriculture product (FAO 2009). The lives of more than one billion poor people are nowadays strictly dependent on livestock. In addition, livestock animals represent other indirect benefits both in developing and in developed countries. The recent international Expo held in Milan during 2015, named ‘‘Feeding the planet’’, has clearly highlighted the future challenges for the livestock sector over the next decades. Together with the necessity to produce more animal products to satisfy the impressive increasing demand of a human population growing with a strong acceleration, there are also challenges connected with some negative impacts of livestock farming including intensive and extensive systems, such as the environmental impacts, the food safety, the animal welfare and other social issues. Animal scientists are now requested, more than in the past, to put a great effort towards finding solutions for feeding the world, in a contest of new climatic scenarios and social-economic and political constraints. The single sectors of animal sciences must strongly interact together, e.g. animal nutrition and genetics, and with other scientific components, such as engineering, microbiology, nanotechnology, biomedicine, veterinary, and biotechnology. From biotechnologies, in particular, we could have additional solutions, both for feeding animals in a more efficient way, using feeds not competitive with humans, and to improve the productive capacity of farm animals in a sustainable way. Research and innovation, in an integrated approach, will contribute to further development of the livestock sector, to make it more competitive and efficient along the food chain. The mission of ‘‘Italian Journal of Animal Science – IJAS’’ will be devoted to host the products of excellent science from all around the world, to stimulate young scientists to deal with emerging problems in the livestock sector, utilising modern scientific methods and networks, and to give concrete contribution for a better society. The partnership with Taylor & Francis is considered an important element to reach the objectives to which ASPA, our Scientific Association, owner of IJAS, tends in order to obtain an increasingly more relevant international position in the field of Animal Sciences.

Faba bean in dairy cow diet: effect on milk production and quality

Abstract Two consecutive trials were carried out to test flaked faba beans as a partial substitute for soybean meal (SBM) in the diet of Reggiana breed dairy cows. In both trials a “Control” concentrate (12% dehulled SBM) was compared to a “Faba” concentrate (7.5% dehulled SBM; 10% flaked faba beans). Forages fed to animals included hay (mixed grass and alfalfa) plus green mixed grass in trial 1, hay only in trial 2. Concentrate intake, faecal scores, milk yield and quality were similar between feeding groups. The milk urea content was lower in the “Faba” group (“Control” vs. “Faba”: 34.6 vs. 32.9mg/dl in trial 1, P<0.1; 27.4 vs. 23.4mg/dl in trial 2, P<0.01). The plasma urea was different only in trial 2 (“Control” vs. “Faba”: 3.9 vs. 3.0mmol/l, P<0.01). The inclusion of faba beans within the allowed limit of the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium for diet formulation could represent a feasible opportunity for a partial substitution of SBM.

The role of research in the future of the agro-food sector

In the agro-food industry,in line with the European Commission’s White Paper on Food Safety,it is now firmly acknowledged that quality must be planned and developed through- out the food production chain, irrespective of whether the food is of plant or animal origin. Food safety depends on all operators in the food sector, specifically with regard to foods of animal origin,where safety begins with animal nutrition and,even before that,in the “field”. The objective of food safety must be viewed in the context of a dynamic situation which is the result of advances in knowledge,the development of investigative tools and the results sought in terms of guarantees to be provided to consumers. With respect to food of animal origin, present-day consumers are concerned about a series of problems which,apart from intrinsic food safety issues,ultimately involve a whole set of aspects typical of the productive system.These include worker protection,environmen- tal safeguards and,today,even animal welfare,though the possibility of identifying which foods are obtained with “animal-friendly”methods is still hardly present in many countries, given current labelling practices.