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This study assessed qualitative and quantitative leukocyte evaluation as potential broiler chicken welfare indicators, contributing to the limited literature on white blood cell (WBC) morphology as a diagnostic tool for welfare. Broiler chicken welfare within four poultry houses (PH) 1 to 4, each on a different farm, was assessed using on-field indicators of affective states and health, and WBC morphology was examined. Affective states were evaluated using the Qualitative Behavior Assessment (QBA), with 25 behavioral expressions scored on a visual analogue scale (VAS) and grouped into two categories. Health indicators included assessments of lameness, footpad dermatitis, dermatitis on the breast and abdominal areas, hock burn, and feather cleaning. Blood samples were collected, differential leukocyte counts were performed, and a cell score was created for the recognition, classification, and interpretation of morphologic diversity of heterophils and lymphocytes. The heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L) was also determined. Descriptive statistics and generalized linear models for binomial responses were used to analyze the results. PH4 differed from the other farms, showing a higher frequency of birds within QBA group 1 (‘Attentive’to ‘Desperate’), while birds in PH1, PH2, and PH3 were more frequent in QBA group 2 (‘Relaxed’ to ‘Positively occupied’). Elevated proportions of heterophils in birds from PH4 (0.61, CI95%: 0.58; 0.64) and PH3 (0.60, CI95%: 0.57; 0.63) suggested higher stress levels and inflammatory responses. Birds in PH2 and PH4 exhibited higher frequencies of health issues such as dermatitis and lameness, and higher proportions of abnormalities in WBC number and morphology. PH3 and PH4 exhibited higher H/L ratios of 3.03 and 2.58, respectively, consistent with the on-field health and behavioral indicators. Blood samples from birds in PH2 and PH4 showed a proportion of 90% toxic change in heterophils, while in PH1 and PH3 it was 70%, indicating high levels of abnormal WBC morphology across all PHs. The findings emphasize the multifactorial nature of welfare impairments, including environmental conditions, health, and affective states. This highlights the need for indicators that reflect multiple welfare impacts, such as WBC counts and morphological alterations, which can serve as powerful tools in the complex task of assessing animal welfare.

Abstract Cultivated and plant-based meats are substitutes for conventional animal meat products. As radical innovations, they may trigger profound social and economic changes. Despite the many benefits of alternative meats, such as environmental sustainability, animal welfare, human health and food safety, some unintended consequences remain unexplored in the literature. In this paper, we studied the potential impact of the meat production system transition on jobs. Using a survey, we compared opinions regarding the impact on jobs in Brazil, the United States and Europe, according to alternative protein experts. Our results showed the potential of plant-based and cultivated meat production to create new and higher-skilled jobs. The data analysis also suggested that the impact of novel food production systems on jobs in conventional meat production may be different for each stage of the value chain. In particular, the results showed a pressure point on animal farmers, who may be most affected in a fast transition scenario. Considering the studied geographical contexts, Brazilian professionals were more optimistic about the potential of plant-based and cultivated meat production to create new jobs. Our findings may provide new insights for the development of policies, measures and strategies that promote job creation, skills and income in view of the ongoing transition.

Cultivated and plant-based meats have been recognized as radical innovations that may revolutionize food production worldwide. Despite potentially being more sustainable than conventional meat, little is known about the consequences these innovations can bring to society. To help to clarify this topic, we studied the social impacts that cultivated and plant-based meats may bring to Brazil, the United States and Europe. Based on the perspective of 136 experts, our results are divided into market expectations, consumer access, consumer acceptance, impacts on farms, and business opportunities along the new chains. Experts generally predicted an optimistic picture of the social effects with several opportunities as alternative meats become available. However, the consequences for animal farmers seemed worrying in the experts' views. Overall, the opinion of Brazilian and American experts seemed more optimistic than that of Europeans. Our findings may be helpful for practitioners and people involved in rural policy interested in better guiding this transition process in the food production chain.

There are, in the literature, distinct ways to approach animal welfare. The objective of this work was to study the value attributed to farm animals in the scientific papers published in animal welfare and animal production journals at three different points in time, separated by a decade each. The first ten papers mentioning “animal welfare” or “animal well-being” in their objectives or hypotheses from each journal and each focus year were selected. The 180 papers were blindly scored by five assessors between 1 and 10, according to the degree of intrinsic value attributed to animals. The overall mean score and standard deviation were 5.60 ± 2.49, with 6.46 ± 2.29 and 4.74 ± 2.40 for AW and AP journals, respectively, and 5.37 ± 2.44, 5.68 ± 2.52 and 5.75 ± 2.41 for the focus years of 2000, 2010 and 2020, respectively. There was an interaction between focus year and publication area: papers from AW journals scored better over time, in contrast with papers from AP journals, for which scores remained similar over decades. The inter-assessor agreement is moderate, which may reflect the subject complexity, as the language used in the papers studied was ambiguous in relation to why and for whom it is performed. The low overall mean score evidenced that the animal welfare scientific publications are, on average, not prioritizing the interests of the animals. Thus, our results evidenced the presence of animal welfarism in animal welfare science, a problem that seems not to be intrinsic to animal welfare science itself, but rather to the way research is frequently conceived, conducted, interpreted, summarized and applied. Therefore, it seems urgent to further study the motivation for animal welfare research. The statement of the main justification for animal welfare papers, with an explicit declaration of the motivational priorities that constitute each scientific animal welfare study, may be an interesting recommendation for the improvement of animal welfare science.

