The welfare of pigs in rustic and technified production systems using the Welfare Quality protocols of pigs in Mexico: Validity of indicators of animal welfare as part of the sustainability criteria of pig production systems
Por:
Losada-Espinosa N., Elena Trujillo-Ortega, Maria, Galindo F.
Publicada:
1 oct 2017
Categoría:
Veterinary (miscellaneous)
Resumen:
The Welfare Quality (R) (WQ) protocols have been developed as a tool for
the assessment of farm animal welfare based on scientific evidence.
Animal welfare (AW) is part of the sustainability criteria of livestock
production. A study was carried out in four states of Central Mexico in
seven rustic (rPS) and six technified (tPS) production systems using the
WQ protocol with the objective of providing an initial approximation of
the welfare of animals and to discuss the validity of indicators of AW.
The results showed that the animals housed in rustic units presented
better results in the Good Health category and with respect to the
criterion expression of social behaviour, while the frequency of
criteria concerning Positive emotional states was higher in animals in
the technified units. In the changing context in which the farms
operate, including changing agricultural policies, new environmental and
food safety regulations, variability of climatic conditions, and
volatility in prices of inputs and outputs, it is not only the
attributes referring to productivity and efficiency that become
relevant. It is concluded that the criteria related to the WQ principles
of health and behaviour are sensitive to changes in the housing and
management of pigs. The high occurrences of health and behaviour
problems recorded in technified systems are an indicator of poor
welfare.
Filiaciones:
Losada-Espinosa N.:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Dept Etol Fauna Silvestre & Anim Lab, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico
Elena Trujillo-Ortega, Maria:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Dept Med & Zootecnia Cerdos, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Galindo F.:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Dept Etol Fauna Silvestre & Anim Lab, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico
Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Cerdos, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico
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