The objective of the present study is to assess the variability of the measures used in the welfare quality (WQ) protocol for pigs among slaughterhouses in five different countries and to propose alarm and critical thresholds for the calculation of scores for future development of an animal welfare certification scheme. The WQ protocol was applied in 52,468 pigs in 42 slaughterhouses in 5 countries (Portugal, Italy, Finland, Brazil and Spain). The welfare assessment started in the unloading area, where measures of general fear, thermoregulation, slipping and falling, lameness, sickness and mortality were taken. Concerning lairage, space allowance, drinking points, thermoregulation and mortality were considered, and the human-animal relationship was assessed by means of high-pitched vocalisations when pigs were moved from lairage to the stunning system. Finally, stunning effectiveness, skin lesions and presence of pneumonia, pleurisy, pericarditis and white spots on the liver were assessed in the stunning area and after slaughtering the animals. There was a large degree of variability among slaughterhouses for measurements made. For instance, the percentage of animals slipping ranged from 0.4% to 57%. Pigs with signs of recovery after stunning ranged from 0% to 90% and the percentage of carcasses that were severely damaged with skin lesions ranged from 0% to 48%. The data obtained can be useful to establish some thresholds for future uses of the WQ protocol. Electric stunning was associated with more animals recovering consciousness than from CO 2 .

Zoonotic strains of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in Europe have been reported to belong to genotypes 3 and 4. In 2012 and 2013, 57 pig farms in Northern Italy that had previously resulted seropositive for HEV were surveyed for the presence of the virus, with positive samples subsequently genotyped. Hepatitis E RNA was identified in 17/57 (29·8%) seropositive farms. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that distinct subtypes of genotype 3 were circulating in the north-east of Italy; as well, for the first time in the Italian swine population, genotype 4 was identified and attributed to subtype d.

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We conducted a survey of attitudes towards antimicrobial use and awareness of antimicrobial resistance among turkey and rabbit farmers (N ¼ 117 and N ¼ 41, respectively) in Italy's utmost turkey-and rabbit-producing region. We found either similarities or significant differences between these two livestock sectors. Most farmers of both groups (72% of turkey farmers vs 76% of rabbit farmers) reported that antimicrobials are properly used in their farms. Almost three-quarters of the farmers reported that antimicrobials solve the health problem treated for. However, 47% of turkey farmers and 78% of rabbit farmers reported that antimicrobial use could be decreased, with a 20-30% reduction being the most frequently chosen range. Genetic improvement was reported to be the main factor able to reduce antimicrobial use in turkeys, whereas improvements in feed quality and microclimate were the main factors for rabbits. Most farmers reported that high antimicrobial use may affect the quality of meat products and be hazardous to human health, but they also reported that antimicrobial resistance is mainly related to antimicrobial use in humans. In conclusion, turkey and rabbit farmers have a generally positive opinion on veterinary antimicrobial use, but also low levels of awareness of the negative impact on public health. Economic and structural factors of rabbit production industry may explain the differences observed. Farm veterinarians will be crucial to support farmers' education and the expected transition to lower antimicrobial use while maintaining high animal health/ welfare standards. HIGHLIGHTS 47% of turkey vs. 78% of rabbit farmers thought that antimicrobial use can be decreased A 20-30% reduction of antimicrobials was the most frequently supposed range Turkey and rabbit farmers showed a low level of awareness of the negative impact of antimicrobial usage in their farms on human health ARTICLE HISTORY

The present work aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a self-loading training using positive reinforcement on stress-related behaviors shown by meat horses during loading procedures into a truck. Thirty-two meat horses (M = 18; F = 14; 6 month-old) were included in the study. All horses had limited interactions with the farmer and were not used to be restrained nor lead by halter. Horses were divided in two groups: Control Group (C; N = 14) and Training Group (T; N = 18). T horses were trained to self-load: in order to teach the horses to enter into the truck, a targeting training technique throughout a shaping process was applied. Training sessions were performed three times a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., for 6 weeks; training was then repeated once a week to maintain the memory until the transport toward a slaughterhouse. The loading phase was video-recorded and loading time was directly recorded using a stopwatch. All horses were transported to the same slaughterhouse in 14 different days using the same truck. Behavior was subsequently analyzed with a focal animal continuous recording method. Loading time was shorter in T horses (mean ± SD = 44.44 ± 47.58 s) than in C horses (mean ± SD = 463.09 ± 918.19 s) (T-test; p = 0.019). T horses showed more forward locomotion toward the truck than C horses (T-test; p = 0.029). Our preliminary findings suggest that self-loading training may be useful to mitigate loading-related stress in meat horses, minimally socialized with humans.