ABSTRACT: In Brazil, humane slaughter regulation is in use since 2000; however it is not applied to fish. This paper studied parameters for electrical stunning using direct current waveform in South American catfish (Rhamdia quelen) and its subsequent effects on muscular pH and rigor mortis. Seventy fish were allocated into two groups. In group 125, fish were stunned using 125 Volts (V), 30 Hz, duty cycle of 90% and 1.3 Amp (A) applied for 30 s; in group 400, fish were stunned with 400 V, 30 Hz, duty cycle of 27%, 0.9 A, for 30 s. Unconsciousness time was determined through behavioural assessment. After slaughter, ten fish from each group were refrigerated for both measurements muscular pH and rigor mortis index (RMI) at 0, 3, 6, 24, 72 and 120 h. In 125, 14.4% (5/35) of fish were not effectively stunned, in contrast with 400 in which 100% of fish (35/35) were effectively stunned. The unconsciousness duration was higher in 400 group (87.7±16.1 s) in contrast with group 125 (66.6 ± 16.1 s). Until 6 h post mortem ninety percent of fish reached maximum rigor mortis (RMI=100%).

The aim of this study was to develop and test a tilapia on-farm welfare assessment protocol, based on Brazilian semi-intensive production systems. The study included two mains steps: the elaboration of tilapia welfare protocol and its on-field feasibility test. The protocol, including the potential indicators organized into health, environmental, nutritional, and behavioral categories, was tested on three farms. Skin, eyes, gills, jaws, fins, and vertebral spine were individually examined in 139 individual tilapias. Water physicochemical parameters and production system were considered. The overall nutritional status of individuals was assessed through body condition factor, feed conversion ratio, feed crude protein ratio, and feed ingestion behavior. During massive capture, signals of stress, level of crowding, and duration of air exposure were registered. Time required for loss of consciousness was evaluated by clinical reflexes and other behaviors during slaughter. Eye, jaw, and gill scores were different across farms (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.011; 0.015; 0.043, respectively), showing good discrimination power. Critical welfare points were extremely low dissolved oxygen in water, fin and skin lesions, prolonged air exposure during pre-slaughter handling and non-humane slaughter techniques, as decapitation or asphyxia. The protocol presents practical viability and it is an initial step for the development of a tilapia welfare strategy, where the prioritization of critical welfare points, implementation of corrective actions and monitoring of the results is part of a permanent welfare management system.

Slaughter sets the debate about what is acceptable to do to animals at an extremely low bar. Recently, there has been considerable investment in developing cell-based meat, an alternative meat production process that does not require the raising and slaughtering of animals, instead using muscle cells cultivated in a bioreactor. We discuss the animal ethics impacts of cell-based and plant-based meat on human-animal interactions from animal welfare and rights perspectives, focusing on industrial meat production scenarios. Our hypothesis is that the insertion of cell-based meat in the global meat market may alleviate farm animal suffering and potentially restore resources for wild fauna. We employed a conservative estimation of the cell-based meat contribution to the global meat market in the year 2040 to analyze the consequences for human-animal relationships for both wild animals and farmed domesticated animals. We discuss possible effects of an animal cell domestication process, previously described as the second domestication, on human-animal relationships. We consider its potential to reduce the impact of human demographic changes and land use on animal life, in particular whether there would be increased biomass availability and free land for wild animals. We anticipate a major reduction in animal suffering due to the decrease in the number of individual animals involved in food production, which justifies the adoption of cell-based meat from a utilitarian perspective. For the conventional animal food production that remains, further consideration is needed to understand which systems, either high or low welfare, will be retained and the impact of the innovation on the average farm animal welfare. Additionally, it seems likely that there will be less acceptance of the necessity of animal suffering in farming systems when meat production is uncoupled from animal raising and slaughter, supported by a deontological perspective of animal ethics. Consequent to this is anticipated the mitigation of relevant barriers to animal protection and to the recognition of animals as subjects by legislation. Thus, the development of the alternative meats may be related to a significant change in our relationship with non-human animals, with greater benefits than the prima facie effects on farm animals.

We aimed to investigate what broiler chickens prefer when given free choice between a barn side with artificial lighting only as opposed to the other barn side with natural light through glass windows and artificial light. Eighty-five 1 day-old male Cobb 500 broiler chickens were divided into 10 pens; half of each pen area was provided with only artificial light (OAL) and the other half with natural and artificial light (NAL), and birds were free to move across sides. Environmental indicators and external conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, ammonia and illuminance were monitored inside and outside the barn. Chickens’ preference was registered each three days, divided in categories: I (at 9, 12, and 15 days), II (at 18, 21, 24, and 27 days), and III (at 30, 33 and 36 days). The effect of the interaction between environmental indicators and week was statistically different only for illuminance. Chickens preferred NAL to OAL from 18 days onwards (II p < 0.001; III p = 0.016). Drinking (p = 0.034) and exploration or locomotion (p = 0.042) behaviours were more frequent, and “not visible” behaviours (p < 0.001) were less frequent, in NAL. Foraging was the only behaviour with an interaction effect between age category and light treatment, as birds during period II expressed this behaviour more frequently in NAL than OAL (p = 0.003). For our experimental conditions, the chickens preferred NAL from 18 days of age onwards, when the confounding effect of the heating light was removed, and their behavioural repertoire was also different according to each side of the barn and to their ages.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to better understand farmers’ perceptions regarding sheep welfare and procedures concerning the tail docking of sheep in the state of Parana, Southern Brazil. The study was carried out via telephone interviews or personally with 146 sheep farmers. Twenty-eight farmers (19.2%) did not tail dock; the main reasons given were because they raised short-hair sheep breeds. One hundred and eighteen farmers docked their sheep tails (80.8%). The main reasons given were hygiene (61.0%), facilitated mating (42.4%), breed standards (29.7%), and esthetics (26.3%). Rubber ring was the main method used for tail docking. Although farmers in Parana recognized that sheep are sentient animals and that tail docking causes pain, anesthesia was used by only six (5.1%) farmers during the procedure of tail docking. Our results showed that farmers’ opinions on sheep tail docking are divergent. Farmers who perform tail docking must be encouraged to use anesthesia and analgesia, and to ponder on the real need for the practice. This statement seems especially relevant considering the fact that some farmers reported the viability of maintaining wool sheep with undocked tails and that they recognized the suffering involved in this procedure.

