Farming non-typical sentient species: ethical framework requires passing a high bar.

More widespread farming of species not typically used as livestock may be part of a sustainable approach for promoting human health and economic prosperity in a world with an increasing population; a current example is peccary farming in the Neotropics. Others have argued that species that are local to a region and which are usually not farmed should be considered for use as livestock. They may have a more desirable nutrient profile than species that are presently used as livestock.

Object Play as a Positive Emotional State Indicator for Farmed Spotted Paca ().

We aimed to assess whether object play can be used as a positive emotional state indicator for farmed spotted pacas () by examining its association with other positive welfare markers including affiliative behavior and low-amplitude vocalizations. We submitted six groups of spotted pacas (one male/two females per group) (N = 18) to an ABA experimental design (A/A: without ball; B: with three boomer balls). Object play behavior occurred only during phase B (mean = 35.

The current state of welfare, housing and husbandry of the English pet rabbit population.

Background: The welfare of pet rabbits is an area of growing interest in Europe and the UK. This study analyses questionnaire results from a diverse population of 1254 rabbit owners from three different geographical areas in England with the aim of providing an accurate representation of how pet rabbits are currently housed and cared for and key aspects of their health and welfare.

Results: Rabbits were kept in a variety of different housing types, the most common being a traditional hutch/cage (59%).

Effects of litter size, sex and periconceptional ewe nutrition on side preference and cognitive flexibility in the offspring.

Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy alters the physiology, behaviour and cognitive abilities of the offspring in sheep. Undernutrition restricted to the time around conception alters the physiology of the offspring, but effects on the behaviour and cognitive abilities are unknown. We studied the effects of mild periconceptional undernutrition in sheep on side preference and cognitive flexibility in the offspring.