Translating new measures of animal affect and welfare to on-farm situations

Lead Research Organisation: University of Bristol
Department Name: Clinical Veterinary Science

Abstract

 
Description The cognitive bias method for assessing affective state in non-human animals was successfully adapted for use in cattle in the Canadian partners' institute.
Exploitation Route The method that was developed has since been used in experimental studies to show that both weaning and de-horning with analgesia can induce negative affective states in young calves. Two papers have been published as a result. On the back of this work, we also funded a Masters by Research student, Sarah Kappel, who pursued this line of work and developed a complementary method for assessing cattle affective state which has now been published in PLoS ONE.
Sectors Agriculture, Food and Drink
 
Description Member of 'Tesco & Animal Welfare' workshop group convened by Lord Krebs
Geographic Reach Europe 
Policy Influence Type Membership of a guideline committee
 
Description University of Bristol MSc by Research Funding
Amount £14,000 (GBP)
Organisation University of Bristol 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 10/2014 
End 03/2016
 
Description joint supervision of a Masters by research student 
Organisation University of British Columbia
Country Canada 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Following my BBSRC ISIS funded visit, I was appointed to the supervisory committee of a UBC Masters student, Heather Neave, working on the cognitive bias tasks that we had discussed during my visit. I advised on the task development and interpretation of results.
Collaborator Contribution My collaborators provided facilities and supervision for the student, as well as funding for the research study
Impact Two papers have been published, but these stem from work which was ongoing when I joined the supervisory team. I hope that a further paper will result.
Start Year 2011