@article{rhea_camacho_amoriello_correa_lewbart_cruz_velez_castillo_pairis-garcia_2023, title={Assessing Livestock Production Practices on Small-Scale Multi-Species Farms Located on Floreana Island, Galapagos Islands}, volume={13}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/686}, DOI={10.3390/ani13040686}, abstractNote={Globally to date, established international standards for animal welfare, a priority of sustainable agriculture, have primarily focused on large-scale producers. However, across Latin America, including in Ecuador's Galápagos Islands, smallholder farms play a critical role in food safety and security. We assessed five basic animal welfare measures (feed and water access, shelter availability and housing systems, animal health management, animal behavior, and timely euthanasia) for poultry, pigs, and cattle on Floreana Island, Galápagos. Utilizing assessment standards from multiple US sources and international standards, we developed a questionnaire and used it to conduct in-depth interviews during 4-5 July 2022 with eight participating producers, representing 75% of animal agriculture on Floreana. While we identified opportunities to enhance competencies in animal health management and timely euthanasia, farms performed well in the other assessed measures. Future work should promote knowledge transfer and in-country capacity building in farm biosecurity, access to veterinary care, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, and euthanasia methods. Efforts to positively impact smallholder farm livelihoods in Galápagos-one of the most biodiverse and protected ecosystems on the planet-will sustainably support human health through the interconnected realms of animal health and welfare, wildlife and environmental health, and food safety and security.}, number={4}, journal={ANIMALS}, author={Rhea, Sarah and Camacho, Blanca E. and Amoriello, Carrisa W. and Correa, Maria and Lewbart, Gregory A. and Cruz, Marilyn and Velez, Alberto and Castillo, Paulina and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2023}, month={Feb} } @article{pearce_neill_royal_pairis-garcia_2023, title={Can dogs help chickens? Pet owners' willingness to pay for animal welfare-friendly pet food in the United States}, volume={32}, ISSN={["2054-1538"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2022.3}, DOI={10.1017/awf.2022.3}, abstractNote={Abstract Consumer concern about farmed animal welfare is growing but does not always translate into real-world purchasing behaviour of welfare-friendly animal products for human consumption. Possible reasons for this include unfamiliarity with farming practices and economic sensitivity. In contrast, the number and role of pets in the United States have grown measurably, and spending on pets is strong. The pet food market has many opportunity niches as pet owners navigate strong marketing trends and nutrition philosophies. We hypothesised that pet owners in the US would be willing to pay a premium for pet food containing welfare-friendly animal ingredients. Eight hundred and thirty-eight pet owners completed an online survey asking questions that measured their knowledge of and interest in farm animal welfare, and their willingness-to-pay for pet food labelled as farm animal welfare-friendly. Respondents overall displayed relatively low knowledge about farm animal welfare, but poor self-assessment of their own knowledge. They displayed interest in farm animal welfare and an overall positive mean willingness-to-pay (WTP) for welfare-friendly pet food. Younger respondents, women and cat owners displayed a higher WTP than older respondents, men and dog owners. Income level was not correlated to WTP. Creating pet food products that contain animal ingredients produced using welfare-friendly practices may enhance farm animal welfare via two primary avenues: by providing a sustainable and value-added outlet for the by-products of welfare-friendly human food products, and by providing an educational opportunity about farm animal production via pet food packaging and other advertising.}, journal={ANIMAL WELFARE}, author={Pearce, Hillary and Neill, Clinton L. and Royal, Kenneth and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2023}, month={Jan} } @article{lopez-soriano_merenda_anderson_trindade_leidig_messenger_ferreira_pairis-garcia_2023, title={Efficacy of inguinal buffered lidocaine and intranasal flunixin meglumine on mitigating physiological and behavioral responses to pain in castrated piglets}, volume={4}, ISSN={["2673-561X"]}, DOI={10.3389/fpain.2023.1156873}, abstractNote={Managing castration pain on US sow farms is hindered by the lack of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved products for mitigating pain. Previous work assessing flunixin meglumine (FM) efficacy in mitigating castration pain has shown the drug to be effective in pigs, meanwhile, results from previous work evaluating lidocaine efficacy are contradictory. