In this paper, we explore the evolution of consumers’ perceptions and concerns about the effects that intensification of production systems could have on the welfare of farm animals. Despite the differences in definitions of animal welfare that make perceptions about this complex subject extremely variable, there is a growing perception that farm animal welfare should be protected and improved. There is an increasing appreciation of animal welfare parameters over other quality attributes, and animal-friendly products are considered healthier, safer, tastier, more hygienic, authentic, environmentally friendly, and traditional by many consumers. The willingness to pay for the increases in price that higher levels of farm animal welfare could produce could be promoted by means of adequate information about management and housing conditions of the different farming species. Welfare-friendly products that are properly labeled with clear information provided by an internationally accepted, transparent, and traceable monitoring system will increase consumers’ confidence in the food chain participants. Both consumers and citizens have the opportunity to improve the welfare of millions of farmed animals now and in the future, consumers by assuming their responsibility at the buying point, purchasing welfare-friendly products, and citizens by driving legislation to achieve some minimum standard of welfare conditions that could meet animals’ needs.

To determine the effects of castration of calves, with or without local anesthesia, on plasma cortisol, scrotal circumference, ADG, and ADFI, 56 Friesian bulls (5.5 mo of age; mean +/- SE BW = 173 +/- 2 kg) were randomly assigned to each of seven treatments: 1) control (CON); 2) s.c. injection of .1 mg of a human serum albumin-GnRH conjugate with DEAE-dextran adjuvant (HSA-GnRH); 3) burdizzo castration without local anesthetic (BURD); 4) burdizzo castration following local anesthetic administration (BURD + LA); 5) surgical castration without local anesthetic (SURG); 6) surgical castration following local anesthetic administration (SURG + LA); and 7) local anesthetic administration alone (LAA). Blood samples for cortisol analyses were taken via jugular catheter from -2 to 10 h and at 24, 48, and 72 h relative to treatment. Average daily feed intakes were recorded for 5-d periods and calves weighed at 7-d intervals before and after treatment. Local anesthetic alone had no effect (P > .10) on any variable. The HSA-GnRH calves had elevated (P < .05) plasma cortisol from 2 to 6 h compared with CON calves. Peak plasma cortisol was elevated (P < .01) in BURD, BURD + LA, SURG, and SURG + LA compared with CON calves. The SURG calves (46.0 ng/mL) had higher (P < .03) peak cortisol than BURD (31.4 ng/mL) and SURG + LA (35.4 ng/mL) calves. There was no difference in peak cortisol between BURD and BURD + LA (26.5 ng/mL) calves. The ADG from d 0 to 7 was reduced (P < .05) in calves in BURD + LA, SURG, and SURG + LA treatments (-.01, -.83 and -.24 kg, respectively) compared with CON calves (.54 kg). The ADFI were reduced (P < .05) in BURD and BURD + LA calves during d 1 to 5 and in BURD + LA, SURG, and SURG + LA calves during d 6 to 10 compared with CON calves. The scrotal circumferences of BURD and BURD + LA calves were greater (P < .05) than those of CON calves for 7- and 35-d periods post-castration, respectively. Castration induced increases in cortisol and decreases in ADG and ADFI. Surgical castration induced a greater plasma cortisol response than burdizzo castration, and the administration of local anesthetic reduced the cortisol response of surgical castrates but was less effective for burdizzo castrates.

A survey of attitudes towards the welfare and rights of animals was conducted in universities in 11 European and Asian countries, to improve understanding of cultural differences that might impact on trade and international relations. Collaborators' universities were recruited in each country to assist in the design, translation and administration of the survey via the internet in a convenient selection of the country's universities, providing 3,433 student responses from at least 103 universities. Respondents rated the acceptability of 43 major concerns about animals (focused on type of use, animal integrity, killing animals, animal welfare, experimentation on animals, changes in animal genotypes, the environment for animals and societal attitudes towards animals). Students from European countries had more concern for animal welfare than students from Asian countries, which may be partly explained by increased affluence of European students as there was a positive correlation between student expenditure and concern for animal welfare and rights. Southern and central European countries had most concern for animal rights and unnatural practices. Those in communist or former communist countries in Asia and Europe had most concern about killing animals and those in northern European countries the least. Regional similarities between neighbouring countries were evident in responses to animal issues and there were no differences between ethnic groups within a country. Thus, there were national and continental differences in European and Asian students' attitudes to animals' welfare and rights, which appear to arise as a result of the socio-political situation in regions rather than religious or other differences.

