THEME 1: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Project Leader: Dr. John Church
Industry Partners: CEMA, AFAC, Northern Alberta Processors, BC, AB, SK & MB Egg Producer Boards

• Humane on-farm euthanasia avoids potential stress and injuries to the bird caused by extra handling and transportation to a processing plant;
• Research will provide a scientific review of on-farm electrocution and gassing units from a humane perspective, allowing for potential improvements, as well as providing public assurances that spent hens are being disposed of in a humane manner;
• Producers will have an efficient, cost effective and humane means of euthanizing their spent flocks.

Status: Phase One research is done (including analysis of efficiency and efficacy of electrocution unit). Phase Two underway – modifying unit to improve efficiency and efficacy and exploring alternatives. Project was initiated in 2002, and is to be completed in 2003. One summary has been presented to AFAC and AEPB.

a) preslaughter b) transportation
Project Leader: Dr. Al Schaefer
Industry Partners: a) Bouvry Exports, Bison Center of Excellence, AFAC b) Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch

• Will help producers reduce stress in their animals while improving the meat quality and carcass yield;
• Provides producers with information on “best practices.”

Status: For study a) Verbal report has been delivered to industry partner. Final report to be completed by December 2003. For study b) the animal work is completed and lab work is ongoing. No final date for completion has been identified as the project is of lower priority. Lab work will be ongoing as time permits.

Project Leaders: Dr. Al Schaefer, Les Burwash, Dr. Lori Warren and Dr. Nigel Cook
Industry Partners: Olds College

• The ability to accurately measure distress provides opportunities to manage or avoid the causes of distress, thereby increasing horse productivity and well-being;
• Non-invasive measuring techniques are less stressful on the horse.

Status: Two abstracts have been completed.

• Warren, L.K., N.J. Cook, A.L. Schaefer, L. Burwash, M. Anderson, V. Baron and C. Jensen (2001) The use of salivary cortisol as an index of stress in Horses 17th. Symp. Equine Nutrition and Physiology Soc. May. 31 P 353 Lexington, Kentucky
• Cook, N.J., A.L. Schaefer, L. Warren, L. Burwash, M. Anderson and V. Baron (2001) Adrenocortical and metabolic responses to ACTH injection in horses. An assessment by salivary cortisol and infrared thermography of the eye Can. Soc. Anim. Sci. Proc. Guelph.

Project Leader: Dr. Al Schaefer
Industry Partners: Champion Feeds, Research Management Systems

• Transport and handling stress in weaned calves affects the animal’s subsequent health status and performance in feedlots, as well as reducing welfare;
• Providing calves with a user-friendly nutrient enriched molasses block at auction facilities may improve calf well being, thereby improving health and performance.

Status: A preliminary report has been given to industry partners. The specifics of the findings are the proprietary knowledge of industry partners, so are not yet in the public domain. However, findings indicate that the use of a “user friendly molasses based ‘stress block’” was able to prevent weight loss in weaned calves arriving at auction (6.6 lbs less weight loss for treated calves). This is a significant finding that may offer auction marts an easy economical way of feeding calves, reducing stress and the related weight loss, and thereby increasing carcass yield and profit.

Project Leaders: Dr. Nigel Cook, Dr. Al Schaefer and Dr. Doug Viera
Industry Partners: Research Management Systems

• Health and well-being can impact meat quality;
• Research can offer producers management options to reduce animal stress thereby improving productivity.

Status: Work is complete. Findings were very positive and a report is forthcoming. Intellectual property requirements will be examined.

Project Leader: Dr. G. Hauer
Industry Partners: Alberta Bison Commission, Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch, Bison Center of Excellence

• Health and well-being can impact meat quality;
• Research can offer producers management options to reduce animal stress thereby improving productivity.

Status: Work began September 2002 and should be complete by 2003. Some data has been delivered to the Bison Commission.

Project Leader: Dr. J. Galbraith
Industry Partners: Elk Center of Excellence

• Health and well-being can impact meat quality;
• Research can offer producers management options to reduce animal stress thereby improving productivity.

Status: Work began September 2002 and should be complete by 2003. Some information has been delivered to industry partners.

Project Leader: Dr. Nigel Cook
Industry Partners: None

• A multiple year study aimed at developing a stress vaccine for cattle;
• Altering how an animal responds to stress through its hormone systems.

