• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제35권1호
• /
• pp.147-152
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to obtain an objective index that can be quantified and used for establishing an animal welfare certification standard in Korea. For this purpose rumen pH, ruminating time, milk yield, milk quality, and blood components of cows reared in farms feeding high forage level (90%) and farms feeding low forage level (40%) were compared. Methods: Data on rumen pH, rumination time, milk yield, milk fat ratio, milk protein ratio, and blood metabolism were collected from 12 heads from a welfare farm (forage rate 88.5%) and 13 heads from a conventional farm (forage rate 34.5%) for three days in October 2019. Results: The rumination time was longer in cattle on the welfare farm than on the conventional farm (p<0.01), but ruminal pH fluctuation was greater in the cattle on conventional farm than the welfare farm (p<0.01). Conventional farms with a high ratio of concentrated feed were higher in average daily milk yield than welfare farms, but milk fat and milk production efficiency (milk fat and milk protein corrected milk/total digestible nutrients) was higher in cattle on welfare farms. Blood test results showed a normal range for both farm types, but concentrations of total cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acid were significantly higher in cows from conventional farms with a high milk yield (p<0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that cows on the animal welfare farm with a high percentage of grass feed had higher milk production efficiency with healthier rumen pH and blood metabolism parameters compared to those on the conventional farm.

• 한국유기농업학회지
• /
• 제15권3호
• /
• pp.237-256
• /
• 2007

Organic farming is promoted financially in the Republic of Korea since 2000. The, entire segment shows a very dynamic development since that time. Now, a large bouquet of measures are offered which target the promotion of organic farming. This article presents a study about the Task and Valuation on farm animal welfare for Organic Livestock. Among the supports are grants for organically managed livestock farm, investment incentives, the promotion of organic livestock husbandry, the promotion of producer co-operatives, the development of farm animal right index for animal health and animal welfare, publicity measures and measures to raise consumer awareness as well as the support of training, extension and research in the field organic livestock farming. Government must ensure that necessary incentives and sanctions are in place to maintain and improve animal welfare standards and they must be delivered appropriately. Animal welfare legislation provides essential protection for economy, environment, animals and society as a whole, must be properly observed.

• 한국유기농업학회지
• /
• 제28권4호
• /
• pp.627-641
• /
• 2020

Intensive farming methods that do not guarantee animal welfare can induce stress in pigs. Stress, in turn, can reduce their disease resistance and influence their hormones and metabolites in such a manner that productivity is negatively affected. This study was conducted to compare the stress related factors and blood characteristics of pigs raised on conventional farms and those raised on animal welfare farms. We measured the levels of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, biochemical parameters in blood and glycogen, L-lactate and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in muscle, as physiological markers of indicating the stress in conventional farm pigs (Control, n=10) and animal welfare farm pigs (Welfare, n=10). We found that there was a significant difference in the albumin-globulin ratio (A/G ratio), as well as the albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels between the two farms. Epinephrine was significantly higher in conventional farm, while level of norepinephrine was higher in animal welfare farm. There was no significant difference in cortisol, which is known as a stress hormone, across the two groups of farms. Muscular glycogen content was significantly high in animal welfare farm pigs. While L-lactate tended to be low in the animal welfare farm pigs, the difference between them and the conventional farm cohorts was not significant. HSP70 showed high levels of expression in conventional farm. Thus, we suggested that blood parameter results showed a stress response in the livers of conventional farm, and that catecholamine hormones, glycogen, L-lactate and HSP70 can be used as physiological factors of assessing animal welfare.

