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FCUSA Annual Meeting 2008

FCUSA Annual Meeting 2008. Societal Threats and Challenges. 07.31.2008 Sherwood Hill, Logan Canyon, Utah. Peter Sandbøl Research Manager Danish Fur Breeders Research Center – Kopenhagen Fur. Presentation Plan. Introduction to the Speaker: Who, Where and What

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FCUSA Annual Meeting 2008

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  1. FCUSA Annual Meeting 2008 Societal Threats and Challenges 07.31.2008 Sherwood Hill, Logan Canyon, Utah Peter Sandbøl Research Manager Danish Fur Breeders Research Center – Kopenhagen Fur

  2. Presentation Plan Introduction to the Speaker: Who, Where and What Societal Threaths and Challenges: Ethics: Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Stereotypies - Domesticaiton Environment: Nutrient Losses Smell Emmission Flies

  3. Magazines Research Consultancy service Veterinary service Breeding programs Feed control Auction house What is .. Kopenhagen Fur is a cooperative association owned by 1,900 Danish fur breeders in Dansk Pelsdyravlerforening

  4. Who Alias Research Manager Danish Fur Breeders Research Center Father Grand Father Great Grand Father Alias Honorary Chief Eastern Star of the Winnebagos / Ho-Chunks Son Peter Sandbøl

  5. Mink farms: 1700 Farm size: 1500 females Breeding females: 2,6 mill Fox farms: 35 Breeding females: 3.000 Chinchilla: Breeding females: 12.000 Where - Denmark

  6. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  7. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  8. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center 2370 Females: 1770 Brown/Glow 600 Black About 12,500 – 13,000 pelts/year 2 stables for balance trials: 1 with 48 balance cages 1 with 36 modified farm cages A total of 11-12 Employes

  9. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  10. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  11. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  12. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  13. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  14. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  15. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  16. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  17. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  18. Danish Fur Breeders Research Center

  19. Where External Partners Faculty of Agricultural Sciences PFC Technical University of Denmark

  20. What External Focus Areas Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Behaviour, Welfare & Health Breeding, Genetics & Reproduction (Nutrition & Physiology) Genomics Nutrition & Physiology Health (Viral Research) Behaviour Technical University of Denmark Health Health (Astro virus) Testing and Investigations on Farm Level

  21. What Own Focus Areas Protein/Amino Acids Nutrient Requirements and Balances Nutritional Related Diseases and Testing of Feed Ingredients Fat / Fatty Acids Vitamins Biotin Carbohydrates Starch Minerals Salt

  22. What Behaviour & Welfare Management Breeding & Genetics Health & Disease Nutrition & Physiology

  23. What Behaviour & Welfare Ethics Environment Management Breeding & Genetics Health & Disease Nutrition & Physiology Feed Ingredients Production Systems

  24. Presentation Plan Introduction to the Speaker: Who, Where and What Societal Threaths and Challenges: Ethics: Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Stereotypies - Domestication Environment: Nutrient Losses Smell Emmission Flies

  25. Ethics Behaviour & Welfare Management Breeding & Genetics Ethics Feed Ingredients Production Systems Health & Disease Nutrition & Physiology

  26. First Danish order on fur animals in effect last year. Based on EU recommendations. Contains regulations regarding: Biological characteristics Behavioural needs Cage designs Management procedures New Legislation

  27. Biological characteristics of the farmed mink Behavioural needs Occupational materials Empty cages between breeding females Social housing Winter feeding Selection against fearful mink Status of the welfare of the farmed mink Conclusion Subjects

  28. Reduced fear The biological characteristics • Improved production capacity • 1957: • Females 950 g • Males 1600 g • 1969: • Barren females: 18 % • Kits / mated female: 3,5 • 2007: • Barren females: 8 - 9 % • Kits / mated female: 5,0 – 5,5 • Females: 1600 g • Males: 3000 g Brain Weight Wild 9.11 grams Ranch 8.38 grams Reduction -10.6 %

  29. ”The five freedoms” Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition Appropriate comfort and shelter Prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment of injury and disease Freedom to display most normal patterns of behaviour Freedom from fear The behavioural needs (1993)

  30. All individuals perform the behaviour Denying the animal to perform the behaviour induces a state of chronic stress The behaviour is primarily internally motivated and performed even in the absence of the required stimuli (vacuum activity) The behaviour is performed at an abnormally high rate when the animal is eventually allowed to perform the behaviour after a period of deprivation (rebound effect) The display has in itself rewarding properties (endorphins) Characteristics of behavioural needs