Status: Antibodies have been raised in sheep, collected and stored. This study has no formal funding. It proceeds as time allows.

Project Leader: Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein
Industry Partners: Charolais Association, Angus Association, AFAC

• Stress associated with the transport of light weight calves can negatively affect their health and well-being (e.g., higher morbidity and mortality due to acute respiratory disease)

• Health and well-being can impact meat quality;
• Research can offer producers management options to reduce animal stress thereby improving productivity.

Status: Final report due. One tech transfer article has been written.

• Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K.S. Preconditioning may have opposite of intended effect. Western Producer. February, 2002.
  

Three abstracts have been published from the Canadian Society of Animal Science/American Society of Animal Science Joint meeting in Quebec.

• Booth, M.E., K. S. Schwartzkopf-Genswein, T.A. McAllister, G. J. Mears, A.L. Schaefer, N. J. Cook, J. S. Church and D. H. Crews Jr. (2002) Effects of pre-haul management and transport distance on beef cattle performance and welfare Canadian Society of Animal Science /American Society of Animal Science, Quebec City, July 20-25 (presented by M.E. Booth)
• Bach, S. J., T. A. McAllister, G. J. Mears, A. Schaefer and K. S. Schwartzkopf-Genswein (2002) Effect of preconditioning and distance of transport on shedding of Escherichia coli and E. coli 0157:H7 by calves destined for feedlot. Canadian Society of Animal Science /American Society of Animal Science, Quebec City, July 20-25 (presented by S. J. Bach)
• A.L. Schaefer, N.J. Cook, J.S. Church, K.S. Schwartzkopf-Genswein, M.E. Booth, G. Mears and T.A. McAllister (2002) The effect of transport and preconditioning on radiated temperature in calves Canadian Society of Animal Science /American Society of Animal Science, Quebec City, July 20-25

Development of an early detection method for mastitis using infrared thermography

Project Leader: Dr. S. Scott
Industry Partners: Dairy Farmers of Canada

• Mastitis in dairy cows is a common, and sometimes painful, condition for the animal that also causes an enormous loss of productivity due to reduced milk production, treatment costs, discarded milk, death and premature culling of the animal, decreased genetic progress and reduced milk quality;
• Early detection of mastitis can minimize pain to the animal, increase the chances of successful treatment, reduce costs associated with lost productivity and improve milk quality;
• Infrared thermography is a non-invasive technology, causing less stress to the animal.

Status: One abstract has been written and an interim report has been presented to Dairy Farmers of Canada.

• Scott, S.L., A.L. Schaefer, A.K.W. Tong and P. Lacasse (2000) Use of infrared thermography for early detection of mastitis in dairy cows Can. Soc. Animal. Science Proceedings Winnipeg.
• Berry, R.J., A.D. Kennedy, S.L. Scott, B. Kyle and A.L. Schaefer (2002) Thermographic measurement of udder temperature: Predictability and potential of an early warning system for mastitis Proceedings of the American Dairy Science. Assoc./ American Society of Animal Science./ Canadian Society of Animal Science Quebec City.

Project Leader: Dr. Al Schaefer
Industry Partners: AFAC

• Study is designed to produce an early, non-invasive stress and disease detection system for animals through use of thermography, non invasive endocrine and animal behaviour data;
• Management techniques, stress and disease can have a permanent impact on feedlot performance, carcass yield and quality;
• Multiple sourced, co-mingled weaned and receiver calves are vulnerable to stress and disease, accounting for a significant portion of a producer’s health care budget;
• Stress and disease negatively impact upon the well-being of calves;
• A non-invasive system for detecting stress would reduce the suffering experienced by animals, as well as improving performance and productivity for the producer;
• Early, non-invasive detection of disease states in calves would also enable a targeted, more effective use of antibiotics thereby reducing the therapeutic use of antibiotics in food animals.

Status: Three-year study, initiated in 2002. “Proof of concept” models have been done, animal work to proceed. One presentation has been given.

• Schaefer, A.L., N.J. Cook, A.K.W. Tong and D. Milligan (2001) Non-invasive assessment of stress National Beef Science Seminar Nov. 14-15 AAFC. Lethbridge.

Project Leader: Dr. Jeff Rushen, Dr. Anne-Marie de Passille, Dr. Al Schaefer
Industry Partners: None

• Examining the use of infrared to detect laminitis in animals with a known predisposition.