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy of inguinal buffered lidocaine (BL) and FM in mitigating castration pain in piglets. This study was divided into Part I (physiological response) and Part II (behavioral response). For part I piglets were randomly assigned to the following treatments: T1: (C) Castration plus physiological saline; T2: (S) Sham plus physiological saline; T3: (CL) Castration plus BL; T4: (SL) Sham plus BL; T5: (CF) Castration plus FM; T6: (SF) Sham plus FM; T7: (CLF) Castration plus BL and FM; T8: (SLF) Sham plus BL and FM. Blood was collected 24 h prior to castration, 1 h, and 24 h post castration for cortisol quantification. For Part II another cohort of piglets was enrolled and randomly assign to the following treatments: T1: (C) Castration plus physiological saline and T7: (CLF) Castration plus BL and FM. Behavior scoring was obtained in real-time by observing each piglet for 4-min continuously using Unesp-Botucatu pig acute pain scale (UPAPS) at the following timepoints: 1 h before castration (-1 h), immediately post-castration (0 h), and 3 h post-castration (+3 h). Average cortisol concentrations did not differ at -24 h (P > 0.05) or at 24 h post-castration (P > 0.05) between treatments. At 1 h post-castration, castrated piglets (C and CL) demonstrated greater cortisol concentrations (P < 0.05). Castrated piglets in the CF and CLF group had lower cortisol concentrations compared to C and CL-treated pigs (P < 0.05). For behavioral response, there were no differences between treatments on total UPAPS scores (C and CLF, P > 0.05). Intranasal FM was able to effectively reduce the physiological piglet's response immediately post-castration. Inguinal buffered lidocaine had no effect on the either physiological or behavioral response to pain. Long-term research should focus on refining injection techniques for inguinal BL and consider administration frequency and dosing of intranasal FM to control pain for a longer period post-castration.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH}, author={Lopez-Soriano, Magdiel and Merenda, Victoria Rocha and Anderson, Stephanie and Trindade, Pedro Henrique Esteves and Leidig, Martin S. and Messenger, Kristen and Ferreira, Juliana Bonin and Pairis-Garcia, Monique Danielle}, year={2023}, month={Jun} } @article{merenda_oliveira_lopez-soriano_arruda_robbins_pairis-garcia_2023, title={Interactive euthanasia training program for the dairy industry: Implementation and perceived respondent knowledge change}, volume={106}, ISSN={["1525-3198"]}, DOI={10.3168/jds.2022-22928}, abstractNote={This study described the development of an interactive euthanasia training program and its potential to improve dairy workers' perceived euthanasia decision-making skills and awareness of timely euthanasia by using a survey instrument before and after the program. Training material encompassed euthanasia information over 2 production stages (calves and cows or heifers) and material was delivered on-farm in a case-scenario format (14 cases). During a 3-mo period, 30 different dairy farms were visited and 81 participants were enrolled in this study. Each participant was required to complete a survey pretraining, to complete the case studies from the production stage in which their job responsibility was more closely aligned with (estimated completion time of 1 h), and to complete a survey post-training. Surveys contained 8 statements regarding participants' perceived knowledge of euthanasia practices. The questions were answered on a 5-point scale: (1) strongly disagree, (2) disagree, (3) neither agree nor disagree, (4) agree, or (5) strongly agree. Multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression models were created for each question to investigate the effect of age, sex, dairy experience, farm size, role at the farm, race, previous experience with euthanasia, veterinarian degree, and production stage in the score change, defined by the presence or absence of an increase in the 5-point scale score. Upon completion of the training, respondents were more confident in identifying compromised animals (score change = 0.35), determining when an animal should be euthanized (score change = 0.64), and understanding the importance of timely euthanasia (score change = 0.26). Age and euthanasia experience were significantly associated with the respondents' perceived knowledge; suggesting that younger, less-experienced caretakers on-farm should be prioritized to receive training. The proposed interactive case-based euthanasia training program has proven to be valuable to dairy participants and veterinarians as it provides a means to improve dairy welfare.}, number={8}, journal={JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE}, author={Merenda, Victoria R. and Oliveira, Eduardo B. and Lopez-Soriano, Magdiel and Arruda, Andreia G. and Robbins, Ashley and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D.