  31. Not all mink use swimming water Mink don’t increase use after deprivation Access has no effect on: stereotypic behaviour, fur chewing, anticipatory behaviour, does not unambiguously decrease the level of cortisol Swimming water: not a behavioural need

  32. Mink are willing to work for access to swimming water as well as access to a running wheel Use of water seems related to foraging/explorative behaviour, but does not seem to be an ”innate” or biological need. Behavioural priorities

  33. Straw Manipulate Nest-building Insulation Occupational materials

  34. Shelf or tube attached to ceiling Rest or look-out Refuge from the male and the kits Occupational materials

  35. Tubes and chewing materials (ropes) Reduce stereotypies, fur chewing and cortisol Level Occupational materials

  36. Doubling of the standard cage area has: No effect on stereotypies, fur chewing or the cortisol level Cage area

  37. Empty cage between breeding females • Improves reproduction • No effect on reproduction, but the females are less out in the cage • Less stereotypies and less interaction between females • Catching is stressful to the females (Overgaard, 1999)

  38. Increased aggression No increase in play behaviour Increases the number of mink with bite-marks Reduced possibility of inspection of the individual mink Group housing/family housing

  39. Flushing: 14 days of restricted feeding followed by ad lib increases number of ovulated and implanted eggs. Slimming: effect on reproduction increases anticipatory activity prior to feeding and the development of stereotypies can be done without increasing stereotypies by use of low energy feed Effects of individual feeding and low energy feed on stereotypies continue to be studied Restricted feeding prohibitedExcept 8 days prior to mating

  40. Restricted feeding prohibitedExcept 8 days prior to mating • Slimming: Effect on reproduction

  41. Selection against fearful mink • Fear is a natural behaviour • The threshold value for showing fear is changed by selection • Commercial breeding programmes for behavioural selection are available: Fearful, Control,Confident.

  42. Status of the welfare of the farmed mink • The farmed mink is domesticated • Farmed mink live accordance with their natural behaviour • Mate naturally • Give birth only once a year • Weaning at 8 weeks of age • Litter is split up gradually • Young mink are kept in pairs (male + female) • Adult mink are kept individually

  43. Status of the welfare of the farmed mink • Cage size ensures performance of specific behavioural elements • Move freely • Groom themselves • Lie down, curl up to sleep, stretch their limbs • Withdraw to their nestbox to rest or use shelf or tube • Permanent access to straw and shelf or tube

  44. Status of the welfare of the farmed mink • Abnormal behaviour • Stereotypic behaviour is rare in young mink • Stereotypies are primarily seen during winter and are primarily related to feeding time • Fur chewing is hereditary and the occurrence has been reduced • Fur chewing can be further reduced by use of occupational materials for chewing and pulling

  45. Status of the welfare of the farmed mink • Empty cage between females • Peace and quietness during the sensitive period • However, in practice it means catching the females once more • Killing • At the cages • Quick and painless • Transport is not necessary

  46. Status of the welfare of the farmed mink • Health • Generally the health of the mink is good • The extent and intensity of welfare problems are low • The standard cage system makes it possible to monitor the animals • Group housing • Reduces the possibilities of monitoring the individual mink • No positive effect on mink welfare • Increases aggression and the occurrence of bite-marks

  47. Conclusion on Ethics • The welfare of mink kept in standard cages is good • The new order has improved the welfare of the mink further in relation to: • Occupational materials • Selection for confident temperament • Limited restrictive feeding • Increased peace and quietness during the nursing period.

  48. Conclusion on Ethics • However, not all the regulations are unambiguously positive for the welfare of the mink. • Catching/moving the females once more • Can the often fat breeding animals be brought into a proper condition in 8 days ? • Group housing reduces the welfare of the mink • Further studies • Occupation of the mink • Reduced aggression in groups of mink • Individual feeding • Low-energy feed without the mink feeling hungry

  49. Presentation Plan Introduction to the Speaker: Who, Where and What Societal Threaths and Challenges: Ethics: Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Stereotypies - Domestication Environment: Nutrient Losses Smell Emission Flies

  50. Environment The Environmental Agenda is Outlined by Society! • Nutrient Losses • Smell Emission • Flies

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