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Introduction
Animal well-being is increasingly an important issue concerning animal production, and a popular theme of press articles and scientific conferences. These concerns cover issues relating to farm animal handling and management, establishing scientific measures of well-being, and a perceived lack of attention to the well-being of production animals. Animal care and feeding practices are issues being debated as extended practices in Codex Alimentarios as part of the World Trade Organization. The Encyclopedia of Farm Animal Behavior (EFAB) is online and continually updated through the efforts of scientists in this National Program (www.liru.asft.ttu.edu/efab/index.htm).
Scientists in National Program for Animal Well-Being (NP105) participated in the annual meetings of research projects nationally coordinated by the Cooperative State Research Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) and the National Pork Board. Participating in these meetings strengthens this national program by interacting with the land grant research community, non-governmental organizations and the industry.
Scientists have been involved nationally and internationally representing their scientific expertise in collaborations, committees, consultations, professional and commodity organizations, and technology transfer over the past year. Some of these activities include working with the National Pork Board's Animal Welfare Committee and the National Pork Board's Swine Welfare Indexing Advisory Group; serving on Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) sponsored activities addressing farm animal care and handling training and communication issues; and providing assistance on farm animal specialty for the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists' committee for certification of animal workers.
The Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, has built an interdisciplinary team of scientists to address complex questions about animal well-being across three farm species; dairy, swine, and poultry. Research projects have been completed on well-being issues in all three species encompassing transportation, genetics, and management. Scientific evidence of the impact of tail-docking to the animal's well-being has been provided to several popular press publications. Members of the unit have been involved in addressing well-being issues of the poultry industry. The Unit's scientists are now involved in a collaborative project with Purdue scientists to address well-being concerns in swine production. Multiple disciplines are incorporated into all research conducted and collaborative linkages have built teams with scientists at Purdue University, University of Florida, Iowa State University, Mississippi State University, West Virginia University, University of Tennessee, and with other ARS units (National Animal Disease Center in Ames, IA, Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, GA, U. S. Dairy-Forage Research Center in Madison, WI, and Animal Physiology Research Unit in Beltsville, MD) to incorporate genetics, nutrition, and production to strengthen the approach to well-being questions. This is an essential requirement to the success of well-being research.
Several scientists received invitations to speak at international and national meetings on animal well-being, and contributed articles to popular farm and agricultural press. Three projects were peer reviewed in FY2002. The scientific excellence of research conducted by scientist in this national program was recognized with awards from several professional organizations.
Tami Brown-Brandl was presented the Scientific Award in Animal Biometeorology by the International Society of Biometeorology for her research paper entitled, "Thermoregulatory profile of a newer genetic line of pigs" and appears in the Journal of Livestock Production Science,71:253-260.
Jeff Carroll received recognition for his research on dexamethasone and fish oil to improve the well-being of baby pigs. This research, to reduce the time to market, was recognized by the 2002 Pork Board Award. This is the third year out of four that his research was recognized. The 2002 Omega Protein Innovative Research Award, given at the Joint Animal Sciences Societies meetings in Quebec City was for his research on fish oil and immune function.
Scientific Measures of Well-being
Development of multiple indicators. Many standard management practices in modern intensive production system may subject livestock to suffering, but no reliable bank of indicators of stress and well-being are available. Acute and chronic stress-induced behavioral and physiological changes have been studied by scientists at the Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, in collaboration with Dr. M.W. Muir and Dr. E. Pajor of Purdue University. Multiple indicators, including behavioral, neuronal, hormonal and immune parameters, have been developed. The relationships could be used to evaluate animal stress responses and well-being by producers to modify the current practices and guidelines.
Adaptation and Adaptedness
Stress hormones may alter adult physiology ARS scientists at the Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, conducted research on the effects of stress to pregnant sows, because similar research in rodents shows that such stress causes impaired development in their offspring. Research was conducted in collaboration with researchers, Drs. J. Cunnick and M. Daniels, Iowa State University, Dr. J. Carroll, ARS, Columbia, MO, and Dr. H. Kattesh, University of Tennessee. Although only half-way completed, this study suggests that when sows are stressed they produce male offspring that have had their sexual development altered. If this finding holds through for the remainder of the study it will provide novel data to indicate how stress hormones during development alter adult physiology, and it will provide reasons for sub-optimal fertility in swine herds.
