• Animal Bioscience
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• 제35권12호
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• pp.1957-1966
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the difference in the thigh meat quality of Ross 308 broiler from conventional and welfare farms. Methods: Thigh meat samples of Ross 308 broilers (age, 35 d; carcass weight, 1.1 kg) from conventional farm (RCF, n = 60) and animal welfare farms (RAWF, n = 60) were analyzed. Proximate composition, pH, color (lightness, redness, and yellowness), water-holding capacity (WHC), shear force, total aerobic bacteria (TAB), and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) were measured and the levels of bioactive compounds such as dipeptides (anserine and carnosine), creatine, creatinine, and their anti-oxidation activity were determined. Results: The RCF and RAWF did not differ significantly in their proximate composition, WHC, color, and creatine and carnosine levels. The pH value was significantly lower in RAWF than in RCF on day 7. The shear force value was significantly higher in RAWF than in RCF throughout the storage duration. TAB in RCF on day 9 were significantly higher than those in RAWF. The VBN content of RAWF was significantly lower than that of RCF after 5 days of storage. Creatinine content was significantly higher in RAWF (3.50 mg/100 g) than in RCF (3.08 mg/100 g) on day 1. Along with higher carnosine and anserine contents of RAWF, it had significantly higher 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activities than those of RCF. Conclusion: These results imply that the animal welfare farming system beneficially affects the overall oxidative stability of Ross 308 thigh meat.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제64권3호
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• pp.539-563
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• 2022

Nine pig farms were evaluated for the welfare quality in Korea using animal- and environment-based parameters (particularly air quality parameters) during the winter of 2013. The Welfare Quality^® (WQ^®) protocol consists of 12 criteria within four principles. The WQ^® protocol classifies farms into four categories ranging from 'excellent' to 'not classified'. Each of these criteria has specific measures for calculating scores. Calculations for the welfare scores were conducted online using the calculation model in the WQ^® protocol. Environment-based parameters like microclimate (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, air speed, and particulate matter), bacteria (total airborne bacteria, airborne total coliform, and airborne total Escherichia coli), concentration of gases (carbon dioxide, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide) were measured to investigate the relationship between animal- and environment-based parameters. Correlations between the results of animal- and environment-based parameters were estimated using spearman correlation coefficient. The overall assessments found that five out of nine farms were 'acceptable', and four farms were 'enhanced'; no farm was 'not classified'. The average score for the four principles across the nine farms, in decreasing order, were 'good feeding' (63.13 points) > 'good housing' (59.26 points) > 'good health' (33.47 points) > 'appropriate behaviors' (25.48 points). In the result of the environment aspect, the relative humidity of farms 2 (93.4%), 3 (100%), and 9 (98%) was much higher than the recommended maximum relative humidity of 80%, and four out of the nine farms had ammonia concentrations greater than 40 ppm. Ammonia had negative correlations with 'positive social behaviors' and positive emotional states: content, enjoying, sociable, playful, lively, happy and it had positive correlations with negative emotional states: aimless, distressed. The concentration of carbon dioxide had negative correlations with positive emotional states; calm, sociable, playful, happy and it had a positive correlation with negative emotional state; aimless. Our results indicate that the control of the environment for growing pigs can help improve their welfare, particularly via good air quality (carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide).

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제20권7호
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• pp.145-150
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• 2019

본 연구는 동물복지 인증기준의 개선을 위해 농가 현장조사를 실시하였으며, 더불어 국내 농가환경에 적합한 동물복지 수준평가 방법을 개발하고자 일부 인증 농가를 대상으로 동물복지 수준의 기초자료를 확보하고자 조사를 실시하였다. 연구조사의 대상은 동물복지 산란계 인증농가 10개소를 선정하였으며, 산란계 인증농가 사육시설 조사는 사육형태, 사육두수, 사료와 음수 공간, 사육밀도, 횃대의 길이 및 모양을 수집하였다. 동물복지 수준 평가는 모래목욕의 유무, 산란상 사용, 환경풍부화물 제공, 방사장 제공, 깃털손상, 쪼기에 의한 상처 유무를 조사였다. 연구결과는 동물복지 산란계 인증농가들의 대부분이 인증기준을 준수하고 있었다. 일부 농가에서 과도한 인증기준을 지적하였는데 실제 농가내부에 급이기, 급수기 및 횃대의 시설로 인해 닭들이 움직일 수 있는 공간이 제한적인 것으로 판단되었다. 모든 농가들에서 산란상을 제공하고 있었으나 방란율이 20%이상인 농가도 있어 산란상 활용에 문제가 있음을 확인하였다. 횃대의 경우 길이는 충족하고 있었으나 10개 농가 중 3개 농가에서만 둥근형태의 횃대를 사용하고 있었다. 모든 농가에서 깔짚을 제공하고 있었으나 보충 또는 교체가 이루어지지 않아 바닥이 단단해져 닭들이 모래목욕행동을 보이지 않는 농가도 2개소나 되었다. 환경풍부화물의 경우 사료 외에 풀사료 등을 제공하는 농가는 4개소로 조사되었다. 대부분의 조사농가에서 깃털손상이 확인되었는데 이것은 조사농가 모두 유정란을 생산하고 있어 수탉에 의한 깃털손상일 것으로 판단된다. 본 연구에서 10개소의 농가만 조사하였기 때문에 전체 인증농가를 대표할 수는 없으나 일부항목에서 조사농가들 사이에서도 큰 차이를 보이고 있어 동물복지 수준평가에 면밀한 분석이 이루어져야 할 것으로 판단된다.

