OBJECTIVE This study explored the association between pet ownership and self-reported health in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS One hundred and ninety-three (193) people with medically diagnosed CFS completed a postal survey designed to collect information on illness severity, physical and psychologic health, and pet ownership practices. RESULTS Most of the par...

National animal health policies have at their foundation the overarching need to address society's concerns about animal disease control, the welfare of animals and the safety and security of the animal production food supply. However, in today's global, complex and interdependent context, national animal health policies also impact a broader range of policy outcomes, ranging from public health...

In this study, we sought to identify empirically the types of use and non-use values that motivate dairy farmers in their work relating to animal welfare of dairy cows. We also sought to identify how they prioritize between these use and non-use values. Use values are derived from productivity considerations; non-use values are derived from the wellbeing of the animals, independent of the prese...

Livestock continue to make a huge and diverse contribution to human health and well-being. About one quarter of the dietary energy and one half of the dietary protein of people in developed countries comes from animal and fish products. Contrary to all the predictions of thirty years ago, animal products are making a larger contribution to feeding people in developing countries than previously....

The dry period between successive lactations is crucial for regeneration of productive function of mammary tissue, preparation for high production, and to prevent new intramammary infections (IMI). With continually increasing production levels over time, the stress of abrupt drying-off could be a welfare concern, as well as an increased risk period for new IMI. The objectives of this study were...

Rubber flooring in dairies has become popular because of perceived cow comfort. The objective of this longitudinal study was to evaluate locomotion, stress, and immunity over the first 180d of each of the 1st and 2nd lactations of cows assigned to free-stall housing with either rubber (RUB) or concrete (CON) at the feed-alley of their housing. Cows entered the experiment at d −60 before 1st (n ...

The scientific assessment of the well-being of an animal involves finding indicators of three broad criteria: 1) a high level of biological functioning; 2) freedom from suffering in the sense of prolonged fear, pain, and other negative experiences; and 3) positive experiences such as comfort and contentment. The tools available to assess animal wellbeing include a mixture of common sense and cu...

Pigs have a very developed olfactory system that allows them to recognize cues from the environment within the first days after farrowing. Amniotic fluid is a cue that piglets use to recognize their own mother and guide them to this key resource post-natally. The aim of this study was to estimate if sucking piglets of different ages have the ability to discriminate between their own mother’s am...