Our aim was to study Brazilian consumer attitudes towards cell-based meat and related issues. From 408 respondents from Curitiba and 218 from Joinville, the majority was women with higher level of education; 65.2% and 70.2% frequently consumed meat and 50.7% and 50.9% would not stop eating meat; 81.6% and 82.6% had little or no knowledge about cell-based meat. After watching an explanatory video, 41.9% and 34.4% stated they would eat cell-based meat without restrictions; 24.5% and 23.9% stated they would try depending on conditionals. Overall, 63.6% declared they would eat cell-based meat; among vegetarians and vegans, 24% and 8% stated they would eat cell-based meat, with additional 25.0% and 27.0% stating "it depends"; thus, the major public for cell-based meat seems to be meat eaters. Animal welfare was the principal reason for considering not eating meat and a major benefit of cell-based meat. In conclusion, the majority of respondents would not stop eating meat; additionally, they would eat cell-based meat.

ABSTRACT: Pigs transportation is a critical stage for their welfare and can directly influence the rates of carcass condemnation. The objective of this research was to study the injuries and condemnation data recorded in the Federal Inspection System (SIF) as potential welfare indicators during pig transport. In federally inspected slaughterhouses in the State of Paraná, Brazil, from january 2011 to December 2016, 1.4% (602,006) of carcasses were condemned, 15.0% (90,426) as a result of injuries related to transportation. From total condemnation cases, 12.1% (72,759) were due to traumatic injury, 2.5% (15,144) to PSE, 0.4% (2,327) to dead on arrival and 0.03% (196) to other transportation welfare indicators. There was no correlation between the condemnation rates and the meteorological data. The results exposed the need for improvement in pig transport conditions. In addition, this study allowed us to point out possible improvements in the collection of nosographic data into the SIF’s Management Information System (SIGSIF), such as inclusion of other injuries associated with welfare restrictions, standardization of the terms that already exist in the system, improvement in the indicator measurements, development of regulations and training for professionals involved. Results suggested that SIGSIF data are useful for monitoring the welfare of pigs during transportation, with potential for refinement from improvements in data recording.

We aimed to study the gaps between the law and sheep farmer and citizen opinions regarding animal maltreatment by discussing the risk of sheep maltreatment in regular farming practices in Southern Brazil. We surveyed the perception of 56 farmers and 209 citizens regarding general animal and specific on-farm sheep maltreatment issues. The main themes from these two groups about the key components of animal maltreatment were similar: failing to provide for the basic animal needs (27.0%; 96 of 355 total quotes) and aggression or physical abuse (23.9%; 85/355). However, citizens (19.8%; 60/303) were more sensitive than farmers (9.6%; 5/52) to animal stress, suffering, fear, pain or painful procedures (p < 0.05). The perspective of citizens was closer than that of farmers to expert definitions for three situations: emaciation, movement restriction and tail docking without anesthetic use (p < 0.05). More citizens (71.6%; 116/162) than sheep farmers (49.0%; 24/49) believed that animal maltreatment occurs in sheep farming (p < 0.05), but nearly half of the farmers recognized sheep maltreatment within regular production practices. Most citizens (86.4%; 140/162) and all farmers (100.0%; 0/51) were unaware of any Brazilian animal protection law. Most citizens (79%; 131/167) stated that they would not purchase products from animals exposed to maltreatment. We suggest painful procedures as a major risk of animal maltreatment in sheep farming and a priority issue. With the many decades of animal protection laws and scientific recognition of animal sentience and welfare requirements, the level of cognitive dissonance and practical contradictions observed in our results indicate that mitigation policies are urgently needed.

The study compared the perception of ordinary citizens from Curitiba, Brazil (OB) and Clermont-Ferrand, France (OF), as well as OB, Brazilian veterinarians (VB), biologists (BB) and animal scientists (AB), concerning animal welfare and sentience. An online survey containing 18 open-ended, multiple choices and Likert scale questions was conducted from November 2014 to May 2016. The survey covered questions on demographics, perception of animal welfare, sheep welfare, sentience and animals' emotional capacities. In total, 1103 respondents participated in the survey (388 OB, 350 OF, 248 VB, 92 BB and 25 AB); data were compared using non-parametric tests. Brazilian citizens (46.9%) believed more than OF (3.7%) that welfare is not considered for farm animals and OB attributed higher scores of suffering to sheep during management procedures (median 4, severe suffering) than OF (3, moderate suffering). Additionally, OB gave higher scores of emotions to animals (5) than OF (4). In general, OB and BB had similar perceptions; OB and BB differed from VB and AB who were similar to each other. Citizens (46.9%) and BB (29.3%) believed more than VB (18.5%) and AB (12.0%) that welfare is not considered for farm animals; OB and BB also attributed higher scores of suffering to sheep during management procedures than VB and AB. Women and older respondents showed higher perception of animal welfare issues. There was no clear correlation between perception of animal welfare or sentience and education. Overall, ordinary citizens differed on their perceptions of welfare and sentience in livestock and specifically in sheep, and sheep suffering during management procedures. Ordinary citizens from Curitiba showed higher perception of animal welfare issues as compared to respondents from Clermont-Ferrand and to veterinarians and animal scientists. Ensuring a better consideration of welfare at farm level and in educational programs seems warranted according to the results of this study.

