Domestic animals under close confinement conditions frequently display abnormal behaviour, particularly if they are unable to escape from, or adapt to this situation. With the increased interest in domestic farm animal welfare from both the political and societal agendas, environmental enrichment (EE) is becoming an interesting solution, offering an alternative not only to optimize the welfare of the animals but to improve the animals' performance. In general, the development of more intensive production systems and specialized techniques has provided benefits in terms of productivity, but at the expense of the behavioural needs and welfare of kept animals. In intensive farming, welfare concerns are still often related to barren environments and crowded conditions. Producers need to balance the requirements to improve welfare conditions on the farm with practical considerations. This paper provides a review of the scientific literature, focusing on recent advances on the welfare-relevant consequences of EE on harmful social behaviours due to intensively farmed confinement in pigs, laying hens and dairy calves, including a discussion with regard to their relevance and suitability.

No abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the physiometabolic responses to stress in hybrid suckling piglets that were weaned and transported at different ages on a paved road under two vehicle conditions: with and without a layer of straw bedding. The piglets were weaned and transported at the following ages: 8, 15 and 22 days. The duration of each trip was 1 h. The piglets in each group were further divided into two sub-groups for two distinct experimental transport conditions: (1) over the road with straw bedding; and (2) over the same road but without straw bedding. A total of three repetitions were performed for each experimental condition. In order to assess their responses to weaning- and transport-induced stress, the study evaluated a thorough physiometabolic blood profile. The 8- and 15-day-old piglets transported without straw bedding showed increases in their pCO2, blood glucose, blood lactate levels and the percentage of hematocrit, but a decrease of pO2 upon arrival (P < 0.05). In contrast, the 22-day-old piglets transported on the same road with straw bedding were able to re-establish their blood concentrations of lactate, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and pH during the trip (P < 0.05).

No abstract

This study assessed the effects of five different transport periods on physiometabolic responses and gas exchange in ostriches. It included 138 ostriches that were assigned to five experimental groups. G1 included 78 birds that were set aside as a reference group (RG). Each one of the four remaining experimental groups included 20 ostriches, which were transported in the following manner: G1 on one occasion for a period of 1 h; G2 on one occasion for 2 h; and G3 on one occasion for 3 h; G4a was made up of the ostriches from G1 but they were shipped on a second occasion, for 2 h (making a total of 3 h); finally, G4b was that same group, but after a third transport period, on this occasion during 3 h (for a total of 6 h). Groups G2 and G3 presented the most marked blood alterations (P < 0.05), including an increase in pH, hypocapnia (27.8 ± 0.80 mmHg), hypernatremia (171.75 ± 1.84 mmol/L), hypocalcemia (0.95 ± 0.03 mmol/L), and hyperglycemia (224.05 ± 3.94 mg/dL). Also, group G3 presented the lowest hematocrit values (26.5 ± 0.47 HTC%). Therefore, transporting ostriches with no prior experience for 3 h caused the most pronounced physiometabolic changes.