The contents of this second issue in Volume 2 of the UFAW journal are mainly directed towards three areas of animal welfare concern: commercial poultry production, captive primates and the use of animals in scientific research.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were differences in fearfulness between laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) housed in aviaries and in cages. The tonic immobility (TI) test was used to assess the fearfulness. Norwegian light hybrid White Leghorn hens were housed in battery cages and in three types of aviaries: the Marielund, the Laco-Volétage and the Tiered Wire Floor. Each system housed about 1,500 birds. Tests were performed on 50 birds per housing system at 70 weeks of age in one laying flock and at 30 and 70 weeks of age in the next.

At 30 weeks of age in the second laying flock, the duration of the tonic immobility response was unaffected by type of system. At 70 weeks, however, hens in cages showed tonic immobility of longer duration than hens in aviaries, in the first as well as in the second laying flock No differences in TI between hens from the three types of aviaries were found. The duration of TI did not correlate with plumage condition or body-weight, except for a longer duration of TI with poorer plumage condition in aviaries at 30 weeks. These results indicate that the fearfulness of hens in cages, as measured by the TI test, increased considerably with time. The lower fearfulness shown by hens in aviaries suggests that this important aspect of welfare is more secured in aviaries than in cages.

This study measured the amount of time 17 chimpanzee infants devoted to stereotyped body rocking in a variety of nursery settings. Nine females and eight males ranging in age from three weeks to four years were included in the study. Some infants were placed in a peer group at a very early age and were given minimal human contact, while others were provided with more frequent human interaction and were placed in peer groups at varying ages. During the course of the study, infants were housed with varying numbers of chimpanzee companions and some were also provided with a canine companion. Four hundred and thirty-three hours of data were collected. Infants showed a decline in rocking over age and rocked less in the presence of a canine companion. Infant gender, the amount of human contact received at an early age, the age placed with at least one peer companion, and the current number of chimpanzee companions did not affect the time devoted to body rocking. These findings demonstrate that animal managers should look beyond conspecific stimulation for improving the social environment and overall welfare of chimpanzees. These results are further discussed in a framework of identifying possible strategies for minimizing rocking and promoting future behavioural competence in nursery-reared infants.

From two weeks of age female broiler breeder chickens were fed either on a commercial daily ration (R), twice that amount (2R), or ad libitum (AL). Motivation to eat in R and 2R birds was compared every third week with that of AL birds subjected to 3-72h food deprivation. AL and 2R birds grew three and two times faster than R birds to 20 weeks, and AL birds ate two to four times as much per day as R birds, depending on age and on whether birds of the same age or weight were compared. When feeding motivation was measured in 16min tests with an operant procedure, numbers of responses by R and 2R birds were not related in a consistent way to the time since their daily meal ended Responses by AL birds were correlated consistently with the preceding period of food deprivation, but it was not possible to express hunger in R and 2R birds in terms of equivalent deprivation in AL birds, as intended, because feeding motivation in the two situations differed in magnitude. Instead, it was calculated that motivation to eat in R and 2R birds, from 8 to 20 weeks, was 3.6 and 1.9 times greater than that of maximally (72h) deprived AL birds. Another measure of feeding motivation with different birds, rate of eating in 10min tests, produced a similar index of hunger with 2R but not R birds. It is concluded that broiler breeders fed on the commercial ration eat only a quarter to a half as much as they would with free access to food, and that they are highly motivated to eat at all times. The modern broiler breeder industry is caught in a welfare dilemma, since on the one hand stock appear to be chronically hungry, while on the other hand less severe food restriction leads to reduced fertility and health problems.

Captive chimpanzees fed at regular, predictable intervals are known to exhibit higher rates of aggression immediately prior to, and during feeding. Presumably, anticipation of food creates tensions leading to increased agonistic interactions prior to feeding. This study was conducted to determine if seasonal variabilities might contribute to pre-feeding agonism. A quantitative examination was made looking at events affected by seasonal (summer versus autumn) changes. Seasonal fruit diversity and the amount of available space during feeding bouts in socially housed, captive chimpanzees were tested for an effect on pre-feeding agonism. Groups were observed for a five-week period during both seasons. Each social group was observed five times per season for 30 minutes, beginning 30 minutes prior to the morning feeding. All occurrences of agonistic behaviours were recorded. Average frequencies of agonistic behaviours were calculated for each group and compared across season using a Wilcoxon matched-pairs test to determine the effect of seasonal fluctuations in fruit diversity. There were no significant differences in the number of agonistic behaviours exhibited during summer versus autumn seasons. A strong negative correlation was found for agonistic behaviours in both seasons: as space decreased, agonism increased in both summer and autumn. In addition, males scored significantly higher in the summer versus the autumn for submissive behaviours when space decreased. The provision of a variety of seasonal fruits did not result in increased pre-feeding agonism in captive chimpanzees. In fact, cage size had a greater effect on levels of agonism than did the provision of seasonal fruits.

