• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제29권12호
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• pp.1796-1804
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• 2016

The high incidence of deaths during transport for slaughter is associated with poor welfare and represents a considerable loss to the poultry industry. In the period from 2009 to 2014, all shipments of broiler chickens to poultry processing plants were monitored in the Czech Republic and the numbers of chickens transported and those dying as a result of their transport were recorded and analysed. Overall transport-related mortality of broiler chickens transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic was 0.37%. It ranged from 0.31% to 0.72%, the increase approximately corresponding to the increasing transport distance. Statistically highly significant (p<0.001) differences were found when comparing transport-related mortality rates in individual seasons of the year. The greatest mortality (0.55%) was associated with transports carried out in winter months whereas the lowest death losses (0.30%) were found in chickens transported for slaughter in summer months. Our study revealed greater transport-related mortality rates in broiler chickens transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic than expected when considering earlier studies. The most pronounced increases were found in transports for shorter distances and in winter months. However, an increase was found at all transport distances monitored except for distances exceeding 300 km and all seasons except for summer. Furthermore, a general increasing tendency in chicken losses during the monitored period was found. The particularly alarming finding is that the mortality of broiler chickens being transported to processing plants has been showing a long-term increasing tendency over the last two decades. Further research should focus on the identification of specific factors leading to such high and growing mortality rates and developing practical guidelines to improve the welfare of the birds in transit accordingly.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.133-142
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• 2012

In this paper, animal welfare egg was focused in Korea. This study was built to establish marketing strategies for the animal welfare egg. Data were collected by consumer survey on November 4th, 2011 at Chuncheon Hanaromart in Chuncheon. 355 questionnaires were distributed and collected. SAS 9.1 and Excel 2007 were used as statistical packages and ranked logit model was used to analyze. From the results of the study the following improving plans were suggested for the consideration factors affecting to purchase for animal welfare egg. First, strategies using public relations are needed only for package design. The package design will be able to complements gaps for low advertisement. Moreover, when consumer will be provided information on packaging for consumers, the consumer will be able to reduce anxiety. Second, package design of identity strategies are needed. There are so many package designs in market. The package design of identity may give competition power to the animal welfare egg.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.441-450
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• 2012

The object of this study is to establish proper consumer-oriented advertisement strategies of animal welfare egg. Data were collected by consumer survey on November 4th, 2011 at Hanaromart in Chunchon area. SAS 9.1 and Excel 2007 were used as statistical package and ranked logit model was used to analyze the data. From the results of the study the following advertisement strategies were suggested for animal welfare egg considering the effects of advertisement media. First, internet based media were most preferred. For effectively using the internet based media the message should be succinctly and clearly transferred to consumers. Therefore if phrases and pictures emphasizing the difference between animal welfare egg and general egg were used, then positive effects could be attained from consumers in a short period. Second, advertisement media should be used differently based upon the consumers' income level. In the case of consumers under three million won income level the advertisement in the purchasing site was most effective regarding the advertisement effects. Therefore if the advertisement showing the breeding surroundings between animal welfare egg and general egg was used, positive effects could be attained. For consumers over three million won income level the homepage of egg producers was most effective in advertisement. So if more accurate information were distributed to consumers visiting the homepage and high quality egg were sold via the homepage, positive effects could be attained.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.119-124
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• 2017

Objective: The death of animals during transport for slaughter is a major factor indicating the level of welfare in transported animals. The aim of this study was to assess mortality related to the commercial transport of finisher pigs for slaughter in the Czech Republic. Methods: The inspectors of the State Veterinary Administration of the Czech Republic recorded the numbers of finisher pigs transported to processing plants in the Czech Republic for slaughter and the mortality in these pigs in relation to transport in the period from 2009 to 2014. Results: Our results show that the likelihood of death losses in transported pigs increases with increasing transport distance. The transport-related mortality ranged from 0.049% in pigs transported for distances below 50 km to 0.145% in pigs transported for distances exceeding 300 km. The impact of external air temperature on the transport-related mortality found in our study clearly shows that current transport practices fail to ensure the welfare of pigs transported under other than moderate weather. Particularly cold temperatures below $-2^{\circ}C$ were associated with increased death losses in winter transport. Conclusion: Despite a decreasing trend in the mortality of finisher pigs transported for slaughter in Europe, our study suggests that current transport conditions are not efficient at ensuring the welfare of pigs during transport for longer distances and the protection of pigs against the negative impact of extreme ambient temperatures. Further research should focus on developing practical guidelines to improve the welfare of pigs in transit accordingly.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제65권4호
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• pp.878-889
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• 2023

