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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(6); 1074; doi: 10.3390/ani10061074

A New Framework for Assessing Equid Welfare: A Case Study of Working Equids in Nepalese Brick Kilns.

Abstract: Equids fulfil many different roles within communities. In low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), in addition to providing a source of income, equids also provide essential transport of food, water, and goods to resource-limited and/or isolated communities that might otherwise lack access. The aim of this investigation was to understand the welfare conditions that donkeys, mules, and horses are exposed to whilst working in Nepalese brick kilns. To understand the welfare conditions of equids in Nepalese brick kilns, the Welfare Aggregation and Guidance (WAG) tool in conjunction with the Equid Assessment, Research and Scoping (EARS) tool was used to understand the health, behaviour, nutrition, living and working conditions in brick kilns. Further analysis of individual EARS responses focused on key indicator questions relating to demographic information was used to investigate specific areas of welfare concern and attitudes of handlers towards their equids. Trained staff carried out welfare assessments between December 2018 and April 2019. The information gathered using the EARS tool was summarised using the WAG tool to pinpoint areas of welfare concern and suggest possible strategies to mitigate poor welfare conditions and suggest areas to improve the welfare of equids. Overall, the results indicate that to improve the welfare of equids working in Nepalese brick kilns, there should be better provision of clean water, both when working and stabled, equipment should be removed and shade provided during rest periods, with improvements made to housing to allow the equids to rest and recuperate when not working. Further work should also focus on collaborating with owners and equid handlers to improve their attitudes and practices towards their equids. Such improvements can be implemented via training of equid handlers and kiln owners whilst using the EARS and WAG tools to provide a sound basis on which to monitor the effectiveness and impact of education programs on equid welfare.
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Publication Date: 2020-06-22 PubMed ID: 32580418PubMed Central: PMC7341268DOI: 10.3390/ani10061074Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study aims to understand the welfare conditions of donkeys, mules, and horses working at Nepalese brick kilns. The researchers used the Welfare Aggregation and Guidance (WAG) tool in combination with the Equid Assessment, Research and Scoping (EARS) tool to study their health, behavior, nutrition, and living and working conditions. They suggested improvements could be made in areas such as clean water provision, better rest facilities, and attitude changes among handlers and owners.

Research Objective

  • The central objective of this study was to evaluate the welfare conditions of working equids, specifically horses, mules, and donkeys, in Nepalese brick kilns. Aside providing income, these equids are essential for the transport of food, water, and goods to isolated and resource-limited communities in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs).

Investigation Methodology

  • The researchers used two principal tools to evaluate the welfare conditions of the equids at the brick kilns: the Welfare Aggregation and Guidance (WAG) tool and the Equid Assessment, Research and Scoping (EARS) tool. The EARS tool captured relevant demographic information and data directly related to the equids’ health, behavior, nutrition, and working conditions, while the WAG tool was used to summarise this information and identify key areas of concern.
  • The actual welfare assessments were carried out by specially trained staff over a period between December 2018 and April 2019.

Key Findings

  • The tools used identified several areas that needed improvement: the provision of clean water for the equids both at work and back at the stables; the removal of equipment and providing of shade during resting hours; and making housing improvements that allow the equids to recuperate better when not working.
  • The study also pointed towards a need to improve the attitudes and practices of the equid handlers and owners. The researchers recommended that focusing on this aspect would greatly improve the working conditions for the equids, positively affecting their overall welfare.

Recommendation for Future Work

  • The research team suggested that the handlers and kiln owners should undergo training to learn better practices for the handling and care of their equids.
  • Additionally, the team recommended that both the EARS and WAG tools be used as the foundation for monitoring the impact and effectiveness of future educational programs aimed at improving equid welfare in Nepalese brick kilns.

Cite This Article

APA
Norris SL, Kubasiewicz LM, Watson TL, Little HA, Yadav AK, Thapa S, Raw Z, Burden FA. (2020). A New Framework for Assessing Equid Welfare: A Case Study of Working Equids in Nepalese Brick Kilns. Animals (Basel), 10(6), 1074. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10061074

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
PII: 1074

Researcher Affiliations

Norris, Stuart L
  • The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 0NU, UK.
Kubasiewicz, Laura M
  • The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 0NU, UK.
Watson, Tamlin L
  • The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 0NU, UK.
Little, Holly A
  • The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 0NU, UK.
Yadav, Atish K
  • Animal Nepal, Dhobhighat, Lalitpur 44600, Nepal.
Thapa, Sajana
  • Animal Nepal, Dhobhighat, Lalitpur 44600, Nepal.
Raw, Zoe
  • The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 0NU, UK.
Burden, Faith A
  • The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 0NU, UK.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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This article has been cited 11 times.
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