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Abstract Introduction: Despite sensory enrichment being critical for ensuring the well-being of captive wild animals, smells are not being included in enrichment protocols for birds. For this group, neophobia can be a problem when it comes to implementing new enrichment devices. Objective: To explore how participation in an olfactory enrichment and latency times varies between bird taxonomic groups (Amazona spp. / Ara spp. / Ramphastos spp.). Methods: We exposed 257 birds to a scent enrichment, and we recorded which individuals engaged with it and the time they took to interact with it. Results: We discovered that participation by toucans in the enrichment was higher compared to amazons and macaws. Furthermore, latency time to interact with the enrichment was higher in amazons that in the other species. Our findings could suggest that toucans are neophilic species which could benefit from higher exploration rates. Amazons on the contrary seem to be particularly neophobic, possibly because of their less opportunistic feeding habits compared to toucans and their higher vulnerability to predation compared to macaws. Conclusion: These results point out that toucans would be more inclined to engage in environmental enrichments, while a more natural design using smells inside familiar objects could be a more successful enrichment for psittacids.

Resumen Introducción: A pesar de que el enriquecimiento sensorial es fundamental para garantizar el bienestar de los animales silvestres en cautiverio, los olores no son incluidos de forma rutinaria en los protocolos de enriquecimiento para aves. Además, en el caso de estos animales, la neofobia puede ser un problema a la hora de implementar nuevos dispositivos de enriquecimiento. Objetivo: Explorar cómo varía la participación y la latencia en la interacción con un enriquecimiento olfativo entre grupos taxonómicos de aves (Amazona spp. / Ara spp. / Ramphastos spp.). Métodos: Expusimos a 257 aves a un enriquecimiento olfativo y registramos qué individuos participaron y el tiempo que tardaron en interactuar con él. Resultados: La participación en el enriquecimiento fue mayor en los tucanes en comparación con las amazonas y los guacamayos. Además, el tiempo de latencia para interactuar con el enriquecimiento fue mayor en las amazonas que en las otras especies. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que los tucanes son especies neofílicas que podrían beneficiarse de tasas de exploración más altas. Por otro lado, las amazonas parecen ser particularmente neofóbicas, posiblemente debido a sus hábitos alimenticios menos oportunistas en comparación con los tucanes y a su mayor vulnerabilidad a la depredación en comparación con los guacamayos. Conclusión: Estos resultados señalan que los tucanes serían más proclives a participar en enriquecimientos ambientales, mientras que un diseño que utilice olores dentro de objetos más naturales o familiares podría ser más exitoso para las psitácidas.

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Intensification of swine production can predispose pigs to chronic stress, with adverse effects on the neuroendocrine and immune systems that can lead to health problems, poor welfare, and reduced production performance. Consequently, there is an interest in developing tools to prevent or eliminate chronic stress. Music is widely used as a therapeutic strategy for stress management in humans and may have similar benefits in non-human animals. This study evaluated the effects of a music-based auditory enrichment program in pigs from a multidimensional perspective by assessing psychophysiological responses. Two experimental groups of 20 pigs each were selected for the study: one enriched, exposed to a program of functional veterinary music designed for pigs, and a control group without auditory stimulation. Qualitative behavior assessment (QBA) and skin lesions indicative of agonistic behavior were used to evaluate the psychological determinants underlying the observed behaviors. Physiological assessment included hemograms, with the determination of the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio and daily measurements of cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase levels. The results demonstrated a positive effect of a music-based auditory program on psychophysiological responses. Therefore, this strategy developed for environmental enrichment may be beneficial in reducing stress and contributing to the welfare and health of pigs under production conditions.

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Currently, in Brazil, all researchers involved in animal experimentation must undergo training in laboratory animal science to stay updated on biology, methodology, ethics, and legal considerations related to the use of animals. The training program presented in this study not only aims to fulfill a legal obligation but also intends to train students and professionals to effectively care for their biomodels. It seeks to help them understand the importance of this care, both for the welfare of the animals and for the results of their projects. In total, 58 participants were present at the event (pre-event and full-time course). These participants consisted students and professionals from 11 institutions and 5 different countries. These numbers demonstrate the successful attainment of the desired capillarity in the scientific community and the posterior dissemination of knowledge. Through this course, it was possible to train the participants and raise their awareness about the importance of applying scientific knowledge in their daily practices to maintain the animals, ensuring the welfare of the models and refining the research. Finally, the program presented in this study, as well as the strategies adopted, can serve as a model for other institutions aiming to achieve similar results.

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Horse welfare assessment (HWA) does not account for individual or herd parasite infection. This study investigated the connection between HWA and individual parasite fecal egg count (FEC) in 90 Thoroughbred horses. All horses were naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and were evaluated for individual welfare indicators and FEC monthly, for 12 months. Horses were divided into three groups of 30 mares, 30 foals aged between 13 and 16 months (G2013), and 30 foals aged between two months and one year (G2014). A horse welfare protocol was developed and 1024 assessments were carried out by five trained assessors. FEC ranged from 0 to 5,760 with 98.8 % showing small strongyle eggs. Body condition scores were ideal in 94.4 % of the evaluations (n = 967), and 95.8 % of all horses had good clinical and behavioral indicators. Despite the variation in FEC, the data found no significant association between FEC and the behavioral indicators. The study suggests that FEC alone should not be used as a determinant of welfare when animals are managed with good nutritional and health management practices.