Animal welfare during transport became an largely issue because of increasing demand for improved animal welfare standards. Most studies on the animal welfare during transportation have concentrated on the atmosphere and the temperature of the truck compartments. Thus, the objective of study was to collect and quantify three axis acceleration and determine the effect of bedding for transporting pigs from farm to slaughterhouse. A total of 2,840 crossbred fattening pigs with a live weight of approximately 115 kg were used. They were raised in the same commercial farms and transported to the same commercial slaughterhouse. A 3×2×2 completely randomized factorial design was used to investigate effects of rubber type bedding (bedding or non-bedding) and two levels of driving style (aggressive or normal) in three different time periods with different outside temperatures. Air temperature treatments were as follow: high temperature ([HT] higher than 24℃); low temperature ([LT] lower than 10℃); normal temperature ([NT] 10℃ to 24℃). In our experiment, pigs transported under aggressive driving style showed lower (p < 0.05) pH and water holding capacity (WHC) than those transported under normal driving style. Pigs transported under normal driving style showed a lower percentage of drip loss (DL) (p < 0.05) than those transported with an aggressive driving style. Also, transported with bedding showed higher (p < 0.05) lying behavior but lower (p < 0.05) sitting behavior than those transported without bedding. Pigs transported under normal driving style showed lower (p < 0.05) cortisol level than those transported under aggressive driving style. In conclusion, aggressive driving style cause acute stress in pigs, while bedding helps alleviate acute stress in pigs during transportation in LT.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제63권6호
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• pp.1443-1452
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• 2021

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the multimodal group intervention that combined animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and integrated play therapy (IPT) on depression and self-esteem in undergraduate university students. The subjects were 40 students attending animal-related and social welfare departments of universities located in a metropolitan city. The multimodal intervention program was conducted for eight sessions (twice a week, 60 min each) in the experimental group. Data analysis was conducted using the independent sample t-test, ANCOVA, and paired sample t-test for pre- and post-test. Therefore, the multimodal intervention program applying AAT and IPT showed positive effects on depression and self-esteem in university students. Based on these results, this study proposed the operation of multidisciplinary education and practical and policy utilization methods to reduce depression among university students and help improve their self-esteem.

• 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).

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권9호
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• pp.1552-1558
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• 2021

Objective: This work was carried out to evaluate the effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) and ractopamine hydrochloride (RH) combined with immunocastration on the welfare traits of feedlot Nellore cattle. Methods: Ninety-six Nellore males (average body weight [BW] = 409±50 kg; average 20 mo of age) were divided into two groups according to BW; half of the animals in each group received two doses of an immunocastration (ImC) vaccine in a 30 day interval, and the other half did not receive the vaccine (NoC). Afterward, the animals were housed and fed a common diet for 70 days. Then, they were split into three groups and fed one of the following diets for 30 additional days: control (CO) diet, with no β-AA; ZH diet, containing 80 mg/d ZH; and RH diet, containing 300 mg/d RH. Welfare traits were assessed by monitoring body surface temperature using infrared thermography (IRT) and plasma cortisol and temperament measurements. Results: There was no interaction between sexual condition and diet for any trait. The ImC and NoC groups did not differ in rectal and ocular temperatures. The ImC animals had higher flight speeds (p = 0.022) and tended to have higher cortisol levels (p = 0.059) than the NoC animals. Animals fed ZH and RH did not differ in cortisol levels, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, temperature measured by IRT, or temperament behaviour. Conclusion: The ImC animals showed a less stable temperament during handling practices than NoC, whereas ZH and RH supplementation had no adverse effects on animal welfare.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제64권3호
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• pp.564-573
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• 2022