}, year={2023}, month={Aug}, pages={5659–5671} } @article{akinyemi_vigors_turner_akaichi_benjamin_johnson_pairis-garcia_rozeboom_steibel_thompson_et al._2023, title={Precision livestock farming: a qualitative exploration of swine industry stakeholders}, volume={4}, ISSN={["2673-6225"]}, DOI={10.3389/fanim.2023.1150528}, abstractNote={Introduction Precision livestock farming (PLF) technology development has proliferated recently, but on-farm adoption has lagged. Understanding PLF stakeholders’ views, practical applications, limitations, and concerns are necessary to understand the factors influencing the adoption of PLF technology. Methods Using semi-structured online interviews, 12 influential stakeholders’ PLF views and lived experiences were investigated. A phenomenological paradigm was used to generate qualitative data that was analyzed using template analysis. Results We identified two unique groups of stakeholders, namely the PLF enthusiast and PLF cautious groups. The majority of the participants were well aware and had firsthand experience with the PLF technologies that are currently being used in the swine industry. Discussion We found that PLF technology was perceived to improve specificity in decision-making, better care for pigs, improve animal health and welfare, increase labor efficiency, and improve resource-use efficiency. Poor internet connectivity and the inability to use PLF data for decision-making due to needing to first complete daily on-farm tasks were considered key obstacles to its implementation. To integrate PLF technology into the existing barn environment, it is necessary to modify farm buildings and infrastructure and management protocols. Stakeholders’ main concerns with PLF technology included data privacy issues and the influence of PLF technology on human-animal relationships and farmers’ duty of care to the animals. In conclusion, stakeholders perceived camera systems for monitoring pig health and welfare and ensuring individual pig identification as a high priority in PLF development going forward.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Akinyemi, Babatope E. and Vigors, Belinda and Turner, Simon P. and Akaichi, Faical and Benjamin, Madonna and Johnson, Anna K. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D. and Rozeboom, Dale W. and Steibel, Juan P. and Thompson, David P. and et al.}, year={2023}, month={May} } @article{robles_luna_trindade_lopez-soriano_merenda_viscardi_tamminga_lou_pairis- garcia_2023, title={Validation of the Unesp-Botucatu pig composite acute pain scale (UPAPS) in piglets undergoing castration}, volume={18}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0284218}, abstractNote={To accurately assess pain and support broadly-based analgesic protocols to mitigate swine pain, it is imperative to develop and validate a species-specific pain scale. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical validity and reliability of an acute pain scale (UPAPS) adapted for newborn piglets undergoing castration. Thirty-nine male piglets (five days of age, 1.62 ± 0.23 kg BW) served as their own control, were enrolled in the study and underwent castration in conjunction with an injectable analgesic administered one-hour post-castration (flunixin meglumine 2.2 mg/kg IM). An additional 10, non-painful female piglets were included to account for the effect of natural behavioral variation by day on pain scale results. Behavior of each piglet was video recorded continuously at four recording periods (24 h pre-castration, 15 min post-castration, 3 and 24 h post-castration). Pre- and post-operative pain was assessed by using a 4-point scale (score 0–3) including the following six behavioral items: posture, interaction and interest in surroundings, activity, attention to the affected area, nursing, and miscellaneous behavior. Behavior was assessed by two trained blinded observers and statistical analysis was performed using R software. Inter-observer agreement was very good (ICC = 0.81). The scale was unidimensional based on the principal component analysis, all items except for nursing were representative ( r s ≥ 0.74) and had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.85). The sum of scores were higher in castrated piglets post-procedure compared to pre-procedure, and higher than in non-painful female piglets confirming responsiveness and construct validity, respectively. Scale sensitivity was good when piglets were awake (92.9%) and specificity was moderate (78.6%). The scale had excellent discriminatory ability (area under the curve > 0.92) and the optimal cut-off sum for analgesia was 4 out of 15. The UPAPS scale is a valid and reliable clinical tool to assess acute pain in castrated pre-weaned piglets.}, number={4}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Robles, I and Luna, S. P. L. and Trindade, P. H. E. and Lopez-Soriano, M. and Merenda, V. R. and Viscardi, A. V. and Tamminga, E. and Lou, M. E. and Pairis- Garcia, M. D.