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Welfare problems in broiler chickens are associated with accelerated growth in high density and barren environments. Encouraging broiler movement yields benefits by increasing locomotion, foraging, and environmental exploration. Robot sensors with autonomous navigation capabilities developed to collect husbandry information could collaterally induce movement of birds while traversing the chicken houses. This study examines the short-time dynamic of changes in broiler spatial distribution within the robot's zone of influence throughout the growing cycle. Two batches of mixed-sex Cobb-500 were raised in a commercial broiler farm until 42 d of age, in 2 houses divided into 4 equally sized sectors. In half of the sectors an AviSense robot sustained 2-h per day of autonomous navigation. The minute prior and the 4 min following the robot entering the zone of influence were video recorded weekly. Control sectors without a robot were analyzed equivalently. Number of individuals within the zone of influence of the robot were obtained at 1-s intervals and relative density (%) was estimated. Physical interactions between broilers and the robot, as well as interactions with the environment were also recorded. The entrance of the robot triggers within seconds a strong depopulation of the zone with birds walking to neighboring areas (P < 0.03, in all ages). The decreases in relative density induced by the robot appears more pronounced, and repopulation of the zone was slower, in younger than in older birds (P < 0.05). Broilers´ showed physical interactions towards the robot and were also touched and/or slightly pushed by the robots (19 and 84% of videos recorded, respectively). They were also found scratching and/or pecking the ground after the robot passed (64% of videos). Findings strongly suggest that robots, beyond their specific capabilities as environmental sensors, were effective in promoting increased movement in broilers along the growing cycle and could also favor additional exploratory behaviors. Thus, these robots could be considered as environmental enrichment elements that contribute to welfare improvements during intensive rearing.

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Farming externalities are believed to co-vary negatively, yet trade-offs have rarely been quantified systematically. Here we present data from UK and Brazilian pig production systems representative of most commercial systems across the world ranging from 'intensive' indoor systems through to extensive free range, Organic and woodland systems to explore co-variation among four major externality costs. We found that no specific farming type was consistently associated with good performance across all domains. Generally, systems with low land use have low greenhouse gas emissions but high antimicrobial use and poor animal welfare, and vice versa. Some individual systems performed well in all domains but were not exclusive to any particular type of farming system. Our findings suggest that trade-offs may be avoidable if mitigation focuses on lowering impacts within system types rather than simply changing types of farming.

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Animal welfare encompasses the overall well-being of an animal, spanning both its physical and mental health, assessable through potential measurements. It stands in contrast to mistreatment, which involves actions, direct or indirect, that endanger an animal's well-being. This study sought to appraise the factors influencing the Brazilian population's understanding of dog welfare and mistreatment. The survey questions were adapted from the Animal Welfare Examination Protocol, utilized by veterinarians to evaluate suspected passive abuse cases in dogs. Out of 1377 responses, 1353 were valid and analyzed. Among the 19 assessed indicators, 15 demonstrated an adequate response rate surpassing 90% of all 1353 responses. However, for three questions related to comfort, a smaller yet notable percentage of responses were only minimally adequate. Moreover, in one question within the comfort assessment, 186 participants (13.74%) provided inadequate responses. This implies that these people could potentially subject animals to a state of low Animal Welfare. Lack of knowledge emerged as a potential root of passive abuse, specifically negligence. In the assessment of nutritional indicators, water supply and quality received unanimous adequate responses. In evaluating comfort perceptions, significant associations were noted between gender, dog ownership, family income, and responses regarding resting surface. Regarding health indicators, the majority responded appropriately. Female gender and dog ownership correlated with providing the appropriate response, while not owning a dog was associated with minimally adequate responses. In the context of comfort indicators, "Hitting the Dog" also demonstrated an association with gender, with females tending towards appropriate responses. Given the lack of significant correlation between educational levels and the most suitable responses, it underscores the urgency of implementing environmental education programs in schools with a focus on animal protection.

