Teresa Collins

Feedlot cattle were assessed for the consistency of enrichment brush use, higher incidence of natural behaviour, and less agonistic or abnormal behaviour compared to cattle without the brush. Cattle were assigned to one of two treatment pens, (1) access to a vertical grooming brush (EB; n = 89) or (2) no access control (CON; n = 80), for a period of 107 days. A Principal Component (PC) analysis was used on pen-side demeanour scores. Statistical analysis on pen-side behaviour and demeanour PCs tested for impact of treatment, day, and time. Frequency of brush use and the duration of each cow–brush interaction did not decrease over the assessment period. Self-grooming and allogrooming did not differ between treatments and were similar in frequency to brush grooming, resulting in total grooming being higher in the EB treatment group (p < 0.05). Cattle in the EB pen were scored as more content (PC 2; p < 0.05) and sociable (PC 3; p < 0.01), while CON cattle were scored as more anxious (PC 3; p < 0.05). Overall, this study suggests that the provision of a brush for enrichment enhanced lot-fed cattle wellbeing and permitted prolonged engagement, making it an effective enrichment device.

There is increasing interest from cattle lot-feeders in the use of shade to mitigate the effects of a potential heat stress event, though it is unclear whether the reported benefits of shade in previous studies conducted in more high-risk heat stress zones are pertinent in cooler temperate zones. The objectives of this study were to measure the welfare and performance benefits of shade provision for lot-fed cattle at a commercial feedlot located in a mild heat-stress risk zone in Western Australia. Six blocks of black Angus (Bos taurus) steers were inducted into the feedlot over six time-windows across a southern hemisphere summer, with 80 cattle per block housed in a partially shaded pen (providing 3.125 m2 of shade per animal) and 80 in an unshaded pen. Parameters assessed in 960 cattle over the first 70 days in the feedlot included weight gain, feed intake, and physiological and behavioral indices of overall health and welfare. Over the months of October through to May in which the experiment was conducted, shaded cattle demonstrated a modest 0.13 kg overall increase in average daily gain across the 70-day feedlot period (P = 0.13). There was no difference in dry matter intake between any block or treatment. The physiological and behavioral markers of health and welfare revealed that, even during to hottest times of the experiment, the cattle were quite able to thermoregulate, via increased panting and seeking shade (if available), to maintain physiological homeostasis. In addition, we measured the effect of heat stress and shade provision on the affective state of the cattle. Qualitative behavioral assessment was used to indicate that the cattle in the ‘no stress’ temperature humidity index (THI) category and the shaded cattle in the ‘moderate stress’ THI category displayed the most positive demeanor (P < 0.05), being described as more ‘settled and sociable’, while the unshaded cattle in the ‘moderate stress’ THI category and all cattle in the ‘severe stress’ THI category were described as more ‘agitated/anxious’ (P < 0.05). Overall, the findings from the present study suggest that there are definite welfare and modest performance benefits associated with providing cattle with shade in summer in a feedlot situated in a temperate climatic zone.

Farm animal welfare assessment protocols enable the capture and reporting of information to address any concerns raised by the industry or the public alike. To underpin commercial protocols, research to address validity, repeatability, and practicality, including studies to determine appropriate sampling methodology, is needed. For protocols that adopt an animal outcome-based approach, including the proposed protocol for Australian lot-fed cattle, appropriate sampling is required to ensure validity of observations. The aim of this study was to determine optimal timing and frequency of pen-side assessments. The proposed welfare assessment protocol was applied at four time points for 208 sample pens at four feedlots during a seven-month period. To determine the effect of time of day, the number of behavioural measures were reduced using Principal Component (PC) analysis, and then a Generalized Linear Mixed Model applied to consider relevant resource and environmental factors. Three primary components of cattle behaviour and demeanour were identified. PC 1 (17.61% of total variation in the observed cattle behaviour) related to activity and rest, with cattle most active at 08:00 h and 17:00 h, and least active at 14:00 h. PC 2 (10.15% variation) related to engagement with environment and feeding. At 17:00 h more cattle were observed to express positive welfare outcomes, such as engagement and feeding behaviours. PC 3 (7.07% variation) captured behaviour and demeanour that reflected cattle mental state, but minimal variation was identified related to time of day. PC 1 to 3 varied by feedlot and visit number, and PC 1 scores also differed by cattle feeding program. Results indicate that to capture variation in cattle activity and rest, repeated assessments at two key time points; early-morning and early afternoon, are required for accurate pen-side welfare assessments of lot-fed cattle. These findings suggest further refinement of the welfare assessment protocol for lot-fed cattle is recommended to facilitate commercial adoption.