}, year={2023}, month={Apr} } @article{merenda_oliveira_fowler_pairis-garcia_2022, title={Dairy Cattle Euthanasia-Focus Groups Exploring the Perspectives of Brazilians Working in the Dairy Cattle Industry}, volume={12}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/4/409}, DOI={10.3390/ani12040409}, abstractNote={The objective of this study was to explore perspectives and attitudes about euthanasia specific to the Brazilian dairy cattle industry. Twenty-five Brazilian citizens (13 veterinarians, 4 animal scientists, 3 professors, 3 researchers, 1 dairy owner, and 1 caretaker) participated in one of three focus groups conducted and recorded online (10, 8, and 7 participants per group). Questions regarding euthanasia were posed by a moderator, and the focus group discussions were then transcribed verbatim for analysis. After the initial data analysis, themes were evaluated and collapsed into three major categories: Euthanasia Training and Farm and Human Components. A complex interconnection between the three main themes and multiple subthemes specific to dairy cattle euthanasia was also revealed. The lack of nationally recognized euthanasia guidelines for dairy cattle paired with ineffective and inaccessible euthanasia tools makes it difficult for dairy veterinarians to implement humane protocols for on-farm euthanasia. In addition, logistical factors, particularly, the financial cost of euthanasia and the human-animal bond, play a role in the failure to perform euthanasia when warranted. Future studies should focus on the development of science-based standards and producer training to improve the consistency of on-farm euthanasia in Brazilian dairy operations.}, number={4}, journal={ANIMALS}, author={Merenda, Victoria R. and Oliveira, Eduardo B. and Fowler, Heather N. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D.}, year={2022}, month={Feb} } @article{lopez-soriano_merenda_trindade_luna_pairis-garcia_2022, title={Efficacy of transdermal flunixin in mitigating castration pain in piglets}, volume={3}, ISSN={["2673-561X"]}, DOI={10.3389/fpain.2022.1056492}, abstractNote={Castration is a painful procedure performed in swine and to date, there are no approved products available in the US to alleviate this pain. Previous work evaluating the efficacy of flunixin meglumine has shown promise in mitigating pain in swine, but no work to date has evaluated transdermal flunixin efficacy in mitigating castration pain in piglets. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transdermal flunixin (TDF) in mitigating castration pain utilizing a previously validated behavioral pain scale. A total of 98 Large White x Duroc cross male piglets from 98 litters were enrolled in this study. Piglets were randomly assigned to the following treatments: (1) TDF plus castration (3.33 mg/kg; CF; n = 24), (2) TDF plus sham castration (3.33 mg/kg; SF; n = 26), (3) topical physiological saline plus sham castration (S; n = 24), or (4) topical physiological saline plus castration (C; n = 24). All treatments were administered 24 h prior to castration. Four-min continuous videos clips were collected 24 h before castration (-24 h), immediately post-castration (0 h), and 24 h post-castration (+24 h). Video clips were then observed and scored by one trained observer using a 4-point pain scale (score 0-3) encompassing the five behavioral domains of the pig acute pain scale (UPAPS). Total pain score averages were analyzed as repeated measures by analysis of variance applying a multilevel model. The UPAPS effectively distinguished varying levels of painful and non-painful states in castrated piglets as observed via deviations in total pain scores across timepoints (P < 0.0001), treatment (P < 0.001) and treatment*timepoint (P < 0.0001). Immediately post-castration (0 h), piglets in the C and CF group demonstrated greater total average pain scores than piglets in the S (P < 0.03) and SF (P < 0.01) groups and castrated piglets treated with TDF demonstrated lower total pain scores (P < 0.05) and required less analgesic intervention immediately post-castration compared to castrated piglets receiving no treatment (P < 0.0001). For C group 54% required rescue analgesia compared to 29%, 8% and 0% for CF, SF and S piglets respectively. Future work should evaluate implementation of this pain management protocol on a wide scale commercial farm setting.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH}, author={Lopez-Soriano, Magdiel and Merenda, Victoria Rocha and Trindade, Pedro Henrique Esteves and Luna, Stelio Pacca Loureiro and Pairis-Garcia, Monique Danielle}, year={2022}, month={Nov} } @article{merenda_wagner_arruda_soriano_montgomery_coetzee_pairis-garcia_2022, title={Impact of transdermal flunixin administration on serum prostaglandin E-2 and cortisol concentrations in piglets following castration}, volume={83}, ISSN={["1943-5681"]}, DOI={10.2460/ajvr.21.12.0201}, abstractNote={To assess the effects of transdermal flunixin administration on serum prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cortisol concentrations in piglets undergoing castration.104 litters with at least 4 male piglets/litter.Litters were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: transdermal flunixin (3.33 mg/kg) administration followed by surgical castration (CF; n = 28), transdermal flunixin administration followed by sham castration (SF; n = 26), application of physiologic saline solution followed by sham castration (S; n = 26), and application of physiologic saline solution followed by surgical castration (C; n = 24). Blood samples were collected 24 hours before and 1, 4, and 25 hours after castration or sham castration.Serum PGE2 concentrations for piglets in the C and CF groups did not differ at any time. Piglets in the S group tended to have higher serum PGE2 concentrations 1 hour after sham castration compared with piglets in the SF group. One hour after the procedure, piglets that underwent castration had higher serum cortisol concentrations than did piglets that underwent sham castration. Piglets in the CF group had higher serum cortisol concentrations than did piglets in the SF group 4 hours after the procedure, but serum cortisol concentrations did not differ between the C and S groups.Further studies are needed to explore dosing regimens, including effective doses and administration frequencies, and the pharmacokinetics of flunixin following transdermal administration in piglets undergoing castration.