ABSTRACT: Broiler chicken welfare regulation at farm level is scarce in Brazil. This research aimed to study good agricultural practices at farm level adopted by broiler chicken companies in the state of Paraná, analyzing them in relation to the promotion of animal welfare. Twenty exporting companies were contacted, 15 answered the questionnaire. The participating companies were responsible for 76.3% of the State broiler production. Indicators related to the availability and the quality of food and water are being adapted by the companies, but still need to be improved. Regarding environmental indicators, companies had concerns about air and litter quality and about the implementation of emergency systems on totally enclosed broiler houses. Natural light has been replaced by low intensity artificial lighting. Footpad dermatitis was the most cited disease used as a sanitary indicator (93.3%), but little information was given about the maximum percentages allowed. Environmental enrichment is not used in poultry houses. This study identified agricultural programs with positive and negative impacts on animal welfare. Investments on research seem to be the only way to conduct changes on broiler chicken chain without reducing the quality of animals' life.

ABSTRACT: We investigated self-reported attitudes of 148 South Brazilian sheep farmers to animal welfare and sentience. Many farmers (73.0%) knew animal welfare superficially. Farmers that worked for longer in the sheep industry and that raised sheep for commercial purposes mentioned more commonly that they had knowledge about animal welfare (P

Little research has examined the views of Latin Americans on the use of animals in research. This study examined the degree to which Brazilians support the use of animals in research and the reasons they put forth to explain their position. Participants were randomly assigned to research scenarios describing the use of animals for biomedical or environmental benefits, and varying in the number of pigs required. Each scenario began by proposing the use of conventional pigs and then advanced to the development and use of genetically modified animals (GMA). A total of 151 quantitative and 307 qualitative answers were analysed. Scenario and number of animals had little effect on support, but opposition increased from 25% to 58% when pigs were used to develop a GM strain for the environmental scenario. Support to use of animals was often conditional upon adequate protection of the animals’ welfare. Participants were less willing to support research on environmental scenario when this involved the creation of GMA, in part because they feared the risk associated with this technology.

A penalização de quem pratica rinha de galos pode ser fortalecida por pareceres técnicos de profissionais capacitados para atestar maus-tratos. O objetivo foi relatar uma perícia em bem-estar animal para diagnóstico de maus-tratos contra galos utilizados em rinhas. A perícia ocorreu na região de Curitiba, Paraná, avaliando-se 12 animais da espécie Gallus gallus. Foi utilizado o Protocolo de Perícia em Bem-estar Animal – PPBEA, composto por quatro conjuntos de indicadores: nutricionais, de conforto, de saúde e comportamentais. O grau de bem-estar é resultado da integração dos indicadores e varia de muito baixo a muito alto. Graus de bem-estar muito baixo e baixo são compatíveis com maus-tratos. Os animais apresentaram inadequação dos quatro conjuntos de indicadores devido à inconformidade da oferta de água e alimento, desconforto imposto pelo ambiente, lesões intencionais e sem atendimento veterinário e limitação da execução dos comportamentos naturais. Foram identificadas evidências da prática de rinha, como o número de galos presentes no local, balança, arena, gaiolas de transporte e apetrechos utilizados para este crime. O uso do PPBEA concretizou a emissão de parecer técnico fundamentado na ciência do bem-estar animal para atestar maus-tratos, bem como confirmar o uso dos animais para rinha, crime legalmente proibido no Brasil.