The prevention of pregnancy is desirable for female cattle destined for sale in the northern Australian rangelands for both economic and welfare reasons. Controlled access to bulls is often not feasible, nor are any non-surgical methods currently available. Many females are therefore surgically spayed. This study describes a technique for uterine tube resection (UTR), which leaves the ovaries intact and is performed using a vaginal approach, and compares the outcomes from 70 Brahman cows subjected to the procedure with 60 heifers spayed using the dropped ovary technique. The animals were monitored for 10 days following the surgery. There were no mortalities, and two animals were treated for illnesses after the UTRs and recovered. The animals subjected to both surgical procedures showed signs of pelvic discomfort and mild inflammation during recovery. The cows gained an average of 9.3 kg (SD 14.5 kg) of weight over the 10 days of the study compared to the spayed heifers, which lost 3.5 kg (SD 13.3 kg), with 19 and 63% of the animals in each of the groups losing weight, respectively. Uterine tube resection can be considered as a viable alternative to surgical spaying.

Lot feeding of cattle has gained momentum in recent years to improve efficiency in meeting market demands for high quality protein. Concurrently, societal concern for the welfare of animals raised in intensive farming systems has increased. Thus, the reporting of animal health and welfare measures is a key goal for the Australian cattle lot-fed industry. Although feedlots vary in location, climate, capacity, cattle genotype, and feeding programs, many welfare concerns are applicable across the industry. Despite this, no recognised standardised animal welfare assessment protocol exists for the Australian lot-fed industry. This study aimed to identify relevant measures to develop an assessment protocol, by identifying key welfare issues and their relevant measures, considering the validity, reliability, and practicality of each when applied to the feedlot context. An advisory model was derived after reviewing the relevant literature and five international protocols for the assessment of beef cattle (Welfare Quality ® , AssureWel, US Beef Quality Assurance assessment tool, Canadian Feedlot Animal Care Assessment program, and an Australian Live Export industry protocol), followed by stakeholder consultation. A total of 109 measures were evaluated, with 99 environmental-, management-, resource- and animal-based measures being proposed. Piloting of the protocol on commercial feedlots will enable further refinement and validation, to provide an evidence-based, practical protocol to facilitate standardised monitoring of cattle welfare. Such a protocol could promote continued advances in animal welfare at a feedlot level and support a sustainable industry by addressing societal concerns.

The welfare of sheep transported by sea is a pertinent issue for Australia’s agriculture industry and a subject of concern amongst the general public. Evaluating the effect of sea transport on the welfare of livestock requires an accurate system of reporting. This study piloted an animal welfare monitoring protocol during two sea voyages from Australia to the Middle East. Sheep health and behaviour were analysed to determine if the protocol could detect animal responses to voyage conditions such as feeding management and changes to the pen environment. Data were recorded for target pens of five different commercial lines of Merino sheep. Principle Components (PC) analysis on behavioural data identified three principal components which were compared with voyage day, management and environmental conditions using general linear mixed modelling (GLMM). PC factor 1 scores (23.35 % of total variance) showed that resting and recumbency increased as the voyage progressed. PC factor 2 scores (17.09 % variance) demonstrated that behavioural responses to heat fluctuated by voyage day. PC factor 3 scores (9.48 % variance) showed reduced flight distances and increasingly competitive feeding behaviour as the voyage progressed. Environment and management conditions were associated with behavioural changes, with Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) being the most influential measure affecting all three PC factors (p < 0.001). There were few diseases or symptoms of ill-health (including veterinary treatments) or mortalities recorded for sample pens; however, associations between ill-health and nutrition, environmental conditions and behaviour, were identified using GLMM. Increases in WBGT were linked to increased nasal discharge (p < 0.001), ocular discharge (p < 0.05), pink eye (p < 0.05) and Panting Score 4 (p < 0.01). With few recordings of ill-health, and a low mortality incidence, it was difficult to interpret the results of comparisons between health and behaviour. It is likely that associations between health indicators and behavioural variations will be more meaningful if a welfare monitoring protocol were applied to a larger sample size. The pen-side assessments presented in this study provided a practicable and comprehensive system for monitoring the behaviour and health of sheep during sea voyages. The application of such assessments on an industry basis could better inform all stakeholders about the welfare of sheep during sea transport.

