Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Welfare Indicators for Geese Linda Keeling Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Department of Animal Environment and Health Animal welfare is a characteristic of the individual animal ”The welfare of an individual is its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment” (Broom 1986) ”Welfare is all about how an animal feels” (Duncan 1993) Indicators of animal welfare should reflect the state of the animal

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Welfare outcome indicators The input based approach to welfare assessment The outcome based approach to welfare assessment

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health The Five Freedoms (FAWC) Freedom from fear and distress Freedom from hunger and thirst Freedom from discomfort Freedom from pain, injury or disease Freedom to express normal behaviour

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health The Five Freedoms Freedom from fear and distress Freedom from hunger and thirst Freedom from discomfort Freedom from pain, injury or disease Freedom to express normal behaviour

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Good housing Good feeding Appropriate behaviour Good health Expressing social behaviour Good human-animal relationship Expressing other behaviour Thirst Thermal comfort Comfort around resting Ease of movement No disease Positive emotional state Hunger No injuries No painful management procedures Welfare Quality

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health 12 criteria of animal welfare from Welfare Quality Good housing Good feeding Appropriate behaviour Good health Expressing social behaviour Good human-animal relationship Expressing other behaviour Thirst Thermal comfort Comfort around resting Ease of movement No disease No painful management procedures No fear No injuries Body conditionOutcome measure Hunger

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health 12 criteria of animal welfare from Welfare Quality Good housing Good feeding Appropriate behaviour Good health Expressing social behaviour Good human-animal relationship Expressing other behaviour Thirst Thermal comfort Comfort around resting Ease of movement No disease No painful management procedures No fear Hunger No injuries Hairless patches Lesions (wounds, scabs) Swellings Lameness Positive emotional state

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Welfare indicators should be…. Valid Reliable –Can be recorded by different people –Can be recorded by same person on different occasions –Are not affected by time of day or weather etc Feasible, if going to be used in commercial practice

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Good welfare Poor welfare No indicators of poor welfare Many indicators of poor welfare

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Good welfare Poor welfare No indicators of poor welfare Occasional indicator of poor welfare Many indicators of poor welfare Some indicators of poor welfare

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Assessing overall welfare (on a farm)

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Assessing overall welfare (on a farm) vs Assessing welfare in a specific situation (feather collection)

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Good housing Good feeding Appropriate behaviour Good health Expressing social behaviour Good human-animal relationship Expressing other behaviour Thirst Thermal comfort Comfort around resting Ease of movement No disease Positive emotional state Hunger No injuries No painful management procedures Welfare Quality X

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Good housing Good feeding Appropriate behaviour Good health Expressing social behaviour Good human-animal relationship Expressing other behaviour Thirst Thermal comfort Comfort around resting Ease of movement No disease Positive emotional state Hunger No injuries No painful management procedures

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health EFSA Working group identified a series of potential welfare outcome indicators for geese Discussed potential indicators with hearing experts Classified them into short, medium and long term indicators

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Environment and Health Timing of the collection of the welfare indicators Starting to catch Removing feathers Minutes after release Day after Week after

StressStress hormones Heart rate Fear defecation Potential welfare indicators for geese

StressStress hormones Heart rate Fear defecation Could be difficult in commercial practice Potential welfare indicators for geese

Stress DisorientationLack of balance Falling over Bumping into objects Could be difficult to score

Stress Disorientation Hanging wingsInappropriate feathers removed Count number of birds – ideal is zero Potential welfare indicators for geese

Stress Disorientation Hanging wings Dislocation Broken bones Dead animals Count number of birds Potential welfare indicators for geese

Stress Disorientation Hanging wings Dislocation Broken bones Dead animals Skin injuries Count number of birds with wounds The number of wounds per bird Classify wounds according to size or severity Potential welfare indicators for geese

Timing of the collection of the welfare indicators Starting to catch Removing feathers Minutes after release Day after Week after Hanging wings Skin injuries Larger skin injuries, dislocated and broken bones

Timing of the collection of the welfare indicators Starting to catch Removing feathers Minutes after release Day after Week after Hanging wings Skin injuries Larger skin injuries, dislocated and broken bones Wrong type of feathers Blood on the feathers

Welfare Indicators for geese They exist

Welfare Indicators for geese They exist They can be used at the time feathers removed or for a period of time afterwards

Welfare Indicators for geese They exist They can be used at the time feathers removed or for a period of time afterwards Some are similar to those currently used in other farm animals (potentially as valid and reliable)

Welfare Indicators for geese They exist They can be used at the time feathers removed or for a period of time afterwards Some are similar to those currently used in other farm animals (potentially as valid and reliable) Allow quantification of the consequences of the process on the animal

Welfare Indicators for geese They exist They can be used at the time feathers removed or for a period of time afterwards Some are similar to those currently used in other farm animals (potentially as valid and reliable) Allow quantification of the consequences of the process on the animal It is an ethical decision of where thresholds of acceptability lie