• 한국가금학회지
• /
• 제50권2호
• /
• pp.81-90
• /
• 2023

국내의 동물복지 개념의 도입은 해외 선진국에 비해 늦었으나 정부 주도에 의해 비교적 적극적인 동물복지정책들이 도입되고 있다. 그러나 축산업 현장에서 동물복지 인식이 충분치 못하기 때문에 자발적인 개선이 아닌 정부의 정책수단에 의하여 동물복지를 추진하고 있는 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 국내 산란계 농가를 중심으로 최근 5년간 도입된 동물복지 관련 정책이 현장에서 유발하는 갈등을 유형화하여 파악하기 위하여 산란 농장 운영자들의 동물복지 관련 의식수준 및 동물복지 관련 규정 준수여부를 조사하였다. 산란 농가 현장방문을 통하여 설문조사를 진행하였으며, 산란양계농장 운영자(소유자 혹은 관리 책임자)를 대상으로 53가구의 산란양계 농가를 조사하였다(2020년 산란양계농가 수 797가구 수 기준 90% 신뢰수준(Z-score: 1.65) 10.18% 허용 오차). 현장에서의 갈등을 윤리적 고려 수준에 따라 소극적, 중도적, 적극적 3가지로 유형화하였다. 또한 윤리적 고려 수준에 따라 동물복지 관련 규정 준수 여부와의 상관관계를 조사하였다. 결과적으로, 축산 현장에서의 동물복지 관련 규정 준수 여부는 축산 농장 운영자의 윤리적 고려수준의 영향을 받는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 다만 예외적으로 농장 운영자의 동물복지 의식수준이 높음에도 동물복지 관련 규정은 준수하지 못하는 갈등상황이 확인되었는데, 이는 현장에서 인지하고 있는 규정과 정책의 충돌로 인해 발생한 갈등 상황임을 확인할 수 있었다. 이처럼 정책 수단에 의해 추진되는 동물복지가 효과적일 수는 있지만, 아직은 현장에서 갈등을 유발하고 있음을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제37권3호
• /
• pp.536-546
• /
• 2024

Objective: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of grain-based pecking blocks on productivity and welfare status at two commercial broiler welfare-certified farms. Methods: Production and welfare indicators were assessed at two farms (designated Farm A and B). Both farms had two windowless houses with forced tunnel-type ventilation and housed broilers at stocking densities of approximately 16.7 birds/m² (Farm A) and 16.8 birds/m² (Farm B). Each house was divided into two or three equal sections and was provided with or without pecking blocks. Grain-based pecking blocks, measuring 25 × 25 × 25 cm, were given to broilers in both farms at 1 block per 1,000 birds. Various parameters including productivity (body weight and flock uniformity), corticosterone levels (in fecal droppings and feathers), footpad dermatitis, hock burn, feather dirtiness, gait score, litter quality, body surface temperature, and volatile fatty acids in fecal samples were assessed at 26 days of age, whereas litter quality was analyzed at 13 and 26 days of age. Results: There were no significant effects of providing pecking blocks on productivity (body weight and uniformity), fecal and feather corticosterone, welfare indicators (i.e., footpad dermatitis, hock burn, feather cleanliness, and gait score), and litter quality (i.e., moisture, nitrogen, and pH). No differences in body surface temperature between the control and enrichment treatments were noted in Farm B, but body surface temperatures of the head (p = 0.029) and legs (p = 0.011) in the enrichment vs. control group were elevated in Farm A. Butyrate concentration in the enrichment vs control group was higher in Farm B (p = 0.023), but this effect was not detected in Farm A. Conclusion: It is concluded that grain-based pecking blocks did not affect performance and welfare indicators. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the potential impact of grain-based pecking blocks on gut health indicators.

• 한국유기농업학회지
• /
• 제29권3호
• /
• pp.415-427
• /
• 2021

본 연구는 육계에서 동물복지농장의 스트레스 저감효과를 과학적인 지표를 통해 확인하고자 시행되었다. 농장 내 gas 농도를 비교한 결과 일반농장에서 육계에 부정적인 영향을 미칠 수 있는 CO₂와 NH₃의 농도가 높았다. PCO₂는 일반농장에서, PO₂는 동물복지농장에서 유의하게 높았다. 일반농장의 육계에서 혈중 CREA, GLU, AST, CK가 유의적으로 높았으며, TP, GLOB는 유의하게 낮았다. 또한 혈중 corticosterone과 norepinephrine이 일반농장에서 유의하게 높은 값을 나타내었다. 이러한 결과를 통해 동물복지농장에 비해 일반농장 육계의 스트레스 수치가 더 높은 것으로 판단되며, 동물복지농장이 스트레스가 감소된 사양 환경을 제공하고 있다는 것을 의미한다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제30권4호
• /
• pp.449-454
• /
• 2017