Status: Animal and lab work are complete. Final report is pending.

Project Leader: Dr. John Church
Industry Partners: AFAC, Alberta Bison Association, Peace Country Bison Association, Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch Ltd.

• The stress of dehorning has a negative impact on growth and carcass quality. It is important to know if the procedure is necessary and, if necessary, identify the best method to minimize the negative effects on productivity;
• Dehorning is a painful procedure, so protocols for pain management are necessary;
• “Best Practices” will be developed through this research, helping producers to make decisions on whether to dehorn bison or not, and defining proper procedures for dehorning.

Status: Work began in October 2002. Animals have been moved to the Lacombe Research Station and the handling system has been installed. Proposed completion date: October 2003.

Project Leader: Dr. Al Schaefer
Industry Partners: Alberta Elk Association, Canadian Rocky Mountain Elk Ranch, AFAC

• The transport, handling and management of elk are known to be stressful to the animal;
• Stress reduces animal well-being, product yield and quality;
• Defining “best practices” to reduce stress will improve animal welfare, productivity and product quality.

Status: Animal work is completed; lab work is still in progress. One report completed.

• Schaefer, A.L. and N.J. Cook (2001) The use of amino acids in attenuating HPA response in Cervidae Proceedings, 7th International Congress On Amino Acids and Proteins University of Vienna Amino Acids Vol. 21(1) P32.

Project Leader: (a) Dr. Jim Webster (New Zealand) (b) Dr. Al Schaefer
Industry Partners: (a) Alberta Elk Association, AFAC (b) Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch, AFAC

• Research will provide producers with science-based information on “best practices” for reducing stress and pain during handling, transport and velvet antler removal;
• Compression analgesia is a promising technology for non-chemical and humane velvet antler removal, which will improve animal welfare while providing food safety assurances.
• Nutritional therapy may reduce stress during handling and transport, thereby improving carcass yield and animal welfare.

Status:
a) August 2002 – June 2003: Work is complete. A report has been sent for review to the National Animal Welfare Council, New Zealand. The information will be integrated into Alberta’s velvet antler removal course, which may lead to a national program in Canada. Two reports completed.

• Schaefer, A.L., N.J. Cook, W.M. Robertson, J. Church, T. Church, J. Gailbraith, J.R. Webster and L.R. Matthews (2002) Humane removal of velvet antler with compression analgesia: Canadian Experience, preliminary observations Proceedings of Deer Branch New Zealand Veterinary Association May 15-17.
• Cook, N.J., J.R. Webster, J. Church, L.R. Matthews, T. Church and A.L. Schaefer (2002) Comparison of analgesia methods for removing velvet antler in elk. Presentation to the American Society of Animal Science/ American Dairy Science Association/ Canadian Society of Animal Science Conference, July Quebec City

b) Animal work is complete. project is of lower priority, so lab assessment will be ongoing as time permits.

Project Leader: Dr. Al Schaefer
Industry Partners: None

• May provide an alternative method for dehorning that mitigates the pain of the procedure.

Status: Work complete. Results indicate that compression analgesia does not work as applied on calves.

Project Leader: Dr. John Church
Industry Partners: CEMA, AFAC

• Bird welfare within cage systems will be examined by comparing two options – a) modifying existing commercial cages into “furnished” cages, b) examining commercially available enriched cages.
• Bird welfare and productivity may be enhanced by these modifications through reduced aggression and improved physical condition of the birds;
• Research will build upon work already done in this area and may provide producers with information on economical modifications that improve bird welfare while addressing public perceptions of bird care.

Status: Cages have been installed and animal work has been initiated.

Project Leader: Dr. John Church
Industry Partners: AFAC

• Research to assess the pros and cons of groups sow housing with respect to animal well being and economics

Status: Funding has just been approved. Lacombe facility will be renovated for the project with a March 2004 start date for the renovations. Animal work will begin at the University of Alberta swine facility first.

Project Leader: Dr. John Church
Industry Partners: AFAC

• An examination of auditable animal welfare standards in other countries (UK, US, NZ, AU) compared to Canada;
• Ensuring the competitiveness of Canadian agriculture industry with regard to animal welfare standards.

Status: Funding applied for – approval at pre-proposal stage.