Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-31T16:01:57.189Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Qualitative categories for the interpretation of sheep welfare: a review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

F Wemelsfelder  and
M Farish
F Wemelsfelder*
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems, Scottish Agricultural College, Bush Estate, Penicuik EH26 0QE, UK
M Farish
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems, Scottish Agricultural College, Bush Estate, Penicuik EH26 0QE, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The aim of this paper is to discuss the relationship between qualitative categories of sheep welfare and associated quantitative behavioural observations. Most scientific studies rely on quantitative measures, however to interpret those measures in terms of an animal's experience of welfare, the use of qualitative terminologies denoting various emotional states (eg fear, pain, distress) seems hard to avoid. This is especially so in cases where the same behavioural or physiological indicator could have different meanings for welfare; high levels of locomotion, for example, could indicate fear, aggression, or both. To resolve such dilemmas, scientists often resort to judging an animal's most likely state through direct observation; indeed qualitative characterisations are often intertwined with reported quantitative results. This paper reviews frequently used qualitative categories of sheep welfare and the behavioural context in which these categories are applied. Qualitative judgements of welfare tend to habitually be regarded as ‘subjective’, ie as anthropomorphic and unreliable; however from this review it appears that such judgements reflect the overall demeanour of an animal's behaviour, and as such may provide a useful empirical basis for the investigation of emotional expression in sheep. Further development of a qualitative behavioural approach may provide a more complete picture of the expressive repertoire of sheep, and enhance our understanding of ways in which these animals experience well-being or distress.

Keywords

animal sufferinganimal welfareemotionpainqualitative behaviour assessmentsheep
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , August 2004 , pp. 261 - 268
Copyright
© 2004 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Austin, AR, Simmons, MM and Wells, GAH 1997 Pathological temperament changes in bovines. Continuing Education 50: 304–309Google Scholar
Baldock, NM and Sibly, RM 1990 Effects of handling and transport on the heart rate and behaviour of sheep. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 28: 15–39CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boissy, A 1995 Fear and fearfulness in animals. The Quarterly Review of Biology 70: 165–191CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boissy, A and Bouissou, MF 1995 Assessment of individual differences in behavioural reactions of heifers exposed to various fear-eliciting situations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 46: 17–31CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boivin, X, Nowak, R, Despres, G, Tournadre, H and Le Neidre, P 1997 Discrimination between shepherds by lambs reared under artificial conditions. Journal of Animal Science 75: 2892–2898CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boivin, X, Tournadre, H and Le Neindre, P 2000 Hand-feeding and gentling influence early weaned lambs' attachment responses to their stockperson. Journal of Animal Science 78: 879–884CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bradshaw, RH, Hall, SJG and Broom, DM 1996 Behavioural and cortisol response of pigs and sheep during transport. Veterinary Record 138: 233–234CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buirski, P, Kellerman, H, Plutchik, R and Weininger, R 1973 A field study of emotions, dominance and social behavior in a group of baboons (Papio anubis). Primates 14: 67–78CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cambridge, AJ, Tobias, KM, Newberry, RC and Sarkar, DK 2000 Subjective and objective measurements of postoperative pain in cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 21: 685–690CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cockram, MS 2004 A review of behavioural and physiological responses of sheep to stressors to identify potential behavioural signs of distress. Animal Welfare 13(3): 283–291Google Scholar
Cockram, MS and Lee, RA 1991 Some preslaughter factors affecting the incidence of bruising in sheep. British Veterinary Journal 147: 120–125CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cockram, MS, Ranson, M, Imlah, P, Goddard, PJ, Burrells, C and Harkiss, GD 1994 The behavioural, endocrine and immune responses of sheep to isolation. Animal Production 58: 389–399Google Scholar
Crist, E 1996 Naturalists' portrayals of animal life: engaging the verstehen approach. Social Studies of Science 26: 799–838CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dawkins, MS 1990 From an animal's point of view: motivation, fitness, and animal welfare. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 13: 1–61CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dinniss, AS, Stafford, KJ, Mellor, DJ, Bruce, RA and Ward, RN 1999 The behavioural pattern of lambs after castration using a rubber ring and/or castrating clamp with or without local anaesthetic. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 47: 198–203Google ScholarPubMed
