Qualitative behaviour assessment in intensively and extensively reared lambs
Conference Paper
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abstract
Qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA, from the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for
sheep) relies on the ability of humans to integrate perceived details of behaviour into descriptors
with emotional connotation that can be scaled and added to other quantitative indicators. The
complete AWIN protocol was performed in 14 groups (6 extensive, 2 semi-intensve and 6
intensive rearing system) of 15 young lambs (2 months of age) participating in the EcoLamb
project (ERA-Net SusAn funded), which aims to holistically evaluate lamb production sustainability
(meat quality, ecological footprint and animal welfare). Data on QBA (items were being scaled
from 0 –absence- to 10 -all the animals fully expressed the evaluated item-), familiar approach
and fleece quality tests were subjected to descriptive statistics analyses and showed herein.
Extensively reared lambs scored higher in descriptors such as aggressive, defensive, physically
uncomfortable or apathetic, whereas intensively reared lambs showed higher values in
descriptors such as agitated and fearful but also in other as active, sociable, vigorous, subdued,
calm, inquisitive and assertive. Semi-intensively reared lambs scored in between. All the animals
ruminated to some extent (when observed), the quality of the fleece was always acceptable and
no stereotypes were recorded. Minor lameness problems were observed in one extensive farm.
Regarding familiar approach, all animals (except in one farm) voluntarily approached to human,
despite a flight distance of 2 to 4 m was observed at the beginning. Although animal welfare is a
real complex matter to be assessed, do animals from different rearing systems express different
degree of positive emotional state?