In this study, considering the difficulties for all farms to convert farm styles to animal welfare-based housing, an experiment was performed to observe the changes in the behavior and welfare of sows when the slat floor was changed to a collective breeding ground. Twenty-eight sows used in this study were between the second and fifth parities to minimize the influence of parity. Using a flats floor cover, the flattening rates were treated as 0%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. Data collection was the behavior of sows visually observed using a camera (e.g., standing, lying, fighting and excessive biting behaviors, and abnormal behaviors) and the animal welfare level measured through field visits. Lying behavior was found to be higher (p < 0.01) as the flattening rate increased, and sows lying on the slatted cover also increased as the flattening rate increased (p < 0.01). Fighting behavior wasincreased when the flattening rate was increased to 20%, and chewing behavior was increased (p < 0.05) as the flattening rate increased. The animal welfare level of sows, 'good feeding', it was found that all treatment groups for body condition score and water were good at 100 (p < 0.05). 'Good housing' was the maximum value (100) in each treatment group. As the percentage of floor increased, the minimum good housing was increased from 78 in 0% flattening rate to 96 in 50% flattening rate. The maximum (100) 'good health' was achieved in the 0% and 20% flattening rates, and it was 98, 98, and 99 in the 30%, 50%, and 40% flattening rate, respectively. 'Appropriate behavior' score was significantly lower than that of other paremeters, but when the flattening ratio was 0% and 20%, the maximum and minimum values were 10. At 40% and 50%, the maximum values were 39 and 49, respectively, and the minimum values were analyzed as 19 for both 40% and 50%. These results will be used as basic data about sow welfare for farmers to successfully transition to group housing and flat floors.

• 한국가금학회지
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.73-82
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• 2024

육계의 장내 미생물 균총은 전반적인 건강을 유지하고 사육 생산성에 영향을 미치는 중요한 요소이다. 하지만 한국의 여름철 고온 환경과 밀집 사육 시스템은 육계에게 스트레스를 유발하여 장내 미생물 균총의 불균형을 유발할 수 있다. 이러한 배경으로 본 연구는 한국의 복지형 농가와 일반 농가에서 봄과 여름철 육계의 장내 미생물 균총을 비교분석하기 위해 수행되었다. 19일령 육계 총 31수를 공시하였으며, 봄철 일반농가(n = 8); 여름철 일반농가(n = 8); 봄철 복지농가(n = 7); 여름철 복지농가(n = 8)에 각각 할당되었다. 계절 간 일반 농가와 복지 농가 육계의 맹장내 미생물 조성 차이를 분석하기 위해 Beta diversity 분석을 수행하였으며, 일반 농가와 복지 농가 모두 맹장내 미생물 구성이 뚜렷한 차이를 보였다. 일반 농가에서 맹장내 미생물 균총 분포를 문 수준에서 분석한 결과, Bacteroidetes의 비율은 봄철이 여름철과 비교해 높은 풍부도를 보였다. 속 수준에서 분석한 결과, 봄철 육계는 Bacteroides와 Alistipes의 비율이 여름철과 비교해 높은 풍부도를 보였다. 복지 농가에서 맹장내 미생물 균총 분포를 문 수준에서 분석한 결과, 봄철과 여름철 모두에서 Firmicutes와 Bacteroidota가 우점하였다. 하지만, LEfSe 분석 결과, 미생물 균총 구성의 차이는 일반 농가와 비교해 상대적으로 적었다. 결론적으로 우리의 결과는 고온 스트레스가 육계의 맹장내 미생물 균총에 악영향을 줄 수 있지만, 주거 환경의 개선이 고온 스트레스의 영향을 완화시켜줄 수 있음을 시사한다.