Simple SummaryWe surveyed university students in 11 Eurasian countries for their attitudes to animals, using an internet-based questionnaire to which 1,902 female and 1,530 male student responded from 102 universities. Across countries female students had greater concern for animal welfare and rights than males, but especially so in more gender empowered countries. One contributing factor appeared to be the greater association of females than males with pets, and a possible outcome was greater female avoidance of meat consumption, especially red meat.AbstractPrevious research has demonstrated that in households where the male partner is more dominant, there is convergence in male and female attitudes towards animals, whereas if the female partner is empowered they exhibit greater empathy towards animals than the male partner. We tested this theory of ‘female empowered empathy’ internationally in a survey of female and male students' attitudes towards use of animals, conducted in 11 Eurasian countries: China, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Iran, Ireland, South Korea, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Spain and Sweden. Gender empowerment was estimated for each country using the Gender Empowerment Measure designed by the United Nations. The survey was administered via the internet in universities within countries, and 1,902 female and 1,530 male student responses from 102 universities were received. Respondents rated the acceptability of 43 major concerns about human use of animals, and the importance of 13 world social issues, including animal protection, environmental protection and sustainable development. Females had greater concern for animal welfare and rights than males. There was a positive correlation between the Gender Empowerment Measure and the ratio of female to male concern for animal welfare and rights, but not for other world issues. Thus in countries where females were more empowered, principally Sweden, Norway and Great Britain, females had much greater concern than males for animal issues, whereas in other countries the responses of males and females were more similar. Across countries female students were more likely to avoid meat and less likely to avoid eggs, milk and seafood than male students, and were more likely to have kept pets than males. Females rated cats as more sentient than males did. The results demonstrate that females have greater concern for animal welfare and rights than males, and that this is more likely to be expressed in countries where females are relatively empowered, suggesting that ‘emancipated female empathy’ operates across countries as well as at a local level.

1. On a private property with a stable population of wild red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) and an appropriate habitat for the survival of the species, reinforcement repopulations were carried out in the months of October and November for two consecutive years using 5- to 6-month-old birds reared on a commercial game farm. 2. Of the 36 released birds, none was still alive by the following spring's breeding period. Mean survival time was 9.4 d in the first year and 7.6 d in the second year. 3. Seventy-two per cent of mortality was attributable to predation, 11% to hunting and 17% to doubtful causes of death, accidents and starvation. 4. Post-release mean dispersion was 377.8 m in the first year and 526.3 m in the second. Mean home range was 7.1 ha in the first year and 5.4 ha in the second. 5. The production systems and handling practices of commercial game farms may have modified some anti-predator ethological patterns and strategies, which might make it more difficult for the birds to adapt and integrate into the wild, resulting in reduced survival due to premature mortality.

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On a private property with a stable population of wild Red-Legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) and an appropriate habitat for the survival of the species, reinforcement repopulations were carried out using 54 birds that were 2 to 3 mo old and reared on a commercial game farm. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of repopulations, the behavior in the wild of released partridges, and the possible causes of success or failure of reinforcement population operations. The releases were carried out during August and September of 2 consecutive years. All birds were equipped with radio transmitter collars to determine their behavior after release. Two release methods were used in yr 1: an acclimatization cage (AC) method and a direct release method on the day of the birds arrival (DR). The aim of the release in yr 2 was to collect data to determine the influence of year conditions using the DR method. Of the 54 released birds, none remained alive by the time of the reproductive period in the following spring. The mean survival time was 16.79 d for the AC method and was 11.89 and 5 d for the DR method in yr 1 and 2, respectively. Of the recorded mortalities, we assigned 81.13% to predation, 7.55% to hunting, and 11.32% to unknown causes of death, accidents, or starvation. Repopulation was not successful at providing a long-term increase in partridge numbers, with most birds falling victim to predation within 1 mo of release. Dispersion is the maximum distance from the release point at which each bird was located. The postrelease mean dispersion was 437.65 m for the AC method and was 647.57 and 266.07 m for the DR method in yr 1 and 2, respectively.