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Responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG) covers aspects that are relevant to both animal and human health. Understanding the factors associated with adherence to RCAG principles can guide accountability, animal welfare and disease control. The present observational study describes the level of adherence to RCAG by guardians living in a medium-sized Brazilian municipality and identifies the factors associated with inadequate guardianship. Questionnaires were administered to randomly selected guardians of 704 dogs. The binary outcome of the study, namely more and less adequate compliers to RCAG principles, was analyzed using a score list comprising eight variables relating to the care provided to the dogs, namely provision of veterinary services, vaccination against rabies, deworming, no access to the streets without supervision, walking with guardian, dog freedom at home, registration (microchipping) and satisfactory food supply. Factors possibly associated with less adequate adherence to RCAG by the guardian, such as socioeconomic and cultural features of the guardians, characteristics of the dogs and attributes of the guardian-animal interactions, were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models. The RCAG actions least adopted by guardians were animal registration, provision of veterinary care, walking with the dog and preventing access of the dogs to the streets without supervision. Individuals who cared for a single dog, a mixed breed dog or had previously lost a dog were less likely to show adequate adherence to RCAG. Conversely, guardians who owned cars, acquired dogs as puppies, lived in households with a maximum of four residents, cared for a sterilized dog or thought that caring for a dog was easier than (or as) expected, had a higher chance of showing adequate adherence to RCAG. The results verify that the socioeconomic and behavioral characteristic of guardians must be taken into consideration for understanding the adherence to RCAG. In addition, it is important to facilitate access to veterinary services and to raise awareness about the significance of a safe and healthy environment for companion animals.

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Abstract Introduction: Even though only a few species are considered to be dangerous, pests or vectors, the majority of invertebrates produce a feeling of aversion in humans. This has contributed to the delay in the development of ethical considerations as regards this group in contrast with vertebrates, with the exception of cephalopods. Objective: In the present study, we provide an overview of the current situation on animal ethics and welfare in order to contribute to the development of a framework for ensuring invertebrate welfare. Methods: Today, animal welfare is multidisciplinary in nature to a very high degree as it includes ethology, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, nutrition, cognitive-neural, veterinary medicine, and ethics. Animal welfare is a complex concept, difficult to achieve successfully from one perspective. Results: As a consequence, we propose to include the five domains (nutrition, environment, health, behaviour and mental state) along with the three conceptions (basic health and functioning, affective state and natural living), as well as the 5R Principle (Replace, Reduction, Refinement, Respect and Responsibility) in seeking to achieve a comprehensive welfare state. Conclusions: We consider that in both research and animal production, the individual and collective ethical concerns coexist and, in fact, the main moral concern to account for is the collective one and that, within that collective view, the individual moral concern should be applied with responsibility and respect for the individual. Finally, we propose a practical example of invertebrate welfare production in sea urchin aquaculture with the aim of including animal production of invertebrates in this important discussion.

Resumen Introducción: Aunque sólo unas pocas especies son consideradas peligrosas, plagas o vectores, la mayoría de los invertebrados producen un sentimiento de aversión en el ser humano. Esto ha contribuido al retraso en el desarrollo de consideraciones éticas respecto a este grupo en comparación con los vertebrados, a excepción de los cefalópodos. Objetivo: En el presente trabajo, proporcionamos una visión general de la situación actual en materia de ética y bienestar animal con el fin de contribuir al desarrollo de un marco para garantizar el bienestar de los invertebrados. Métodos: Hoy en día, el bienestar animal es de naturaleza multidisciplinaria en un grado muy alto, ya que incluye etología, fisiología, patología, bioquímica, genética, inmunología, nutrición, cognitivo-neural, medicina veterinaria y ética. El bienestar animal es un concepto complejo, difícil de lograr con éxito desde una sola perspectiva. Resultados: Como consecuencia, proponemos incluir los cinco dominios (nutrición, ambiente, salud, comportamiento y estado mental) junto con las tres concepciones (Salud básica y funcionamiento, estado afectivo y vida natural), así como el Principio 5R (Reemplazar, Reducir, Refinar, Respetar y Responsabilidad) en la búsqueda de alcanzar un estado de bienestar integral. Conclusiones: Consideramos que tanto en la investigación como en la producción animal coexisten las preocupaciones éticas individuales y colectivas y, de hecho, la principal preocupación moral a dar cuenta es la colectiva y que, dentro de esa visión colectiva, se debe aplicar la preocupación moral individual. con responsabilidad y respeto por la persona. Finalmente, proponemos un ejemplo práctico de producción de bienestar de invertebrados en la acuicultura de erizos de mar con el objetivo de incluir la producción animal de invertebrados en esta importante discusión.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate handling and transport variables as potential causes of disturbed behaviour in response to seeing a person on an overhead observation platform during pre-slaughter in batches of females and castrated males composed of pure or crossed Bos Taurus animals (Aberdeen Angus, Red Angus, Hereford and Charolais) with a maximum of 37.5% Bos indicus, and maturity at slaughter varying from zero to eight teeth, coming from pasture and confined systems. For the batches of castrated males, the independent variables included the distance covered on the trip, and the handling and facilities on the farms. For the female batches, the variables were travel time and waiting time prior to unloading. For both sexes, the presence of horns in the batches and the load density were included in the regression equations. Disturbed behaviour, the result of factors related to animal handling and transportation, is detrimental to satisfactory results in production systems. It is up to the managers in the production chain to seek alternatives in order to minimise inappropriate behaviour, which is one determinant of loss. Handling and transport are determining factors in the behaviour of beef cattle during the pre-slaughter period.

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