Dungey, TM 2003 The quantitative and qualitative assessments of behavioural reactions of sheep (Ovis aries) towards fear-eliciting situations: effects of breed and physiological state. Masters Thesis, University of Edinburgh, UKGoogle Scholar
Dwyer, CM 2004 How has the risk of predation shaped the behavioural responses of sheep to fear and distress? Animal Welfare 13(3): 269–281Google Scholar
Dwyer, CM, Cockram, MS, Kent, JE, Rennie, A, Molony, V, Bornett, HLI, Wemelsfelder, F and Farish, M 2001 The Welfare of Sheep: A Review of Behavioural Indicators of Pain, Suffering and Distress. A review conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (AW0909). Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, UKGoogle Scholar
Dwyer, CM and Bornett, HLI 2004 Chronic stress in sheep: assessment tools and their use in different management conditions. Animal Welfare 13(3): 293–304Google Scholar
Fagen, R, Conitz, J and Kunibe, E 1997 Observing behavioral qualities. International Journal of Comparative Psychology 10: 167–179Google Scholar
Feaver, J, Mendl, M and Bateson, P 1986 A method for rating the individual distinctiveness of domestic cats. Animal Behaviour 34: 1016–1025CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, JA 1991 Disambiguating anthropomorphism: an interdisciplinary review. In: Bateson, PPG and Klopfer, PH (eds) Perspectives in Ethology, Volume 9 pp 49–85. Plenum Press: New York, USAGoogle Scholar
Fraser, D and Duncan, IJH 1998 ‘Pleasures’, ‘pains’ and animal welfare: toward a natural history of affect. Animal Welfare 7: 383–396Google Scholar
Geist, V 1971 Mountain Sheep. A Study in Behaviour and Evolution. The University of Chicago Press: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Gosling, SD 2001 From mice to men: what can we learn about personality from animal research? Psychological Bulletin 127: 45–86CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grandin, T 1993 Behavioural agitation during handling of cattle is persistent over time. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 36: 1–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grandin, T 1997 Assessment of stress during handling and transport. Journal of Animal Science 75: 249–257CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grandin, T 1998 The feasibility of using vocalization scoring as an indicator of poor welfare during cattle slaughter. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 56: 121–128CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansen, I, Christiansen, F, Hansen, HS, Braastad, B and Bakken, M 2001 Variation in behavioural responses of ewes towards predator-related stimuli. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 70: 227–237CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hargreaves, AL and Hutson, GD 1990 The effect of gentling on heart-rate, flight distance and aversion of sheep to a handling procedure. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 26: 243–252CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hebb, DO 1946 Emotion in man and animal: an analysis of the intuitive processes of recognition. Psychological Review 53: 88–106CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hemsworth, PH and Coleman, GJ 1998 Human–Livestock Interactions. The Stockperson and the Productivity and Welfare of Intensively Farmed Animals. CAB International: Wallingford, UKGoogle Scholar
Heyes, C 1993 Anecdotes, training, trapping and triangulating: do animals attribute mental states? Animal Behaviour 46: 177–188CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hutson, GD 1993 Behavioral principles of sheep handling. In: Grandin, T (ed) Livestock Handling and Transport. CAB International: Wallingford, UKGoogle Scholar
Jarvis, AM and Cockram, MS 1994 Effects of handling and transport on bruising of sheep sent directly from farms to slaughter. Veterinary Record 135: 523–527CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kendrick, KM 1991 How the sheep's brain controls the visual recognition of animals and humans. Journal of Animal Science 69: 5008–5016CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kennedy, JS 1992 The New Anthropomorphism. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kessler, MR and Turner, DC 1997 Stress and adaptation of cats (Felis silvestris catus) housed singly, in pairs and in groups in boarding catteries. Animal Welfare 6: 243–254Google Scholar
Kessler, MR and Turner, DC 1999a Effects of density and cage size on stress in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) housed in animal shelters and boarding catteries. Animal Welfare 8: 259–267Google Scholar
Kessler, MR and Turner, DC 1999b Socialization and stress in cats (Felis silvestris catus) housed singly and in groups in animal shelters. Animal Welfare 8: 15–26Google Scholar
Knowles, TG 1998 A review of the road transport of slaughter sheep. Veterinary Record 143: 212–219CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lanier, JL, Grandin, T, Green, RD, Avery, D and Mcgee, K 2000 The relationship between reaction to sudden, intermittent movements and sounds and temperament. Journal of Animal Science 78: 1467–1474CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Le Neindre, P, Boivin, X and Boissy, A 1996 Handling of extensively kept animals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 49: 73–81CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lynch, JJ, Hinch, GN and Adams, DB 1992 The Behaviour of Sheep. Biological Principles and Implications for Production. CAB International: Wallingford, UKGoogle Scholar
