Jonathan Amory

This book features four peer-reviewed reviews on improving the welfare of growing and finishing pigs. The first chapter begins by defining animal welfare in the context of pig production. The chapter discusses pig behaviour and how this can be affected by intensive production systems, group size, living conditions, as well as systems for monitoring animal health and care. The second chapter explores the relationship between nutrition management and physical and social environments on the welfare of finishing pigs. The chapter also considers the use of environmental enrichment as a means of mitigating aggressive forms of behaviour, such as tail biting. The third chapter provides a detailed overview of recent research findings on the effects of transport, handling and slaughter practices on the behavioural and physiological responses of pigs. The chapter also reviews how these pre-slaughter practices can impact carcass and meat quality and potentially result in loss of profits. The final chapter discusses best practices for optimising the general management of growing finishing pigs to improve overall herd health. The chapter considers the impact of substandard herd management and the consequent increased risk of outbreaks of respiratory or digestive diseases, ulcers, lameness, prolapses, tail biting and other conditions.

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on lameness in dairy cattle. The first chapter provides an overview of lameness and its impact on dairy cow health and welfare. The chapter reviews existing methods for manual and automated detection of lameness, including approaches that detect changes and abnormalities in the gait, stance and behaviour of the animal, including the use of video, accelerometers and spatial positioning systems. The second chapter discusses the aetiology of the four main causes of lameness in dairy cows: sole ulcer, white line, digital dermatitis and interdigital phlegmon. The chapter reviews the importance of prompt and effective treatments, as well as the best practices to optimise foot health to prevent the onset of lameness. The third chapter reviews advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve resistance to claw and foot disorders, primarily lameness. It considers the various steps in breeding, from the definition of the breeding goal to genomic evaluation and data validation, as well as the consequent challenges which can develop. The final chapter examines the impact of lameness on dairy production and highlights the importance of optimising foot health in dairy cattle to prevent the occurrence of lameness. The chapter discusses claw horn disruption and concludes with a case study on an outbreak of lameness in a herd of 800 Holstein cows.