Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy).
In Italy, and particularly in Tuscany, the presence of the wolf (Canis lupus L.) is steadily increasing causing problems connected with the coexistence with animal husbandry. In the Grosseto province, the complaints and protests of farmers are particularly strong so, it seemed interesting to evaluat...
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ftunivpisairis:oai:arpi.unipi.it:11568/1078085 2023-12-31T10:05:50+01:00 Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy). Claudia Russo Francesca Cecchi Pier Attilio Accorsi Nicoletta Scampuddu Maria Novella Benvenuti Lorella Giuliotti Russo, Claudia Cecchi, Francesca Attilio Accorsi, Pier Scampuddu, Nicoletta Benvenuti, MARIA NOVELLA Giuliotti, Lorella 2020 ELETTRONICO http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1078085 https://doi.org/10.2424/ASTSN.M.2020.08 eng eng volume:127 firstpage:113 lastpage:120 numberofpages:8 journal:ATTI DELLA SOCIETÀ TOSCANA DI SCIENZE NATURALI RESIDENTE IN PISA. MEMORIE. SERIE B http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1078085 doi:10.2424/ASTSN.M.2020.08 sheep wolf animal welfare hair cortisol Grosseto province Italy info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2020 ftunivpisairis https://doi.org/10.2424/ASTSN.M.2020.08 2023-12-06T17:53:13Z In Italy, and particularly in Tuscany, the presence of the wolf (Canis lupus L.) is steadily increasing causing problems connected with the coexistence with animal husbandry. In the Grosseto province, the complaints and protests of farmers are particularly strong so, it seemed interesting to evaluate the occurrence of predation events, the welfare level of the sheep farms and their relation with the chronic stress. The safeguard of animal welfare represent an important topic also in relation with the awareness of the consumers towards the ethic of animal production system. Sixteen farms in the Grosseto province were investigated. Animal welfare was estimated by the TOS-OVI method; it takes into account five Areas of interest (A: management; B: structures and housing conditions; C: environmental control; D: feeding and watering; E: health and behaviour) giving a final welfare score and judgment. Farms characteristics for the applying of the TOS-OVI method were gathered. Descriptive analysis of the farms characteristics was performed; one way ANOVA test was used to analyse the variability of cortisol related to the level of welfare and to the animals that experienced (Preyed) or not predation events (Not preyed). The checked farms were family business of medium-large size and reared Appenninica, Sarda, and Massese breeds. Seven farmers declared at least one predation event in the last six months, with four killed animals on average. Farmers complained not only dead animals but also abortion and decrease in milk production. Sixty-seven percent of the attacks occurred in the morning or in the early afternoon when the flock was free grazing on the pasture. Results on animal welfare showed an acceptable level in each farm, with optimal results mostly related to health, hygiene and behavioural aspects (Area E), while the Area A, related to management features showed the more critical deficiencies. Hair cortisol was low in all the animals, and it resulted significantly lower in the farms with the highest level of ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa |
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ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpisairis |
language |
English |
topic |
sheep wolf animal welfare hair cortisol Grosseto province Italy |
spellingShingle |
sheep wolf animal welfare hair cortisol Grosseto province Italy Claudia Russo Francesca Cecchi Pier Attilio Accorsi Nicoletta Scampuddu Maria Novella Benvenuti Lorella Giuliotti Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy). |
topic_facet |
sheep wolf animal welfare hair cortisol Grosseto province Italy |
description |
In Italy, and particularly in Tuscany, the presence of the wolf (Canis lupus L.) is steadily increasing causing problems connected with the coexistence with animal husbandry. In the Grosseto province, the complaints and protests of farmers are particularly strong so, it seemed interesting to evaluate the occurrence of predation events, the welfare level of the sheep farms and their relation with the chronic stress. The safeguard of animal welfare represent an important topic also in relation with the awareness of the consumers towards the ethic of animal production system. Sixteen farms in the Grosseto province were investigated. Animal welfare was estimated by the TOS-OVI method; it takes into account five Areas of interest (A: management; B: structures and housing conditions; C: environmental control; D: feeding and watering; E: health and behaviour) giving a final welfare score and judgment. Farms characteristics for the applying of the TOS-OVI method were gathered. Descriptive analysis of the farms characteristics was performed; one way ANOVA test was used to analyse the variability of cortisol related to the level of welfare and to the animals that experienced (Preyed) or not predation events (Not preyed). The checked farms were family business of medium-large size and reared Appenninica, Sarda, and Massese breeds. Seven farmers declared at least one predation event in the last six months, with four killed animals on average. Farmers complained not only dead animals but also abortion and decrease in milk production. Sixty-seven percent of the attacks occurred in the morning or in the early afternoon when the flock was free grazing on the pasture. Results on animal welfare showed an acceptable level in each farm, with optimal results mostly related to health, hygiene and behavioural aspects (Area E), while the Area A, related to management features showed the more critical deficiencies. Hair cortisol was low in all the animals, and it resulted significantly lower in the farms with the highest level of ... |
author2 |
Russo, Claudia Cecchi, Francesca Attilio Accorsi, Pier Scampuddu, Nicoletta Benvenuti, MARIA NOVELLA Giuliotti, Lorella |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Claudia Russo Francesca Cecchi Pier Attilio Accorsi Nicoletta Scampuddu Maria Novella Benvenuti Lorella Giuliotti |
author_facet |
Claudia Russo Francesca Cecchi Pier Attilio Accorsi Nicoletta Scampuddu Maria Novella Benvenuti Lorella Giuliotti |
author_sort |
Claudia Russo |
title |
Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy). |
title_short |
Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy). |
title_full |
Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy). |
title_fullStr |
Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy). |
title_full_unstemmed |
Investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the Grosseto province (Italy). |
title_sort |
investigation on sheep farm characteristics, wolf predation and animal welfare in the grosseto province (italy). |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1078085 https://doi.org/10.2424/ASTSN.M.2020.08 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_relation |
volume:127 firstpage:113 lastpage:120 numberofpages:8 journal:ATTI DELLA SOCIETÀ TOSCANA DI SCIENZE NATURALI RESIDENTE IN PISA. MEMORIE. SERIE B http://hdl.handle.net/11568/1078085 doi:10.2424/ASTSN.M.2020.08 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.2424/ASTSN.M.2020.08 |
_version_ |
1786837538141372416 |