}, number={9}, journal={AMERICAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY RESEARCH}, author={Merenda, Victoria R. and Wagner, Brooklyn K. and Arruda, Andreia G. and Soriano, Magdiel Lopez and Montgomery, Shawnee and Coetzee, Johann F. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D.}, year={2022}, month={Sep} } @article{kramer_wagner_moeller_bowman_kieffer_arruda_cressman_pairis-garcia_2022, title={Technical Note: Validation of the effectiveness of electric stunning for euthanasia of mature swine (Sus scrofa domesticus)}, volume={100}, ISSN={["1525-3163"]}, DOI={10.1093/jas/skac072}, abstractNote={Electrocution and the use of a penetrating captive bolt gun (PCBG) are both acceptable methods of euthanasia for market weight swine. Research has demonstrated that a PCBG is effective in both growing and mature swine. Given limited to no published research base on electrocution in mature swine, the objectives of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy of a two-stage (head only followed by head to heart, 10 s contact for each) mobile electric stunner (E-STUN, Hubert HAAS TBG 96N) and to assess euthanasia outcomes when comparing E-STUN with the frontal placement of a heavy-duty PCBG (Jarvis, In-line Cylinder Style) when applied to heavy-weight (>200 kg) mature boars and sows. Effectiveness of the E-STUN and PCBG was evaluated first in unconscious anesthetized mature swine (n = 7 boars and sows per treatment; average weight 282 ± 48 kg, n = 28) to reduce the risk of failure in a conscious animal and then in conscious mature swine (n = 3 boars and sows per treatment; average weight 282 ± 63 kg, n = 12). Data from both stages were combined for analyses. Treatment efficacy was defined as any pig that achieved cardiac and respiratory arrest within 10 min after treatment application. A three-point traumatic brain injury score (0 = normal; 1 = some abnormalities; and 2 = grossly abnormal, unrecognizable) was used to evaluate six neuroanatomical structures (cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hypothalamus, thalamus, pons, and brain stem), and the presence of intracranial hemorrhage was also noted. All animals were immediately rendered insensible with E-STUN and PCBG, and no difference was noted between treatments for the detection of corneal reflex following treatment application (P = 0.11). Rhythmic breathing was absent following the administration of either E-STUN or PCBG. When evaluating the time to last heartbeat, there was a significant interaction between sex and treatment. Boars euthanized via E-STUN had a 346.8-s decrease in time to last heartbeat compared with boars euthanized via PCBG (P < 0.001), and females euthanized via E-STUN had a 479.3-s decrease in time to last heartbeat compared with females euthanized via PCBG (P < 0.001). Intracranial hemorrhage was common for both methods, and visible disruption of neural tissue was evident due to the physical nature of the PCBG. This study demonstrated that a mobile E-STUN system is as effective as a heavy-duty PCBG in inducing insensibility and death and shows promise as an alternative method for euthanizing mature pigs on-farm.Euthanasia is a moral obligation of all individuals working in the swine industry. A majority of acceptable methods have been validated for market weight pigs, while less attention has focused on heavy-weight mature boars and sows. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile electric stunner (E-STUN) as a method of humane euthanasia in heavy-weight mature boars and sows and to assess the outcomes when compared with a penetrating captive bolt gun (PCBG) method. The efficacy of the treatment was defined as any pig that achieved cardiac and respiratory arrest within 10 min after treatment application. The amount of traumatic brain injury was evaluated across the brain, and the presence of intracranial hemorrhage was also noted. All animals were immediately rendered insensible, and rhythmic breathing was absent following either treatment application. Boars and sows had a decreased time to last heartbeat with the E-STUN when compared with the PCBG method. Intracranial hemorrhage was common for both methods, and visible disruption of brain tissue was evident due to the physical nature of the PCBG. This study demonstrated that a mobile E-STUN is as effective as a PCBG for humane euthanasia of heavy-weight mature swine.}, number={4}, journal={JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Kramer, Scott A. and Wagner, Brooklyn K. and Moeller, Steve J. and Bowman, Andrew S. and Kieffer, Justin D. and Arruda, Andreia Goncalves and Cressman, Michael D. