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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Welfare Conditions of Donkeys in Europe: Initial Outcomes fr...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2016; 6(1); 5; doi: 10.3390/ani6010005

Welfare Conditions of Donkeys in Europe: Initial Outcomes from On-Farm Assessment.

Abstract: This paper is a baseline study to present the initial outcomes of data collected in a sample of EU donkey farms using the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for donkeys, comprehensive of 22 valid, reliable and feasible animal-based indicators. A total of 20 donkey facilities (N = 12 in Italy and N = 8 in United Kingdom) were visited and 278 donkeys of different breed, aged 2-45 years, were assessed. Three assessors underwent a common training period to learn how to perform and score all the indicators included in the protocol. Data was collected using digitalized systems and downloaded to a database. A descriptive statistic for each welfare indicator was calculated. The authors found recurrent issues: 25% of donkeys were moderately over weight; although most of the assessed animals had good quality hoof care, 15.16% of them presented some signs of neglect, such as overgrowth and/or incorrect trimming; 18.05% of donkeys showed an avoidance reaction to an approaching human in the avoidance distance test. The protocol has proven to be applicable in different management conditions and for donkeys of different attitude.
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Publication Date: 2016-01-08 PubMed ID: 26761034PubMed Central: PMC4730122DOI: 10.3390/ani6010005Google 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.

The research article examines the welfare of donkeys in Europe by using a standardized protocol to assess a number of indicators across 20 different facilities. The researchers found a number of recurring issues relating to the care and treatment of the animals.

Methodology

  • The researchers used the Animal Welfare Indicator (AWIN) welfare assessment protocol for donkeys, which involves studying 22 different factors related to the wellbeing of the animals. These factors are all based on observable characteristics of the animals and their environment.
  • The study took place at 20 different donkey facilities (donkey farms) in the European Union, specifically in Italy and the United Kingdom. The sample was made up of 278 donkeys of varying breeds and ages (from 2 up to 45 years).
  • Three trained assessors carried out the evaluations detailed in the protocol.
  • All data was digitised and stored in a database for further analysis and interpretation. A descriptive statistic for each welfare indicator was calculated.

Findings

  • The study identified several repeat issues across the surveyed facilities. These are areas where animal welfare could be improved.
  • One quarter of donkeys were considered to be moderately overweight, suggesting issues with diet or exercise regimes in the studied facilities.
  • The quality of hoof care was generally good. However, 15.16% of donkeys showed signs of neglect such as hoof overgrowth or incorrect trimming, signalling an area that needs better attention.
  • 18.05% of the donkeys demonstrated an avoidance reaction when humans approached. This could suggest potential issues with the human-animal interactions in the studied facilities.

Conclusion

  • This study demonstrated that the AWIN welfare assessment protocol is applicable in a variety of management conditions for different breeds and attitudes of donkeys.
  • The results indicate there are improvements to be made in the care and treatment of donkeys in European facilities.

Cite This Article

APA
Dai F, Dalla Costa E, Murray LM, Canali E, Minero M. (2016). Welfare Conditions of Donkeys in Europe: Initial Outcomes from On-Farm Assessment. Animals (Basel), 6(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani6010005

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
PII: 5

Researcher Affiliations

Dai, Francesca
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milano, Italy. francesca.dai@unimi.it.
Dalla Costa, Emanuela
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milano, Italy. emanuela.dallacosta@unimi.it.
Murray, Leigh Margareth Anne
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milano, Italy. leigh_murray75@hotmail.co.uk.
Canali, Elisabetta
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milano, Italy. elisabetta.canali@unimi.it.
Minero, Michela
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133 Milano, Italy. michela.minero@unimi.it.

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
  1. Dai F, Riva MG, Dalla Costa E, Pascuzzo R, Chapman A, Minero M. Application of QBA to Assess the Emotional State of Horses during the Loading Phase of Transport.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Dec 19;12(24).
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  2. Kamran K, Akbar A, Naseem M, Samad A, Samiullah, Achakzai JK, Rehman ZU, Sohail Sajid M, Ali A. Participatory appraisal for healthcare and welfare management strategies of donkeys (Equus ascinus) in Balochistan, Pakistan.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:1005079.
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  3. Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar Schmidt C, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Stahl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Earley B, Edwards S, Faucitano L, Marti S, Miranda de La Lama GC, Costa LN, Thomsen PT, Ashe S, Mur L, Van der Stede Y, Herskin M. Welfare of equidae during transport.. EFSA J 2022 Sep;20(9):e07444.
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  4. Alberghina D, Statelli A, Monteverde V, Vazzana I, Cascone G, Panzera M. Serum Cortisol and Its Correlation with Leucocyte Profile and Circulating Lipids in Donkeys (Equus asinus).. Animals (Basel) 2022 Mar 26;12(7).
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  5. Deng L, Shi S, Li J, Tang C, Han Y, Xie P. A Survey of Smallholder Farms Regarding Demographics, Health Care, and Management Factors of Donkeys in Northeastern China.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:626622.
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  6. Dai F, Mazzola S, Cannas S, Heinzl EUL, Padalino B, Minero M, Dalla Costa E. Habituation to Transport Helps Reducing Stress-Related Behavior in Donkeys During Loading.. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:593138.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.593138pubmed: 33344531google scholar: lookup
  7. Dai F, Dalla Costa E, Cannas S, Heinzl EUL, Minero M, Mazzola SM. May Salivary Chromogranin A Act as a Physiological Index of Stress in Transported Donkeys? A Pilot Study.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jun 3;10(6).
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  8. Raw Z, Rodrigues JB, Rickards K, Ryding J, Norris SL, Judge A, Kubasiewicz LM, Watson TL, Little H, Hart B, Sullivan R, Garrett C, Burden FA. Equid Assessment, Research and Scoping (EARS): The Development and Implementation of a New Equid Welfare Assessment and Monitoring Tool.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Feb 13;10(2).
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