Development of novel animal based measures for negative affective states at farm and individual level and investigation of the interrelationship between negative affective state and health

Project objectives

1. To develop robust animal-based measures (ABMs) for negative affective states from various and complementary sources:

a. To identify behavioural indicators for pain, discomfort, chronic low arousal negative states, fear and frustration, and any negative affective state due to disease and poor physical condition;

b. To identify endocrine, molecular and metabolic responses as indicators of physiological stress for the above mentioned negative affective states;

c. To identify robust, valid and non-invasive ABM of negative affective states for systematic use on farm and individual level.

2. To explore the interrelationship between negative affective states and health:

a. To build a framework to assess the association between negative affective states and health;

b. To quantify the welfare consequences of a poor health status for several prevalent diseases and states of poor physical condition in various species;

c. To identify the impact of a subset of negative affective states as defined under (1) on the immune system and resistance to pathogens .

3. To provide training and workshops for researchers and other stakeholders, and to contribute to a single source of welfare indicators.

Outcomes and impacts

• Contribute to harmonised and standardised measures for assessment of negative affective states in various farmed species
• Facilitate welfare improvement on farm, during transport and slaughter