Discussions on farm animal welfare have become frequent, especially in developed countries. The aim of this research was to study the perception of fish sentience, welfare and slaughter by highly educated citizens from Bogotá, Colombia, and Curitiba, Brazil. An online survey with 12 questions presented as open-ended, multiple choice and 5-point Likert-type scale formats was available to respondents. Answers from 395 participants in Bogotá and 387 in Curitiba were analyzed, and results are presented in the order Bogotá followed by Curitiba. The percentage of participants who perceived fish as sentient animals was 79.7% and 71.8%. The classification of sentience perception among taxonomic groups seems in accordance with the phylogenetic proximity to humans, suggesting participants were more likely to perceive sentience in mammals than in other animals. The descending order related to the highest perception of fish suffering in different scenarios was fishing with hook and line (75.6%, 70.6%); municipal live fish fair (68.7%-only in Curitiba); fish-and-pay ponds (59.7%, 54.4%); fish kept as laboratory animals (58.0, 48.1%); fish farming (35.7, 36.8%); fish in pet stores (35.5%, 26.1%); production of ornamental fish (19.3%, 21.8%); fish in aquarium exhibits (18.8%,16.9%); and fish kept as pets (12.4%,12.3%). Lack of knowledge about the conditions of capture, handling, transport and sale of ornamental fish may justify the perception of low level of suffering in the last scenarios. Regarding humane slaughter, 57.0% and 55.0% of respondents were unaware of the issue. After reflection induced by the questionnaire, 76.0% and 72% of participants believed that fish should be included in humane slaughter regulations. This study presents original data suggesting that respondents from Bogotá and Curitiba consider fish as sentient beings. The perception of suffering in specific scenarios challenges common activities. Recognition of suffering also endorses humane slaughter regulations to reduce pain in a large number of individuals of fish slaughtered annually for human consumption in Colombia and Brazil.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do enriquecimento ambiental sobre o bem-estar de frangos de corte em sistemas industriais. Um total de 400 frangos de corte machos, criados de um a 38 dias de idade, foram alojados em 20 boxes de 2m2 com 20 aves unidade-1 experimental, sendo 10 boxes com ambiente controle (AC) e 10 com ambiente enriquecido (AE) com poleiros, caixa de areia, couve, repolho e objetos suspensos. Aos sete, 21 e 35 dias foram avaliados claudicação, desvio valgo-varo e pododermatite (indicadores sanitários) e colhidas amostras sanguíneas. Na primeira, segunda e sexta semanas, o comportamento das aves foi registrado pelo método de varredura durante 13 horas/dia, a cada 20min. Semanalmente, foram avaliados consumo médio, ganho de peso médio e conversão alimentar (desempenho) das aves. Resultados hematológicos e de desempenho foram comparados pelo teste F, comportamentos e indicadores sanitários pelo teste Chi quadrado e mortalidade pelo teste T. Não houve diferença entre tratamentos para indicadores sanitários. Não houve diferença para relação heterófilo:linfócito (AC 0,47±0,02/AE 0,45±0,02), sendo que a contagem de basófilos ficou acima da normalidade em ambos os tratamentos (1338±97 µL-1; 1212±106 µL-1). Houve diminuição no comportamento de acocorar (35,0%/31,8%) e dormir (14,6%/13,1%) e aumento do banho de areia (0,9%/1,5%), bicar objetos (0,2%/0,6%), manutenção corporal (12,7%/14,2%) e forragear (8,2%/12,0%) em AE. Não houve diferença para mortalidade (2,5%/4,0%) e desempenho. Os itens de enriquecimento mostraram benefícios em relação ao comportamento das aves, mas problemas sanitários afetaram negativamente seu bem-estar em ambos os tratamentos.

Our objective was to identify and characterize the types of vocalization other than meowing (VOM) in two contexts, a pleasant and an aversive situation, and to study the effect of the sex of the animal. A total of 74 cats (32 tom cats and 42 queens) living in the city of Curitiba, Brazil, participated in the study; in total, 68 (29 tom cats and 39 queens) were divided into two groups according to the stimulus they were exposed to: either a pleasant situation (PS), when they were offered a snack, or an aversive situation (AS), with the simulation of a car transport event. The other six animals (three tom cats and three queens) participated in both situations. Only the PS group presented VOM; of the 40 PS animals, 14 presented VOM, mostly acknowledgment or trill and squeak. No correlation was observed between vocalization and cat sex (p = 0.08; Pearson’s Chi-Square). Results show that VOM is exclusively associated with positive situations, suggesting that these vocalizations may be relevant for understanding the valence of cat emotional state. Further studies are warranted to advance knowledge on other VOMs and on the generalization of our findings to other situations.

O bem-estar de animais de produção tem sido discutido nos âmbitos comercial, social e acadêmico, sendo que tal discussão pode ser enriquecida pela elaboração de protocolos de diagnóstico de bem-estar animal bem definidos, favorecendo a regulamentação de uma legislação específica. O objetivo desta revisão é discutir os métodos de diagnóstico de bem-estar animal e apontar os principais pontos críticos que afetam o bem-estar dos bovinos leiteiros. O diagnóstico de bem-estar compreende a observação do comportamento animal e de indicadores fisiológicos e sanitários, como análise hematológica e dosagem de hormônios, análise do escore de locomoção, a observação de lesões corporais e o estado geral de saúde dos animais. Tais ferramentas permitem verificar quais são os principais pontos críticos que afetam o bem-estar dos animais e construir estratégias de melhoria. As vacas em lactação podem sofrer restrições ambientais, nutricionais e sanitárias. Os bezerros passam pelo distresse do desmame precoce e do isolamento social. Alguns pontos críticos de bem-estar de gado leiteiro reconhecidos internacionalmente parecem prováveis no cenário brasileiro. Entretanto, é possível a existência de diferenças importantes em relação aos sistemas de produção praticados no Brasil e no exterior, uma vez que o acesso ao pasto é um fator comum na produção brasileira e pode estar associado a um maior grau de bem-estar animal. Dessa forma, é importante a condução de trabalhos de diagnóstico de bem-estar específico para os animais envolvidos com a produção de leite no Brasil.The welfare of farm animals is under broad discussion within the commercial, social and academic environments, and discussion may be enriched by specific guidelines and legislation based on well-defined assessment protocols. The objective of this review is to discuss the methods for assessing animal welfare and to point out the main critical points that affect the welfare of dairy cattle. The assessment of animal welfare is based on behavioral observations and physiological and health parameters such as analysis of blood parameters and hormone concentrations, locomotion scoring, presence of body lesions and general health state of the animals. These tools allow for the analysis of the main critical points that affect animal welfare and the proposal of improvement strategies. The lactating cows may suffer from environmental, nutritional and sanitary restrictions. Dairy calves go through weaning distress and social isolation. Some of the critical welfare points recognized internationally seems likely to occur in the Brazilian scenario. However, some differences possibly exist, once the access to pasture is a common factor in Brazilian production and may be associated with a higher welfare degree. Thus, it is important to carry on specific welfare assessment of the animals involved in milk production in Brazil.

