Behavioural indicators

• Behaviour is useful in a study of animal welfare because it gives an indication of how animals feel:

1. Choices that the animal makes
2. Reaction a variety of stimuli

• Behaviour assessments are therefore often used as indicators of welfare
• Animal welfare scientists use behavioural indicators to identify factors that are important to animals
• We can use behavioural indicators to recognize poor welfare or good welfare

Behavioural indicators to assess welfare

a. Normal Behaviour as Positive Indicators

• Feeding and drinking: regular grazing, ruminating, pecking, or drinking shows comfort.
• Resting and sleeping: lying comfortably, normal sleep–wake cycles indicate good welfare.
• Grooming and preening: self-grooming in cattle, dust-bathing in poultry, mutual grooming in horses and primates reflect absence of stress.
• Play behaviour: seen in young calves, lambs, piglets; indicates comfort, security, and positive welfare.

b. Abnormal or Negative Behavioural Indicators

• Stereotypies: repetitive, purposeless actions such as bar-biting (pigs), crib-biting (horses), tongue rolling (cattle), feather pecking (poultry).
• Aggression and excessive fighting: sign of overcrowding, poor social structure, or stress.
• Abnormal maternal behaviour: refusal to nurse young or aggression toward offspring.
• Lethargy or inactivity: reduced movement may signal illness, pain, or depression.

c. Social Behaviour Indicators

• Stable dominance hierarchy with minimal fights → good welfare.
• Excessive bullying, isolation, or repeated aggressive encounters → poor welfare.
• Animals seeking human contact calmly → positive welfare sign.

d. Vocalisation and Communication

• Excessive vocalisation often indicates distress, hunger, pain, or separation anxiety.
• Normal, low-frequency sounds (e.g., contented grunts in pigs, low calls in cattle) suggest comfort.

e. Response to Handling and Human Interaction

• Calm and easy handling → indicates animals are well-managed and not fearful.
• Panic, avoidance, or aggression → sign of stress, poor habituation, or negative human–animal interactions.

f. Exploration and Investigative Behaviour

• Healthy animals explore new objects, environments, or feed.
• Lack of curiosity or excessive fear toward novelty signals poor welfare.

g. Reproductive and Maternal Behaviour

• Successful courtship, mating, nest-building, and maternal care indicate good welfare.
• Infertility, poor maternal bonding, or neglect are negative welfare indicators.

h. Locomotion and Posture

• Normal walking, lying, and standing postures show absence of pain.
• Lameness, reluctance to move, or abnormal postures (arched back, shifting weight) reflect pain or poor housing.