Lyons, DM, Price, EO and Moberg, G 1988 Individual differences in temperament of domestic dairy goats: constancy and change. Animal Behaviour 36: 1323–1333CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Markowitz, TM, Dally, MR, Gursky, K and Price, EO 1998 Early handling increases lamb affinity for humans. Animal Behaviour 55: 573–587CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mateo, JM, Estep, DQ and McCann, JS 1991 Effects of differential handling on the behaviour of domestic ewes (Ovis aries). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 32: 45–54CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Molony, V and Kent, JE 1993 Behavioural responses of lambs of three ages in the first three hours after three methods of castration and tail docking. Research in Veterinary Science 55: 236–245CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Molony, V and Kent, JE 1997 Assessment of acute pain in farm animals using behavioural and physiological measurements. Journal of Animal Science 75: 266–272CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Orgeur, P, Mavric, N, Yvore, P, Bernard, S, Nowak, R, Schaal, B and Levy, F 1998 Artificial weaning in sheep: consequences on behavioural, hormonal and immuno-pathological indicators of welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58: 87–103CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palestrini, C, Ferrante, V, Mattiello, S, Canali, E and Carenzi, C 1998 Relationship between behaviour and heart rate as an indicator of stress in domestic sheep under different housing systems. Small Ruminant Research 27: 177–181CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reale, D, Gallant, BY, Leblanc, M and Festa-Bianchet, M 2000 Consistency of temperament in bighorn ewes and correlates with behaviour and life history. Animal Behaviour 60: 589–597CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Romeyer, A and Bouissou, MF 1992 Assessment of fear reactions in domestic sheep, and influence of breed and rearing conditions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34: 93–119CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rushen, J 1986 Aversion of sheep for handling treatments: paired-choice experiments. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 16: 363–370CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rushen, J 1990 Use of aversion learning techniques to measure distress in sheep. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 28: 3–14CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rushen, J 1996 Using aversion learning techniques to assess the mental state, suffering, and welfare of farm animals. Journal of Animal Science 74: 1990–1995CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rushen, J, Taylor, AA and de Passille, AM 1999 Domestic animals fear of humans and its effect on their welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 65: 285–303CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevenson-Hinde, J 1983 Individual characteristics: a statement of the problem. In: Hinde, RA (ed) Primate Social Relationships: An Integrated Approach pp 28–34. Blackwell Scientific Publications: Oxford, UKGoogle Scholar
Stevenson-Hinde, J, Stillwell-Barnes, R and Zunz, M 1980 Subjective assessment of rhesus monkeys over four successive years. Primates 21: 66–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thornton, PD and Waterman-Pearson, AE 1999 Quantification of the pain and distress responses to castration in young lambs. Research in Veterinary Science 66: 107–118CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vandenheede, M and Bouissou, MF 1998 Effects of an enriched environment on subsequent fear reactions of lambs and ewes. Developmental Psychobiology 33: 33–453.0.CO;2-T>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vandenheede, M, Bouissou, MF and Picard, M 1998 Interpretation of behavioural reactions of sheep towards fear-eliciting situations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58: 293–310CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waynert, DF, Stooky, JM, Schwartzkopf-Genswein, KS, Watts, JM and Waltz, CS 1999 The response of beef cattle to noise during handling. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 62: 27–42CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wemelsfelder, F 1997a The scientific validity of subjective concepts in models of animal welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 53: 75–88CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wemelsfelder, F 1997b Investigating the animal's point of view: an inquiry into a subject-based method of measurement in the field of animal welfare. In: Dol, M, Kasanmoentalib, S, Lijmbach, S, Rivas, E and Van den Bos, R (eds) Animal Consciousness and Animal Ethics pp 73–89. Van Gorcum: Assen, HollandGoogle Scholar
Wemelsfelder, F 2001 The inside and outside aspects of consciousness: complementary approaches to the study of animal emotion. Animal Welfare 10: S129–S139 (Suppl)Google Scholar
Wemelsfelder, F, Hunter, EA, Mendl, MT and Lawrence, AB 2000 The spontaneous qualitative assessment of behavioural expressions in pigs: first explorations of a novel methodology for integrative animal welfare measurement. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 67: 193–215CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wemelsfelder, F, Hunter, EA, Mendl, MT and Lawrence, AB 2001 Assessing the ‘whole animal’: a free-choice-profiling approach. Animal Behaviour 62: 209–220CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wemelsfelder, F and Lawrence, AB 2001 The qualitative assessment of animal behavioural expression as an on-farm welfare-monitoring tool. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 30: 21–25 (Suppl)CrossRefGoogle Scholar