Tschirren Linda, Bachmann David, Güler Ali Cem, Blaser Oliver, Rhyner Nicola, Seitz Andreas, Zbinden Erich, Wahli Thomas, Segner Helmut, Refardt Dominik
Research Group for Aquaculture Systems, Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.
Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, University of Berne, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Jan 11;11(1):145. doi: 10.3390/ani11010145.
Welfare in animal husbandry includes considerations of biology, ethics, ecology, law and economics. These diverse aspects must be translated into common quantifiable parameters and applicable methods to objectively assess welfare in animals. To assist this process in the field of aquaculture, where such methods are largely missing, we developed a model to assess fish welfare. A network of information was created to link needs, i.e., fundamental requirements for welfare, with parameters, i.e., quantifiable aspects of welfare. From this ontology, 80 parameters that are relevant for welfare, have practicable assessment methods and deliver reliable results were selected and incorporated into a model. The model, named MyFishCheck, allows the evaluation of welfare in five distinct modules: farm management, water quality, fish group behaviour, fish external and fish internal appearance, thereby yielding five individual grades categorising welfare ranging from critical, to poor, to acceptable, and good. To facilitate the use of the model, a software application was written. With its adaptability to different fish species, farming systems, regulations and purposes as well as its user-friendly digital version, MyFishCheck is a next step towards improved fish welfare assessment and provides a basis for ongoing positive developments for the industry, the farmers and the fish.
畜牧业中的动物福利涵盖生物学、伦理学、生态学、法律和经济学等多方面的考量。这些不同的方面必须转化为通用的可量化参数和适用方法，以便客观评估动物福利。为了在水产养殖领域（该领域在很大程度上缺乏此类方法）助力这一进程，我们开发了一个评估鱼类福利的模型。构建了一个信息网络，将需求（即福利的基本要求）与参数（即福利的可量化方面）联系起来。从这个本体论中，选取了80个与福利相关、具有可行评估方法且能得出可靠结果的参数，并将其纳入一个模型。该模型名为MyFishCheck，可在五个不同模块中评估福利：养殖管理、水质、鱼群行为、鱼的外观和鱼的内部状况，从而得出五个分别将福利从危急到差、到可接受、再到良好进行分类的单独等级。为便于使用该模型，编写了一个软件应用程序。MyFishCheck能够适应不同的鱼类品种、养殖系统、法规和目的，且其数字版本用户友好，是朝着改进鱼类福利评估迈出的下一步，并为该行业、养殖户和鱼类的持续积极发展提供了基础。