Ensuring the well-being of animals during transport is becoming an increasingly important societal concern. The Australian livestock export industry recognises the need for comprehensive monitoring and reporting on animal welfare during sea transport. It is predicted that pen-side assessments of sheep can be used to monitor environmental conditions, resource access, and animal health and behavioural outcomes throughout a sea voyage. Pen-side assessments by observation are non-invasive and practical to apply in an industry setting. This study monitored sheep using a pilot list of welfare indicators during two sea voyages from Australia to the Middle East, in contrasting seasons. Sheep behaviour, environment and resources were recorded three times daily via pen-side observations of six pens of Merino wethers (castrated males), repeated over three decks for each voyage. Behavioural outcomes were examined for the effect of sampling frequency on group assessments. The number of behavioural measures were reduced via Principal Component (PC) analysis. The primary three PC factors were tested against the time of sampling and pen location after accounting for the effect of environmental- and resource-based predictor variables. PC 1 (24.0 % of the total variance) described activity levels, with sheep on Voyage B being more active in the morning and resting or recumbent in the middle of the afternoon and evening. PC 2 (14.7 %) reflected heat responses with the majority of the variation in these data accounted for by changes in Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and manure pad moisture. The heat responses described by PC 2 also varied by voyage day (p < 0.001) and time point (p < 0.001). PC 3 scores (9.5 %) reflected flight distances and feeding behaviour and strongly correlated to WBGT and pellet consumption per head per day. Feeding behaviour generally became more competitive, and flight distances reduced as both voyages progressed. Results indicate that a comprehensive welfare monitoring protocol requires repeated daily sampling throughout a voyage. The findings of this study are pertinent for developing a sampling strategy to assess sheep welfare during sea transport.

This study set out to explore how euthanasia decision-making for animals was taught to students in eight Australasian veterinary schools. A questionnaire-style interview guide was used by a representative at each university to interview educators. Educators were interviewed about their teaching of euthanasia decision-making for four categories of animals: livestock, equine, companion and avian/wildlife. Using thematic analysis, the terms provided by participants to describe how (mode of teaching) and what (specific content) they taught to students were categorised. Information about content was categorised into human-centred factors that influence decision-making, and animal-based indicators used to directly inform decision-making. All eight representatives reported some teaching relevant to euthanasia decision-making at their university for livestock, companion animal and avian/wildlife. One representative reported no such teaching for equid animals at their university. Observation of a euthanasia case was rarely reported as a teaching method. Five universities reported multiple modes of teaching relevant information, while two universities made use of modalities that could be described as opportunistic teaching (e.g., 'Discussion of clinical cases'). Factors taught at most universities included financial considerations, and that it is the owner's decision to make, while animal-based indicators taught included QoL/animal welfare, prognosis and behaviour change. Overall, most universities used a variety of methods to cover relevant material, usually including lectures and several other approaches for all animal types. However, because two universities relied on presentation of clinical cases, not all students at these veterinary schools will be exposed to make, or assist in making, euthanasia decisions.

Sheep are exposed to numerous stressors and environments during the pre-export phase of the live export industry. Establishing how animal behavior, health and demeanor reflect their experiences prior to sea transport is the first step toward testing the suitability and practicality of animal welfare measures. A total of 240 merino wethers originating from four farms were assessed at four locations in the live export chain: on farm, upon arrival to the registered export feedlot (Fe1), prior to departing the feedlot (Fe2) and 30 min post loading onto a live export vessel. Each of these locations and time points represent relevant assessment points as part of the commercial live export process. Pen-side behavioral and health measures were collected. Video footage was collected and edited to provide 48 30–45 s duration clips that were then scored by 12 assessors against 10 demeanor terms using a Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA) methodology; data were analyzed using Principal Components (PC) analysis. Repeated Measures ANOVAs tested for variation in each dependent measure across each location and time point. There were low levels of health issues recorded overall; however, seven health and behavior measures significantly varied across the locations and time points. Most vocalizing was recorded on farm; most drinking, eating and resting behaviors were recorded at Fe1 and ruminating at Fe2; while the highest percentage of wethers with ocular discharge and lameness was on the vessel. For QBA, PC1 explained 30.5% of the variability, with agitated and nervous loaded to one end of the axis and calm and relaxed loaded to the opposing end. PC2 explained 24.5% of the variability, with interested, alert and sociable loaded to one end of the axis and lethargic loaded to the opposing end. Spearman's rank correlations between behavior, health and PC scores indicated that wethers eating, ruminating and resting were scored as more calm/relaxed, while those scored as more agitated/nervous or/ lethargic were also likely to vocalize. Determining how wethers respond to the different environments in the immediate pre-export phase of the journey informs on their welfare and the practicality of using a behavior tool to assess animal welfare.