Research Project

In the past, usually the assessment of animal welfare focussed on indications of impaired welfare. During the last years, however, the interest in indicators of good welfare has increased. One central question is in what extend animals experience positive emotions. The exploratory behaviour plays an important role in how the animals are able to orient in their environment. The typically high motivation to explore suggests that it is perceived intrinsically pleasant.

In the context of the EU-project Welfare Quality®, a possibility is looked for to judge such positive emotions in beef bulls. The assessment should be made during an on-farm monitoring; therefore, a judgement by means of a behavioural test is suggested. Aim of the investigation is to find out if it is realisable to evaluate, in a behavioural test, in what extend beef bulls have the possibility and the stimulation to perform exploratory behaviour in their everyday live.

• Heike Schulze Westerath
• Ute Knierim

• Schulze Westerath, H.; Laister, S.; Winckler, C.; Knierim, U. (2009): Exploration as an indicator of good welfare in beef bulls: an attempt to develop a test for on-farm assessment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 116, 126-133
• Schulze Westerath, H., Laister, S., Winckler, C., Knierim, U. (2007): Explorationsverhalten von Mastbullen unter verschiedenen Haltungsbedingungen – Versuch der Entwicklung eines praxistauglichen Tests. In: Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung 2007, KTBL-Schrift 461, KTBL, Darmstadt, 86-95

• Simone Laister
• Christoph Winckler, Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna

European Commision, Sixth Framework Programme

2006-2007