Table 1 Quantitative animal based measures with scoring scale and definition (Welfare Quality®, 2009)
Animal based measure | Score | Definition |
|---|---|---|
Body condition | 0 | Good body condition |
2 | Thin: visible spine, hip, pin bones | |
Bursitis | 0 | No evidence of bursae/swelling |
1 | One/several small bursae on the same leg or one large bursa | |
2 | Several large bursae on the same leg or one extremely large or eroded bursa | |
Manure | 0 | <20 % of body surface soiled with faeces |
1 | 20–50 % of body surface soiled with faeces | |
2 | >50 % of body surface soiled with faeces | |
Huddling | 0 | Pig lying with <50 % of its body on top of other pig |
2 | Pig lying with >50 % of its body on top of other pig | |
Shivering | 0 | No vibration of any body part |
2 | Vibration of any body part | |
Panting | 0 | Normal breathing |
2 | Rapid breath in short gasp | |
Wounds | 0 | <4 lesions on all zones of the body |
1 | 4–10 lesions on one or more zones of the body | |
2 | ≥10 lesions on two zones of body or one zone > 15 lesions | |
Tail biting | 0 | No evidence of tail biting |
2 | Evidence of tail biting | |
Lameness | 0 | Normal gait or slight lameness or abnormality in gait |
1 | Severely lame, weight bearing on affected limb | |
2 | No weight bearing on one limb or unable to walk | |
Pumping | 0 | No evidence of laboured breathing |
2 | Laboured breathing | |
Scouring | 0 | No liquid manure visible in pen |
1 | Some liquid manure in some areas of pen | |
2 | All faeces visible inside pen are liquid | |
Skin Condition | 0 | All skin of normal colour and texture |
1 | 0–10 % of skin has an abnormal colour or texture | |
2 | >10 % of skin has abnormal colour or texture | |
Hernia | 0 | No hernia/rupture |
1 | Small hernia/rupture | |
2 | Hernia/rupture touching the floor or with bleeding lesion | |
Twisted snout | 0 | No evidence of twisted snout |
2 | Evidence of twisted snout | |
Rectal prolapse | 0 | No evidence of rectal prolapse |
2 | Evidence of rectal prolapse | |
Coughing | n | Number of coughs |
Sneezing | n | Number of sneezes |
Human Animal Relation | 0 | ≤60 % showing a panic response |
2 | >60 % of the pigs fleeing, facing away or huddled in corner of pen | |
Negative social behaviour | % | Aggressive behaviour or any behaviour with a response from the disturbed animal or any tail in mouth behaviour |
Positive social behaviour | % | Sniffing, nosing, licking and moving gently away from the animal without an aggressive or flight reaction from this individual |
Pen investigation | % | Sniffing, nosing, licking all features of pen |
Use of enrichment material | % | Exploration towards straw and other suitable enrichment material |