Objetivou-se neste trabalho estudar o comportamento dos consumidores de carne de frango em relação ao bem-estar animal e à disposição em pagar mais por produtos com certificação para esse atributo de qualidade. Para isso foi realizada uma pesquisa de mercado com consumidores de carne de frango da cidade de Curitiba, Paraná. Uma análise prévia foi realizada com peritos da cadeia avícola para estruturação do questionário. Após esta fase, 481 consumidores foram entrevistados. Perguntas objetivas resultaram em informações gerais e imagens de produtos hipotéticos geraram informações sobre a atitude de compra utilizando análise conjunta e posterior simulação de mercado. Os atributos mais observados na hora da compra foram validade, preço, cor e odor. O bem-estar animal inicialmente foi considerado pela minoria (3,7%). Dos entrevistados, 68,5% não conhecem o sistema de produção, porém, depois de observar fotos dos sistemas, acreditam que o modelo semiintensivo proporciona melhor bem-estar e resulte em produtos de melhor qualidade. Na análise conjunta, preço baixo, produção com melhores condições de bem-estar animal, carne firme e rosada e produção sem antibióticos são, respectivamente, as características com maiores valores de utilidade. O atributo de maior importância foi o preço (34,1%), seguido do tipo de carne (24,6%), bem-estar animal (24,1%) e utilização de antibióticos (17,0%). Na simulação de mercado, 70,9% dos consumidores pagariam mais por produtos que com certificação de bem-estar animal e carne firme e rosada. A baixa importância inicial do bem-estar animal para o consumidor pode estar relacionada à falta de conhecimento acerca dos sistemas produtivos, portanto o acesso a informações a respeito pode incentivar o pagamento por esse atributo.The objective of this experiment was to study the behavior of chicken consumer, with emphasis on animal welfare and on the willingness to pay a higher value for products with certification for this attribute of quality. Thus, a market research was conducted with consumers of broiler meat in the city of Curitiba, Paraná. A primary analysis was done with experts of the avian chain. After this, 481 consumers were interviewed. Straight questions generated general information and images of the hypothetical products generated information about buying attitudes, using conjoint analysis. The most expressed attributes during the act of buying were shelf-life date, price, color and odor. Animal welfare was considered by a minority of 3.7%. Of the interviewed, 68.5% did not know the production system, but after having observed photos of the systems, they believed that the semi-intensive system provided higher animal welfare and originated a better product. It was possible to observe that low price, production with better conditions of animal welfare, firm pink meat, and production without antibiotics, respectively, present the highest utility values. The attribute of greater importance was price (34.1%), followed by the type of meat (24.6%), animal welfare (24.1%), and the usage of antibiotics (17.0%). The consumers said they would pay more for products that had attributes of animal welfare and firm pink meat. The low initial importance of animal welfare might be related to lack of knowledge of production systems by consumers, and that the improvement in information increases the disposition to pay more for this attribute.

A Comissão de Ética no Uso de Animais do Setor de Ciências Agrárias (CEUA-SCA) da Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) foi criada em 2005. Este artigo teve por objetivo estudar os dois primeiros anos do trabalho dessa Comissão, principalmente quanto à redução do sofrimento animal. Foram avaliadas a composição e a metodologia de trabalho da CEUA-SCA, além da efetividade na redução do sofrimento animal, pela razão emissão de certificados por projetos protocolados (C:P) e pelo estudo dos projetos que receberam ofícios. Foram avaliados 42 protocolos de pesquisa de 2006 e 24 de 2007. Animais vertebrados foram os mais usados, submetidos com maior frequência a procedimentos grau B de invasividade. Os resultados sugerem que a CEUA-SCA, no período estudado, colaborou para o controle do uso de animais nas pesquisas sob a responsabilidade do SCA-UFPR. Destaca-se a necessidade do preenchimento adequado dos formulários pelos proponentes, o aumento da pluralidade na composição da Comissão e a importância de um órgão federal que centralize informações relativas à atuação das CEUAs no Brasil.The Animal Use Ethic Committee of the Agrarian Sciences Sector (CEUA-SCA) of the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) was created in 2005. The objective of this research was to describe the first two years of CEUA-SCA's work, mainly regarding to the reduction of the animal suffering. The CEUA-SCA's composition and work methodology were studied, as well as the effectiveness to reduce the animal suffering, evaluated by the ratio of certificates emitted and projects registered (C:P) and by the observation of projects that received official letters. Forty two research protocols in 2006 and 24 in 2007 were evaluated. Animals used were mostly vertebrates being submitted more frequently to procedures considered B for invasiveness degree. The results show that the CEUA-SCA, in the studied period, collaborated to the control of the animal use under the responsibility of the SCA-UFPR. Further improvement relates to the need for proper formularies fulfilment by the proposers, the increase of plurality in the Committee composition and the importance of a federal agency centralizing the Brazilian CEUAs information.