Genetics of aggression and cannibalism. Cannibalism and aggression are major behavioral problems that cause suffering and death of chickens and reduce income of poultry producers. The effect of genetic environmental interaction on chicken behavior has been conducted by scientists at the Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, in collaboration with Dr. M.W. Muir at Purdue University. Data showed that cannibalism and aggression could be combated through group genetic selection. The method is not only applicable to poultry, but could be extended to other species of farm animals to improve their well-being modern intensive production systems.
Social Behavior and Spacing
Early age imprinting to solve uneven distribution in housing. ARS scientists at the Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, in collaboration with Dr. R. Freire, determined the effect of early environmental enrichment on behavioral and physiological development in chicks. This initial study showed that visual imprinting during early life promotes brain structure development and improves spatial memory in chicks. The method could be adapted by producers to improve the well-being of chickens and reduce mortality resulting from physical and social stress in a large commercial-housing environment by reducing the problems associated with poor navigation and uneven distribution on the floor.
Evaluate Practices and Systems to Improve Well-being Management Practices
Beta-glucan ameliorates transport stress. Transportation of dairy calves is a prevalent and unavoidable stressor that results in increased morbidity and mortality of neonatal calves. Feeding two forms of beta-glucan products, from yeast cell walls in conjunction with ascorbic acid as a method to alleviate transportation stress was investigated by an ARS scientist at Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, in collaboration with Dr. T. Johnson, Purdue University and Dr. V. Sharma, ARS-NADC, Ames, IA. Feed efficiency was improved by 4 weeks post-transport, but effects on neutrophil function were divergent for each of the beta-glucan sources. These results will be useful to feed manufactures for an alternative to prophylactic antibiotic feeding in milk replacers to ameliorate transport stress.
An alternative to gestation stalls. Gestation stalls are an animal well-being issue of national proportion. ARS scientists at Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, in collaboration with Dr. E. Pajor and Dr. M. Haris, Purdue University, evaluated relevant indicators of stress, behavioral and physiological, for stall and group gestation housing of swine. Small group housing was a suitable alternative to gestation crates for gilts, and resulted in piglets with greater weight gain. This study demonstrated a potentially viable alternative for small scale alterations of present housing to allow more movement and social contact for gestating gilts.
A single neonatal treatment reduces age-to-market 5 days. Our previous research has demonstrated that early hormonal therapy can have lasting effects on pig growth and performance. Therefore, research during the past year has continued to evaluate the lasting effects of glucocorticoid therapy in neonatal pigs shortly after birth. The ARS scientist at the Animal Physiology Research Unit, Columbia, MO, conducted research on a commercial swine farm in Missouri that demonstrated that pig growth from birth to market age could be enhanced with a single injection of dexamethasone injection within 24 hours of birth. This research provides an approach for swine producers to shorten the time from birth to market by approximately 5 days, thus potentially saving millions of dollars annually.
Nutrition to enhance immune function. Nutritional supplements were used as a means to enhance immune function in weaned pigs with the overall goal of reducing subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in swine feed. Collaborative research between the ARS scientist at the Animal Physiology Unit, Columbia, MO, and swine nutritionists at the University of Missouri evaluated the use of fish oil supplementation as a means to enhance immune function in weaned pigs. Inclusion of fish oil in the diet of pigs favorably enlisted an immunological response to the endotoxin challenge. This information can be applied immediately in manufacture of improved pig feeds.
Height of water nipples critical. Chickens drink almost twice as much water as compared to feed consumption. Therefore, nipple waterer height was investigated relative to chick height. ARS scientist at the Mississippi State Poultry Unit in Mississippi State, MS, showed that nipple waterer placement must be based on the height at eye level of the shortest chick. Our research showed approximately 6% mortality in chicks where waterer nipples are as little as 1½ inches higher than the height suggested by the manufacturer. Attention to this seemingly minor management detail can greatly improve profitability of the broiler industry.
Bioenergetic Criteria for Environmental Management
Management tools to control environmental stress. Scientists at the U. S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, developed management tools for swine incorporating genotypic characteristics into the growth model, determined the relationship of misting and feeding behavior, incorporated thermoregulatory relationship of a new genotype, and improved sensors for environmental control. These tools will be useful for producers to reduce the adverse impact of environmental stress on swine.
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