An attempt was made to encourage more foraging behaviour in eight pair-housed adult rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). No special device and no special food were used Daily commercial dry food rations (238g per animal) consisting of 33 bar-shaped or 16 star-shaped biscuits per animal were placed on the mesh ceiling of the cages instead of in the feed-boxes. This induced an 80-fold increase (17.0 vs 1362.9s) and 289-fold increase (12.3 vs 3551.4s), respectively, in foraging time. The animals spent on average 9.6 per cent and 24.7 per cent respectively, of four-hour observation sessions foraging for biscuits from the mesh ceiling. Working for their food did not discourage them from eating all left-overs in the course of a day regardless of the shape of the biscuits.

It was concluded that the new feeding procedure enhanced the animals’ behavioural well-being by encouraging foraging activities thereby helping to counteract understimulation.

The Compassion in World Farming Trust (CIWF Trust; formerly the Athene Trust) has just published a straightforward account and criticism of the slaughter methods currently being used on broiler chickens in the UK. The printed document is backed-up by a four minute video, made by CIWF Trust and the National Society Against Factory Farming, which shows in vivid close-up what happens to chickens from their arrival in the slaughterhouse until they are placed on the supermarket shelf.

Each year the many animal welfare societies in the UK publish their annual reports. Some of these numerous publications are of more general interest and value than others. The Annual Pictorial Review of Advocates for Animals (previously the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Vivisection) is one of the better ones.

The development of intensive livestock production systems over the last forty or so years has resulted in large numbers of animals being looked after by relatively small numbers of stockmen. This widening of the animal: man ratio has been made possible by the increasing use of mechanical and electronic (computer) devices to maintain, manipulate and monitor these intensively kept animals. Nowadays it is possible to warm/ventilate and clean out animal houses by means of carefully engineered control systems; cows can be automatically milked; pigs can be permitted/refused access to a ‘help yourself’ feeding station according to the identification code held within their neck collar; poultry can have their body-weights regularly monitored and the stockman can be informed when the flock's weight gain deviates significantly from a preset norm. There are many potential production and welfare advantages to be gained from the use of these mechanical and electronic devices - there are also potential disadvantages, for example reduction in the stockman's contact with the individual animal, the danger of power cuts.

Anthrozoology, the study of interactions between man and animals is essentially an interdisciplinary science, involving specialists in biology, psychology, social sciences, medicine and veterinary science. The subject has emerged as a speciality over the last five years, seeing the initiation of for example its first peer-reviewed journal, Anthrozoös, and foundation of the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ).

There is a considerable current debate going on as to the ethical, environmental, socio-biological and economic implications of man's use of biotechnology. A particular conflict revolves around the possible patenting of genetically engineered life-forms. It is as difficult, sometimes, for biologists to grasp the socio-legal arguments over these matters as it is for lawyers and philosophers to understand the underlying science and technology. The biologists’ problems will be lessened by a study of the proceedings of a conference jointly convened by the Intellectual and Industrial Property Society and the Monash University Centre for Human Bioethics, held in Melbourne, Australia in October 1990. Selected papers from this conference were printed in 1991 in Intellectual Property Forum: Journal of the Intellectual and Industrial Property Society. The eleven published papers, which mainly cover the ethical, social and legal arguments over the patenting and commercialization of new life-forms, are a most useful source of opinion and information in this difficult but most important technological area.

The Research Defence Society (RDS) in 1991 organized a conference, which was held on the premises of the Royal Society in London, and invited several of the good and the great in biomedical research to speak on the subject of animal experimentation. This conference is one of a number of attempts made over the last few years to explain to the informed and sometimes to the general public the role, value and problems of scientific research using animals. These ‘explanations’ have ranged from apologetic defences to proud boastings. The proceedings volume of the RDS conference should, perhaps, be described as an example of ‘quiet pride in real achievement’. There are five main papers on the role of animal experimentation in the future of medicine, in fundamental studies, in the discovery of drugs and in neuroscience and cancer research. Only two short papers (5 pages in total) are devoted directly to the ethical implications of using animals; there are, however, a number of ethical points made in the main papers and in particularly in the most interesting thirteen pages of recorded discussion. The volume has a useful index.

There has, up to now, been little in the way of sound informative literature on the employment of animals in biomedical research which could be recommended as an education resource for use in schools. This deficit has largely been overcome by the publication of two booklets: The Search for Health and Animal Experiments. The first of these has been put out by the Research for Health Charities Group and is a broad account of the role of research in developing modem treatments for human diseases. A serious attempt is made to explain, in as simple terms as possible, the underlying biology of disease processes and at relevant points in the explanations, the role of animal experimentation is discussed. There is little coverage of the control of animal usage.