A falta de publicações a respeito do abate humanitário dos peixes no Brasil resulta no desconhecimento da população em relação ao assunto. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram (1) avançar no conhecimento da opinião pública sobre o abate humanitário de peixes e (2) avaliar a efetividade da educação das limpadoras das Festas do Peixe Vivo sobre a realização do abate humanitário. Realizaram-se entrevistas em dois cenários: a Festa Municipal do Peixe Vivo e a Rodoviária de Araucária. Na festa, 88,0%, dos 314 entrevistados, afirmaram que os peixes sentem dor, e na rodoviária 86,9%, de 43 pessoas, fizeram a mesma afirmação; na festa, 55,7% relataram praticar a compra e o transporte de peixe vivo em sacolas plásticas sem água, em contraste com 39,5% na rodoviária; 85,0% e 89,0% acreditam que alguns métodos de abate causam sofrimento e 52,9% e 44,1% pensam que o sofrimento afeta a qualidade da carne, respectivamente. Dos entrevistados, 91,1% desconhecem o abate humanitário em ambos os cenários. Das limpadoras, 83,3% adotaram o procedimento de abate humanitário ensinado e 75,0% afirmaram que a técnica facilitou o trabalho de limpeza. É importante educar a sociedade sobre a senciência e suas implicações, especialmente em termos de bem-estar e abate humanitário de peixes.PALAVRAS-CHAVES: Bem-estar animal, Brasil, senciência. Society is in need of information regarding fish welfare, including sentience and suffering through fish farming and slaughter methods. The objectives of this work were: (1) to increase knowledge regarding public opinion on fish humane slaughter; and (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of education of fish cleaners on the fair regarding fish humane slaughter. Interviews were applied in two scenarios: on a Municipal Live Fish Fair and on a bus station. In the fair 88.0% of 314 respondents affirmed that fish feel pain; and on the bus station, 86.9% of 43 interviewed people affirmed the same; 55.7% reported to buy and transport live fish in dry plastic bags, characterizing slow death by asphyxiation, as opposed to 39.5% respectively. From interviewed people, 85.0% and 89.0% believe that some of the slaughter methods cause fish suffering; 52.9% and 44.1% affirmed this suffering affect meat quality, respectively. Of all people, 91.1% did not have any information regarding humane slaughter. Of the cleaners, 83.3% adopted the humane slaughter procedure taught and 75.0% affirmed that the technique facilitated the cleaning work. It is important to educate society in terms of fish sentience and its implications, especially in terms of their welfare and humane slaughter. KEY WORDS: Animal welfare, Brazil, sentience.

Animal welfare expert reports may support court decisions when animal abuse or maltreatment is suspected. The objective of this work is to adapt animal welfare assessment protocols to identify companion animal abuse. The proposed protocol includes four indicator categories: nutritional, comfort, health and behavioral. To reach the overall conclusion regarding the situation evaluated, the final decisions for each group of indicators, classified as inadequate, regular and adequate, must be integrated into a single result, which will be the final welfare degree. This protocol employs a simple integration method, based on thresholds for inclusion in each of the five animal welfare degrees reported as overall conclusion for the assessment: very low, low, regular, high or very high welfare. Low and very low degrees are considered non-acceptable and are reported as abuse or maltreatment. Regular welfare is considered acceptable if corrective measures are assured. High and very high degrees are considered desirable for animal welfare. The protocol allows differentiation of animal welfare status to better decide whether an animal is under abuse, maltreatment or negligence. We hope that the refinement of the recognition of crimes against animals, especially considering cases where no physical lesion is present, coupled with a standardized protocol will improve perception of animal suffering, facilitate the field work of those involved in this type of investigation, and offer a contribution to the improvement of animal welfare in our society through proper action and crime reduction.

Dados do Programa de Análise de Rebanhos Leiteiros do Paraná (PARLPR - APCBRH), contendo 27029 lactações encerradas de 422 rebanhos, foram utilizados para a visualização das curvas de lactação. As curvas foram calculadas de acordo com três grupos de parição e seis níveis de produção. A produção no momento do pico aumenta à medida que aumenta o nível de produção do rebanho ou a ordem de parição. O declínio diário aumenta à medida que aumenta o nível de produção do rebanho, para animais de segunda ou mais lactações; para animais de primeira lactação, não se observou tendência para esta característica. As curvas e os valores de pico e persistência obtidos podem ser utilizados como instrumentos de manejo em fazendas leiteiras do Paraná.A data set from the dairy herd analysis system in the State of Parana, Brazil (PARLPR - APCBRH), containing 27029 lactation records from 422 herds, was used to plot lactation curves. Lactation curves were plotted according to three parity groups and six levels of production. Production at peak increases with increases in herd production level and with increases in lactation number. Daily decline increases with increases in herd production level, in the case of second or greater lactation; for first lactation animals, no trend was identified for this characteristic. The curves, peak and persistency values obtained are to be used as management tools on dairy farms in the State of Parana.

