1. Clarification: The 2013 Guidelines make a distinction between euthanasia, humane killing, and slaughter, and state that neither slaughter nor humane killing is covered in the document P.68, S6.1.1. Not included among the definitions of these terms are ending the lives of healthy animals or scientific collection of animals. For clarification, whatever the term used, classification of the method, or reason given for killing animals: euthanasia, humane killing, slaughter, harvest, depopulation, scientific collection, or research-related, the Council on Accreditation’s foremost concern, in all situations, is with humane technique. The goal of humane technique is to minimize pain, distress, and the negative effect to the animal. The technique employed should result in rapid loss of consciousness followed by cardiac or respiratory arrest and, ultimately, a loss of brain function. Although complete absence of pain and distress is preferred, it is understood that it cannot always be achieved P7.13.2.

https://works.bepress.com/cheryl_greenacre/14/download/

AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition

Assessment of positive emotions in animals to improve their welfare.

To study the operational behaviour of λ-terms, we will use the denotational (mathematical) approach. A denotational semantics for a language is based on the choice of a space of semantics values, or denotations, where terms are to be interpreted. Choosing a space with nice mathematical properties can help in proving the semantic properties of terms, since to this aim standard mathematical techniques can be used.

λ Δ -Models

https://www.reed.edu/biology/professors/srenn/pages/teaching/2008_syllabus/2008_readings/1_MorganTromborg2008.pdf

Sources of stress in captivity

Life history theory provides a metatheoretical framework for the study of pubertal timing from an evolutionary-developmental perspective. The current article reviews 5 middle-level theories--energetics theory stress-suppression theory psychosocial acceleration theory paternal investment theory and child development theory--each of which applies the basic assumptions of life history theory to the question of environmental influences on timing of puberty in girls. These theories converge in their conceptualization of pubertal timing as responsive to ecological conditions but diverge in their conceptualization of: a. the nature extent and direction of environmental influences and; b. the effects of pubertal timing on other reproductive variables. Comparing hypotheses derived from the 5 perspectives are evaluated. An extension of W.T. Boyce and B.J. Elliss (in press) theory of stress reactivity is proposed to account for both inhibiting and accelerating effects of psychosocial stress on timing of pubertal development. This review highlights the multiplicity of (often unrecognized) perspectives guiding research raises challenges to virtually all of these and presents an alternative framework in an effort to move research forward in this arena of multidisciplinary inquiry. (authors)

https://cals.arizona.edu/fcs/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fcs/files/Psyc%20Bull%20Ellis%202004.pdf

Timing of Pubertal Maturation in Girls: An Integrated Life History Approach.

Effects of a Subacute Ruminal Acidosis Model on the Diet Selection of Dairy Cows

The effects of weaning at 7, 14 and 28 days on piglet behaviour

http://directory.umm.ac.id/Data%20Elmu/jurnal/A/Applied%20Animal%20Behaviour%20Science/Vol68.Issue1.2000/1644.pdf

Working for a dustbath: are hens increasing pleasure rather than reducing suffering?

On-farm comparison of keel fracture prevalence and other welfare indicators in conventional cage and floor-housed laying hens in Ontario, Canada

Within minutes after prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) injection on d 112 postcoitum and again in the last few hours before delivery of the first piglet around 22 h later, sows in pens intensely rooted and pawed, which is typical prepartum nestbuilding behavior. Control sows engaged in most such typical prepartum activity (TPA) within 16 h before delivery. The overall frequencies and durations of TPA for the 48-h prepartum period were not influenced by injection, but injection of PGF2 alpha did alter the temporal pattern of behavior and resulted in a bimodal profile of activity. The PGF2 alpha injected 24 h postpartum immediately induced TPA in sows, but it was less intense and shorter than prepartum TPA. Postpartum only, some PGF2 alpha sows rubbed or kicked at their abdomens and seemed to experience discomfort. Because PGF2 alpha elicited TPA both pre- and postpartum, TPA probably was not directly triggered by changes in plasma progesterone concentration or in the estrogen:progesterone ratio. After injection of .5 or 1 mg PGF2 alpha, prepubertal pigs (approximately 10 kg) lay more but also changed posture more often. After PGF2 alpha, slight or no TPA was seen, but pigs pawed more often, showed signs of abdominal discomfort, defecated more often, stretched and arched their backs and scratched or kicked at their sides or abdomens. Most PGF2 alpha-induced TPA by prepartum sows probably is not caused by some general peripheral effect, but rather by some neural or endocrine change that stimulates nestbuilding specifically in animals primed by the endogenous endocrine environment of late pregnancy.

Tina M. Widowski

Papers

Effects of a Subacute Ruminal Acidosis Model on the Diet Selection of Dairy Cows

The effects of weaning at 7, 14 and 28 days on piglet behaviour

Working for a dustbath: are hens increasing pleasure rather than reducing suffering?

On-farm comparison of keel fracture prevalence and other welfare indicators in conventional cage and floor-housed laying hens in Ontario, Canada

Behavioral Responses of Periparturient Sows and Juvenile Pigs to Prostaglandin F2α