• 한국가금학회지
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.271-277
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• 2019

최근 산업동물에서도 동물복지의 관심이 높아짐에 따라 복지 사육방식을 채택한 농가의 수가 늘어나고 있다. 본 연구는 복지농장과 일반농장 간의 병원체 탐색 및 조류인플루엔자 방어율의 차이를 확인하고자 하였다. 복지농장 사육 육계와 산란계, 일반농장 사육 육계와 산란계에서 얻어진 샘플들을 이용하여 비교한 결과, 마이코플라즈마 검출에서는 사육형태간 차이를 확인할 수 없었으며, 저병원성 인플루엔자의 배출량도 초기를 제외하고는 차이를 확인할 수 없었다. 앞으로 국내에서 사육방식의 차이에 따른 지속적인 연구가 필요하다.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.58-65
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• 2018

Meat quality includes technological quality attributes, consumer acceptance, and credence characteristics. In terms of credence characteristics, animal welfare is one of the most interesting topics to both consumers and the livestock industry. Consumers prefer meat produced from livestock that has been raised in low stress and ecofriendly environments. The livestock industry cares about animal welfare to meet the requirements of consumers. Animal welfare is closely associated with the stress and physiological response of livestock to stress. Moreover, stress just before slaughter (i.e., pre-slaughter stress) has negative effects on not only animal welfare but also ultimately on meat quality. It is well-documented that pre-slaughter stress can influence ante- and post-mortem biological changes of the muscles, especially their metabolic properties and metabolites. The metabolic properties and metabolites contents also can modulate the postmortem changes of the muscles. Conversion of muscles to meat during postmortem is a very important process because it determines ultimately the meat quality. Thus, understanding pre-slaughter stress and physiological responses to stress in farm animals is important for animal welfare and meat quality. The purpose of this paper was to examine the concept of stress, physiological responses to stress, measurement of stress, and the relationships between stress indices and meat quality traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권7호
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• pp.1019-1023
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• 2001

An on-farm trial was conducted in temperature-controlled lactation rooms at a commercial pig farm to investigate the efficacy of broadcasting sow suckling grunts from day 4 of lactation, on increasing piglet growth to weaning. In the Broadcast treatment, sows and litters were exposed to a 3-min broadcast from loud-speakers every 42 min. The Control treatment was not exposed to the broadcast. All sows and litters had similar husbandry and piglets were provided with creep feed on the floor twice daily. In each of the three replicates in time, the Broadcast and Control treatments were allocated to different lactation rooms at random and there were 12 sows and litters per treatment per replicate. A total of four identical lactation rooms were available for the trial, each containing 28 conventional sow and litter crates with piglet heater in the creep area. A non-trial room separated the two treatment rooms in each replicate to minimise the chance that the broadcast grunt stimulation was audible to the Control treatment litters. Five "normal and average-looking" piglets from the trial litters were weighed twice, 7 d apart. The cohort of five piglets was identified by ear-tags and formed the experimental unit for the statistical analysis. The average (${\pm}SD$) age of piglets at initial weighing was 7.7(${\pm}2.22$) days. For each litter, mean piglet live weight at day 14 of lactation was estimated by linear regression of the two weights recorded seven days apart, when on average, the Broadcast treatment had been exposed to the stimulation for 10 days. Piglets in the Broadcast treatment were heavier (p<0.01) at day 14 of lactation compared to Control treatment (4.24 and 3.92 kg, respectively) and tended to have a greater average daily weight gain over the 7-d period (245 and 228 g/day, respectively; p<0.08). The results suggest piglet growth was improved by about 8% in response to the regular, timed broadcast of sow suckling grunts in the lactation shed. The independent contributions of milk and creep feed to the improved growth remain to be determined.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.373-384
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• 2012