A relação entre seres humanos e animais deve ser positiva. No entanto, interações negativas também têm sido descritas, como os relatos de ocorrências de maus-tratos contra animais. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram estudar o perfil de denúncias de maus-tratos contra animais registradas nas Sociedades Protetoras dos Animais de Campo Largo e de Curitiba e na Rede de Defesa e Proteção Animal de Curitiba, e analisar a pertinência da ação de profissionais capacitados em tais processos. Os elementos apurados foram espécies animais envolvidas e descrição das denúncias a fim de coletar as informações pertinentes e classificá-las de acordo com as causas e com as Cinco Liberdades. Das denúncias, 82,9% envolveram cães. As causas mais comuns foram abandono (16,2%), não fornecimento de alimento e água (15,7%), morte (14,7%) e ausência de atendimento veterinário (13,5%). A maioria das ocorrências fez referência às liberdades sanitária (71,8%) e nutricional (28,2%), embora a avaliação técnica tenha revelado o comprometimento comum da liberdade psicológica (93,5%). Os resultados sugerem que a colaboração de profissional capacitado em bem-estar animal pode subsidiar o aprimoramento das deliberações em casos de suspeita de maus-tratos aos animais.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a dor pós-intervenção associada a três métodos de esterilização de cães machos. Vinte e sete cães participaram do estudo, e foram distribuídos em três grupos denominados: OT, cães submetidos à orquiectomia; GZ, cães que receberam injeções intratesticular de gluconato de zinco; e VT, cães submetidos à vasectomia. Os escores de dor foram avaliados por meio da escala da Universidade de Melbourne utilizada para avaliação de dor pós-operatória em cães. Não houve diferença significativa entre as medianas de escores de dor nos distintos grupos. No grupo GZ, 44% dos animais necessitaram de sedação durante a aplicação e 11% apresentaram complicações secundárias, com ulceração e edema testicular. O valor máximo de dor foi mais alto no grupo GZ, levando à necessidade de analgesia pós-intervenção em um cão. Os resultados motivam estudos com maior número de animais em relação ao gluconato de zinco, sugerindo a necessidade de acompanhamento dos cães durante 15 dias pós-intervenção.

This work aimed to compare the effects of two stunning methods on welfare and meat quality of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and to investigate the slaughter instrument influence on the length of cord section technique. The time for loss of spontaneous behaviors, reflexes, as well as the response to pain of 30 fish submitted to spinal cord section (SM) and termonarcosis (TN) were evaluated. Meat rigor-mortis and pH were also measured. Knifes with bilateral (LB) and unilateral (LU) cutting-edge were analyzed in 10 fish per treatment. Unconsciousness was observed after medians of 82 and 750 seconds for SM and TN, respectively (p< 0.01). Rigor-mortis and pH did not show significant difference between treatments (p> 0.05). The medians for SM application were of 21.5 and 35.0 seconds for LB and LU, respectively (pObjetivou-se com este trabalho comparar o efeito de dois métodos de insensibilização no bem-estar e na qualidade da carne da tilápia-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) e investigar a influência do instrumento de abate na duração da aplicação da técnica de secção de medula. Foram avaliados os tempos para a perda de comportamentos espontâneos, reflexos e resposta à dor de 30 peixes submetidos à secção de medula (SM) e termonarcose (TN). Foram mensurados também pH e rigor-mortis da carne e avaliadas facas com lâminas bilateral (LB) e unilateral (LU) em 10 peixes por tratamento. A inconsciência por SM e TN foi obtida após medianas de 82 e 750 segundos, respectivamente (p0,05). As medianas para aplicação da SM foram de 21,5 e 35,0 segundos para LB e LU, respectivamente (p

A falta de publicações a respeito do abate humanitário dos peixes no Brasil resulta no desconhecimento da população em relação ao assunto. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram (1) avançar no conhecimento da opinião pública sobre o abate humanitário de peixes e (2) avaliar a efetividade da educação das limpadoras das Festas do Peixe Vivo sobre a realização do abate humanitário. Realizaram-se entrevistas em dois cenários: a Festa Municipal do Peixe Vivo e a Rodoviária de Araucária. Na festa, 88,0%, dos 314 entrevistados, afirmaram que os peixes sentem dor, e na rodoviária 86,9%, de 43 pessoas, fizeram a mesma afirmação; na festa, 55,7% relataram praticar a compra e o transporte de peixe vivo em sacolas plásticas sem água, em contraste com 39,5% na rodoviária; 85,0% e 89,0% acreditam que alguns métodos de abate causam sofrimento e 52,9% e 44,1% pensam que o sofrimento afeta a qualidade da carne, respectivamente. Dos entrevistados, 91,1% desconhecem o abate humanitário em ambos os cenários. Das limpadoras, 83,3% adotaram o procedimento de abate humanitário ensinado e 75,0% afirmaram que a técnica facilitou o trabalho de limpeza. É importante educar a sociedade sobre a senciência e suas implicações, especialmente em termos de bem-estar e abate humanitário de peixes. PALAVRAS-CHAVES: Bem-estar animal, Brasil, senciência.

Abstract: The market for welfare-friendly products (WFP) is increasing worldwide; however, there is a lack of information on this topic in Brazil. We investigated availability, product information and opinion of retailers about WFP in Curitiba, Southern Brazil. We visited 36 strategically located retailers, conducting product evaluation and interviews with managers. The availability of WFP, mostly eggs and chicken meat, was low; no other type of meat was available as WFP. Labeling was deficient, with little information about animal rearing systems. Labeling of regular products displaying images of happy animals was observed and may be a relevant confusing effect. Few certification seals for WFP were also observed, on organic products and free-range chickens. Welfare-friendly products costed 1.7 to 2.5 times more than regular products and great price variability was observed among retailers. Most retailers seemed not aware of the subject and considered that there is low availability of WFP to be offered in the markets. Low availability of WFP and poor label information of both regular and welfare-friendly products are barriers to better understand and meet the demand for higher welfare products. It is our perception that these are constraints for consumers to develop and perform ethical choices related to purchasing behavior.