Recently, increasing attention has been paid to the welfare of farm animals, which have been evaluated using behavioral and physiological measures. However, so far, the measures have almost always been used to estimate poor welfare. In this review, firstly we focus on how oxytocin (OT) relates to positive social behavior, pleasure, and stress tolerance, and second on which management factors stimulate OT release. OT induces maternal and affiliative behaviors and has an anti-stress effect. Further, OT is produced during enjoyable events, and has positive feedback on its own release as well. Therefore, to some extent, the relationship of OT to positive normal behavior was mutually beneficial-heightened OT concentration owing to comfortable rearing conditions induces positive social behavior, which in turn may increase OT concentration. Hence, studies on animal welfare should pay more attention to increasing comfort and the stress tolerance, rather than only focusing on when stress occurs in farm animals.

• 한국축산시설환경학회지
• /
• 제20권4호
• /
• pp.161-166
• /
• 2014

We conducted investigations of the information and welfare of cattle in Korea. The livestock housing of conventional cattle farms and organic cattle farms were open side wall type with winch curtain and used litter floor. The stocking density of conventional (ranging from $10head/m^2$ to $12.5head/m^2$) and organic cattle farms (ranging from $10head/m^2$ to $16.7head/m^2$) met the demand for conventional or organic standards, respectively. The galvanized plate and sunlight plate were used as the roof material in all of farms. Especially, additional areas were provided to produce forage or to improve animal welfare in organic cattle farms. Thus we believe that present data contribute to develop the animal welfare certification for cattle and to improve animal welfare in Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제31권9호
• /
• pp.1525-1534
• /
• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the use of outcome-based observations within Assured Dairy Farm scheme (ADF), Soil Association Organic Standards (SA), and cross compliance (CC) farm assessment reports. Methods: A total of 449 ADF reports, 37 SA reports and 26 CC reports were analyzed and their objective comments categorized as either resource-based or outcome-based. Results: A mean of 61.0% of ADF questions were responded to with comments, in comparison to 25.0% of SA and, 21.0% of CC report questions. The SA and CC reports had significantly more outcome-based comments than the ADF (p<0.001). The assessors' tendency of choosing resource-based approach was revealed in the questionnaire results. Conclusion: Generally, the comments were comprehensive and contained professional judgements. Large numbers of comments provided in the ADF reports were mostly compliant and resource-based evidence, which serves as proof of assessment rather than aiding the certifying process. The inclusion of specific welfare outcome measures in the SA inspection likely increased the use of outcome-based comments in the reports, irrespective of whether the farm achieved compliance with a given standards. The CC scheme, on the other hand, focused on providing outcome-based evidence to justify noncompliant decisions.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제32권9호
• /
• pp.706-711
• /
• 2022

육계는 도축 전에 다양한 스트레스에 노출되며, 스트레스는 육계의 복지 수준과 도체 품질에 영향을 미친다. 따라서 농장의 사육 시스템은 육계의 스트레스를 감소시키고 동물복지를 향상시키기 위해서 매우 중요하다. 본 연구는 일반농장과 동물복지농장의 차이를 평가하고 스트레스를 측정하기 위한 지표로 feather corticosterone를 제시하기 위해 수행되었다. 육계의 스트레스 수준과 에너지 대사를 나타내는 HSP 70, glycogen, L-lactate와 함께 feather과 serum에서 추출한 corticosterone를 분석하기 위해 도축장에서 28일 된 육계의 샘플(혈액, 깃털, 근육)을 수집했다. Feather corticosterone은 일반농장군이 복지농장군보다 유의하게 (p<0.01) 높았으나 serum corticosterone에서는 유의성이 없었다. HSP70은 muscle과 feather에서 유의적인 차이가 없었다. Glycogen은 일반농장군이 복지농장군보다 유의하게 높았으나(p<0.01), L-lactate에서는 차이가 없었다. 본 연구 결과는 feather corticosterone 이 일반농장과 동물복지농장의 차이를 평가하고 장기간의 스트레스를 평가할 수 있는 지표임을 시사한다.