Purpose: In EU, the animal welfare regulations are strengthening. Also, in Korea, for strengthening of animal protection laws, animal welfare farm certification scheme is being prepared to enforce. To get the certification of animal welfare farm, especially for sows, individual specific feeding in sow group is necessary in accordance with the animal welfare regulation. Also, liquid feeding is reported to be more effective for farrowing as well as dry sow. Therefore, in this study, a electronic liquid sow feeder using RFID which could be fed to farrowing sow simultaneously is developed. Methods : We manufactured a prototype of appropriate elements which were evaluated in the preliminary test for selecting RFID tag, supply pump, mixing type, etc. With the prototype, the performance test for liquid feeding gilt was done in group raising training barn. Results : The performance test result shows the C.V.(coefficient of variation) of liquid mixing and feeding is 0.77~1.97% and 2.4~5.3%, respectively, which means the system could feed sows uniformly. The feeding time of pneumatically activated ball valve is 2 seconds per 0.9 kg of liquid feed. The eating time for gilt were 65 seconds in average. Conclusions : The prototype could feed sow uniformly, and deliver the liquid feed 9 times for a sow continuously. Also, total eating time for a sow was 18 minutes in one visit to the prototype of feeding station.

• 한국축산식품학회지
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.128-141
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• 2022

Compared to the conventional farms (CF) rearing of broilers, the rearing management of animal welfare-certified farms (AF) must provide low stocking density, perch, air regulation, and feeding plant-based protein. This study aimed to compare the effects of rearing management in CF and AF on blood parameters, meat quality, and bioactive compound content in Ross 308 broiler chickens at the farm level before transportation to slaughterhouses. Blood and meat samples were obtained at 28-35-dayold chickens from three CF and three AF. In blood samples, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.05), triglyceride (p<0.001), glucose (p<0.01), total protein (p<0.001), albumin (p<0.01), and white blood cell (p<0.001) levels as well as the heterophil/ lymphocyte ratio [stress index (SI), p<0.001] were lower in broilers from AF than in CF. In meat samples, shear force (p<0.001, p<0.05), and carnosine contents (p<0.001, p<0.05) in both breast and thigh meat from AF were higher than those in meat from CF. The contents of linoleic acid (p<0.001), α-linolenic acid (p<0.001), and eicosapentaenoic acid (p<0.05) were higher in the samples from AF than those from CF. This study reveals that such differences are influenced by the different rearing factors in nutrition, housing, and management practices between CF and AF. Supplementation of plant-based protein and enough space to move due to lower stocking density accounts for the large differences between them. These results can be used as preliminary data showing that the AF system reduces the SI and enhances carnosine and polyunsaturated fatty acids levels in chicken meat at the farm level before transportation.

• 한국축산시설환경학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.61-80
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• 2010

Poultry welfare has recently appeared as worldwide concern as well as Korea. The recent action plan for farm animal welfare introduced by the European Commission intends to expand the body of regulatory standards. In this context, many countries and/or organization are on the verge of establishing the most optimum poultry welfare standards. To establish the most optimum standards, comparative analysis of feeding regimen before and after welfare-bestowed environment need to be preceded. Most guidelines or standards for poultry welfare do not suggest the nutritional requirements and feeding system in detail, although it is deterimental especially for the farmer. This review intends to find scientific base to establish detailed welfare feeding guidelines. However, only limited research has been conducted in the view of actual poultry welfare. The results indicated the incidence of SDS, ascites, skeletal dysfunctions caused by fast growth rate in broiler, feather pecking and cannibalism in laying hen, and feed restriction in broiler breeder could be reduced by changing nutritional regimen and feeding strategies or both. The regimen and feeding strategies are certainly near to the direction that the poultry welfare ought to be in the right track. In this article, feeding and drinking guidelines in many standards as well as welfare feeding experiments have been reviewed and compared In the view of chicken productivity, welfare physiology and poultry health.

• 한국유기농업학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.469-477
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• 2023

Animal welfare has been gradually gathering more attention from consumers over time, making it increasingly important to assess the level of stress experienced by livestock. Traditionally, stress has been measured by collecting blood to assess cortisol levels, an action that can be considered distressing for the animal. Therefore, we aimed to explore the feasibility of using hair as an alternative medium to blood for stress assessment. We utilized B/F (blood collected at the farm), B/A (blood collected after transport to the auction), and H/A (hair collected at the auction after blood sampling) from calves at the age of 7-9 months transported from the farm to the auction. Hair underwent a washing and extraction process to utilize hair extracts, while blood was centrifuged to analyze using ELISA. The cortisol concentration in the blood was significantly higher in B/A compared to B/F (p<0.05), confirming that the calves experienced stress during transportation. Additionally, H/A was significantly lower than both B/A and B/F (p<0.0001). These results emphasized that cortisol in hair is not suitable for investigating short-term stress in livestock, as it is with blood. While measuring stress indices using hair may not be appropriate for replacing blood, it is considered a highly suitable practice for animal welfare, and further research in this area should be continued.