Menchetti Laura, Zappaterra Martina, Nanni Costa Leonardo, Padalino Barbara
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 46, I-40127 Bologna, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Feb 13;11(2):494. doi: 10.3390/ani11020494.
This study aimed to apply a protocol for assessing camel welfare, to develop a scoring system for the welfare measures, to produce overall assessment indices, and to classify the animal units (i.e., pens) according to their welfare level. A total of 105 measures were collected at Herd level from 76 pens at a market in Qatar. The pens held 528 camels, 132 of which were evaluated at a deeper level (i.e., Animal level). Out of the 105 measures, 71 were selected, scored, and aggregated to reach a Total Welfare Index (TWI) for each pen. The TWI ranged from 46.2 to 69.8. The Good Feeding index, including measures related to prolonged thirst and prolonged hunger, was the most critical ( < 0.001), while the Good Health index, including measures related to the absence of injuries, disease and pain, was the less problematic ( < 0.001). However, most of the pens were classified as "unsatisfactory" (61.8%) and none as "excellent". Body Condition Score (BCS), Thirst Index, disease and physical injuries, presence of a shelter, and cleanliness of bedding were the measures which influenced the pens' classification the most ( < 0.05). The proposed model seems useful in the identification of camel welfare issues. Further applications, as well as the involvement of many scientists and stakeholders, are needed to refine and validate the protocol and its indices.
本研究旨在应用一套评估骆驼福利的方案，制定福利措施评分系统，生成总体评估指标，并根据福利水平对动物饲养单元（即围栏）进行分类。在卡塔尔一个市场的76个围栏中，从畜群层面共收集了105项指标。这些围栏里饲养着528头骆驼，其中132头在更深层次（即个体层面）进行了评估。在这105项指标中，71项被挑选出来、评分并汇总，以得出每个围栏的总福利指数（TWI）。TWI范围为46.2至69.8。包括与长期口渴和长期饥饿相关指标的良好饲养指数最为关键（<0.001），而包括与无损伤、疾病和疼痛相关指标的良好健康指数问题较小（<0.001）。然而，大多数围栏被归类为“不满意”（61.8%），没有一个被评为“优秀”。体况评分（BCS）、口渴指数、疾病和身体损伤、是否有遮蔽物以及垫料清洁度是对围栏分类影响最大的指标（<0.05）。所提出的模型似乎有助于识别骆驼福利问题。需要进一步应用以及众多科学家和利益相关者的参与，以完善和验证该方案及其指标。
