Presentations
Cows
Pain control for the castration of newborn bull calves by elastration by Mariah Crevier
We investigate pain control strategies for calves castrated by elastration prior to one week of age.
We will show how positive attitudes and positive professional values exist in the veterinary community towards positive welfare for dairy cows, although members of that community are uncertain of a veterinarian’s ability to influence change to current practices.
Compost-bedded pack barn management in Ontario: Enhancing animal welfare by Dr. Angie Wilson
We explore best management practices for compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns: an emerging alternative housing system for dairy cattle that offers potential advantages for cattle welfare, health and productivity, and social acceptability.
We present a cross-sectional study aimed to assess what management practices veterinarians recommended for down dairy cows in Ontario, and to identify factors influencing producers’ adoption of optimal care protocols.
Poultry
We investigate which pecking blocks, a form of edible enrichment, hens prefer to use, so as to increase their welfare via the opportunity to display natural foraging behaviours and potentially reduced injurious feather pecking.
We present on hens’ relative preferences for different pecking blocks, and how the time of day and strain differences affect this preference: information that can be used to promote hen welfare through meeting their foraging and nutritional needs.
The development of perching behaviour in a commercial pullet aviary by Josiah Mullet-Koop
We explore the development of highly motivated perching behaviour in pullets, to help to inform guidelines on perch provision during early life.
We examine the potential positive effects of synbiotics on poultry health and behaviour, by investigating whether laying hens can differentiate between synbiotic-supplemented and unsupplemented water, preferences for synbiotics, and whether they cause behavioural changes (e.g., reduced feather pecking).
Companion Animals
We investigate whether it matters that dogs involved in therapeutic settings commonly experience human touch interactions where they lack control.
We investigate canine fear behaviour during a novel human test in relation to owner fear survey scores, canine biomarkers (serum 5-HT, 5-HIAA, and fecal IgA), and demographic information of client-owned dogs receiving a standardized diet.
We share results from a national survey of animal healthcare service providers, to discuss regional trends in outreach and service provision, so setting the groundwork for evidence-based solutions to addressing animal welfare and care service gaps.
We investigate the Human-Animal Interaction Scale (as used for cats and dogs) as a tool for quantifying owner-companion rabbit interactions for rabbits with free-roam time.
Horses
Identifying risk facts for conflict behaviours in Canadian riding lesson horses by Caleigh Copelin
We investigate risk factors for ‘conflict behaviours’ in riding lesson horses, with a view to identifying management practices that will safeguard the welfare of these horses, increase rider safety, and promote social license to operate for the Canadian horse industry.
Mice
We investigate whether well-resourced, ‘enriched’ housing conditions makes males more attractive to females: something that could facilitate captive breeding success as well as enhancing animal welfare.
Research Posters
Cows
The relationship between cow personality traits and feeding and milking behaviors by Anna Schwanke
Poultry
Other
Zebrafish: Do bad barren backgrounds banish brainpower? by Olga Burenkova
