Previti Annalisa, Sicuso Diego Antonio, Biondi Vito, Bsrat Abrha, Pugliese Michela, Gebrekidan Behiru, Passantino Annamaria
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Mekelle University, Mekelle 231, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Vet Sci. 2025 Apr 18;12(4):380. doi: 10.3390/vetsci12040380.
In recent years, consumer demand for animal-friendly production systems has driven the livestock industry to improve welfare standards. Protocols have been developed for different species such as calves, pigs, laying hens, and broilers to assess farms, compare practices, and establish a baseline for optimal welfare. However, despite their undoubted importance and presence on farms, ostriches are not included in these protocols. This study aims to develop a protocol for the welfare assessment of ostriches reared in intensive and semi-intensive systems using different indicators, which is feasible and time efficient. The protocol developed combines animal-based measures (physiological, appearance, and behavioral) with resource-based and management-based measures (management and environmental). Specifically, the ostrich welfare assessment protocol (OWAP) included 41 non-invasive measures: 14 animal-based, 12 resource-based, and 15 management-based. These measures were selected for their relevance, reliability, and feasibility. Each parameter is scored on a graded scale based on its condition, and the scores are aggregated to determine the overall welfare status of the ostriches. A threshold is set to classify welfare as acceptable, suboptimal, or unacceptable. Out of a total score of 95 (64 for indirect measures and 31 for direct measures), a score <32 was considered unacceptable, between 32-63 suboptimal, and >63 optimal. This scoring system provides a systematic, objective approach to assessing ostrich welfare under different husbandry conditions.
近年来，消费者对动物友好型生产系统的需求促使畜牧业提高福利标准。已经为犊牛、猪、蛋鸡和肉鸡等不同物种制定了评估农场、比较养殖方式并确立最佳福利基线的方案。然而，尽管鸵鸟在农场中具有毋庸置疑的重要性且普遍存在，但这些方案中并未涵盖鸵鸟。本研究旨在制定一种使用不同指标对集约化和半集约化养殖系统中饲养的鸵鸟进行福利评估的方案，该方案可行且高效。所制定的方案将基于动物的测量方法（生理、外观和行为）与基于资源和基于管理的测量方法（管理和环境）相结合。具体而言，鸵鸟福利评估方案（OWAP）包括41项非侵入性测量指标：14项基于动物的指标、12项基于资源的指标和15项基于管理的指标。这些指标因其相关性、可靠性和可行性而被选中。每个参数根据其状况在分级量表上进行评分，分数汇总以确定鸵鸟的整体福利状况。设定一个阈值将福利分为可接受、次优或不可接受。在总分95分（间接测量64分，直接测量31分）中，得分<32分被认为不可接受，32 - 63分为次优，>63分为最优。这种评分系统为评估不同饲养条件下鸵鸟的福利提供了一种系统、客观的方法。