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D.}, year={2022}, month={Apr} } @article{arruda_deblais_hale_madden_pairis-garcia_srivastava_kathayat_kumar_rajashekara_2021, title={A cross-sectional study of the nasal and fecal microbiota of sows from different health status within six commercial swine farms}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2167-8359"]}, DOI={10.7717/peerj.12120}, abstractNote={Cull sows are a unique population on swine farms, often representing poor producing or compromised animals, and even though recent studies have reported that the microbiome is associated with susceptibility to diseases, the microbiome of the cull sow population has not been explored. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether there were differences in fecal and upper respiratory tract microbiota composition for groups of sows of different health status (healthy, cull, and compromised/ clinical sows) and from different farms (1 to 6).Six swine farms were visited once. Thirty individual fecal samples and nasal swabs were obtained at each farm and pooled by five across health status and farm. Samples underwent 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and nasal and fecal microbiota were analyzed using QIIME2 v.2021.4.Overall, the diversity of the nasal microbiota was lower than the fecal microbiota (p < 0.01). No significant differences were found in fecal or nasal alpha diversity by sow's health status or by farm. There were significant differences in nasal microbial composition by farm and health status (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05), and in fecal microbiota by farm (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05), but not by health status. Lastly, at the L7 level, there was one differentially abundant taxa across farms for each nasal and fecal pooled samples.This study provided baseline information for nasal and fecal microbiota of sows under field conditions, and results suggest that farm of origin can affect microbial diversity and composition. Furthermore, sow's health status may have an impact on the nasal microbiota composition.}, journal={PEERJ}, author={Arruda, Andreia G. and Deblais, Loic and Hale, Vanessa L. and Madden, Christopher and Pairis-Garcia, Monique and Srivastava, Vishal and Kathayat, Dipak and Kumar, Anand and Rajashekara, Gireesh}, year={2021}, month={Sep} } @article{wagner_nixon_robles_baynes_coetzee_pairis-garcia_2021, title={Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: Pharmacokinetics and Mitigation of Procedural-Pain in Cattle}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/282}, DOI={10.3390/ani11020282}, abstractNote={Common routine management practices in cattle, such as castration and disbudding, are recognized as being painful. In the United States (U.S.), these procedures are frequently performed without pain mitigation and there are currently no drugs federally approved for such use. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as meloxicam, flunixin meglumine and aspirin, are the most commonly used analgesics in U.S. food-animal production systems. However, the body of research investigating the effectiveness of these pharmaceuticals to control pain in cattle at castration and disbudding has not been comprehensively evaluated. Therefore, this review examined existing literature to summarize meloxicam, flunixin and aspirin (1) pharmacokinetics (PK) and (2) administration outcome in regard to pain control during castration and disbudding procedures, in cattle. Following systematic searches and screening, 47 PK and 44 publications were extracted for data and are presented. The sample size contained notable variability and a general deficiency of validated and replicated methodologies for assessing pain in cattle remain substantial challenges within this research area. Future research should prioritize replication of pain assessment methodologies across different experimental conditions to close knowledge gaps identified by the present study and facilitate examination of analgesic efficacy.}, number={2}, journal={ANIMALS}, publisher={MDPI AG}, author={Wagner, Brooklyn K. and Nixon, Emma and Robles, Ivelisse and Baynes, Ronald E. and Coetzee, Johann F. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D.}, year={2021}, month={Feb} } @article{robles_arruda_nixon_johnstone_wagner_edwards-callaway_baynes_coetzee_pairis-garcia_2021, title={Producer and Veterinarian Perspectives towards Pain Management Practices in the US Cattle Industry}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/209}, DOI={10.3390/ani11010209}, abstractNote={Producers and veterinarians are considered responsible for improving animal welfare, as they are responsible for implementing practices that directly impact the animal’s well-being. Most husbandry procedures performed in cattle do not include pain mitigation, and understanding challenges faced by these stakeholders to use analgesics is key in improving on-farm pain management strategies. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to explore producer and veterinarian perspectives on pain management practices by (1) exploring inquires received by Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) regarding analgesic use in cattle and (2) using a survey instrument to identify factors that impact pain management implementation in the US cattle industry. Albeit analgesia use increased in the past ten years for some producers and the majority of veterinarians, administering analgesics for pain management on US cattle farms remains a challenge. From a producer perspective, drug cost, availability and logistics for administration. From a veterinarian perspective, lack of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) products hinders the support of on-farm protocols requiring extra-label drug use. Future steps to improve analgesic use on-farm include identifying and approving drugs that demonstrate efficacy for managing pain in cattle and disseminating educational resources to support stakeholders in both the implementation and drug withdrawal process.}, number={1}, journal={ANIMALS}, author={Robles, Ivelisse and Arruda, Andreia G. and Nixon, Emma and Johnstone, Elizabeth and Wagner, Brooklyn and Edwards-Callaway, Lily and Baynes, Ronald and Coetzee, Johann and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2021}, month={Jan} } @article{baysinger_webb_brown_coetzee_crawford_dedecker_karriker_pairis-garcia_sutherland_viscardi_2021, title={Proposed multidimensional pain outcome methodology to demonstrate analgesic drug efficacy and facilitate future drug approval for piglet castration}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1475-2654"]}, DOI={10.1017/S1466252321000141}, abstractNote={Castration of male piglets in the United States is conducted without analgesics because no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved products are labeled for pain control in swine. The absence of approved products is primarily due to a wide variation in how pain is measured in suckling piglets and the lack of validated pain-specific outcomes individually indistinct from other biological responses, such as general stress or inflammation responses with cortisol. Simply put, to measure pain mitigation, measurement of pain must be specific, quantifiable, and defined. Therefore, given the need for mitigating castration pain, a consortium of researchers, veterinarians, industry, and regulatory agencies was formed to identify potential animal-based outcomes and develop a methodology, based on the known scientific research, to measure pain and the efficacy of mitigation strategies. The outcome-based measures included physiological, neuroendocrine, behavioral, and production parameters. Ultimately, this consortium aims to provide a validated multimodal methodology to demonstrate analgesic drug efficacy for piglet castration.Measurable outcomes were selected based on published studies suggesting their validity, reliability, and sensitivity for the direct or indirect measurement of pain associated with surgical castration in piglets. Outcomes to be considered are observation of pain behaviors (i.e. ethogram defined behaviors and piglet grimace scale), gait parameters measured with a pressure mat, infrared thermography of skin temperature of the cranium and periphery of the eye, and blood biomarkers. Other measures include body weight and mortality rate.This standardized measurement of the outcome variable's primary goal is to facilitate consistency and rigor by developing a research methodology utilizing endpoints that are well-defined and reliably measure pain in piglets. The resulting methodology will facilitate and guide the evaluation of the effectiveness of comprehensive analgesic interventions for 3- to 5-day-old piglets following surgical castration.}, journal={ANIMAL HEALTH RESEARCH REVIEWS}, author={Baysinger, Angela and Webb, Sherrie R. and Brown, Jennifer and Coetzee, Johann F. and Crawford, Sara and DeDecker, Ashley and Karriker, Locke A. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique and Sutherland, Mhairi A. and Viscardi, Abbie V.}, year={2021}, month={Dec} } @article{robles_park_cramer_wagner_moraes_viscardi_coetzee_pairis-garcia_2021, title={Technical contribution: use of continuous recording video monitoring of maintenance and pain behaviors in piglets after surgical castration to validate six continuous time sampling periods for behavior scoring}, volume={99}, ISSN={["1525-3163"]}, DOI={10.1093/jas/skab310}, abstractNote={Abstract Castration is a painful procedure routinely performed on piglets. Specific periods relative to castration and time sampling rules are used widely to quantify deviations in piglet’s behavior associated with castration rather than assessing behavior for the entire trial period. However, very limited work has evaluated time sampling recording rules to quantify behavioral changes to piglets undergoing castration. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate the accuracy of six continuous time sampling periods (5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 45 min), to quantify piglet behavior post-castration when compared with a full 60-min observation period. Sixteen Yorkshire-Landrace x Duroc piglets were surgically castrated. Data were collected using continuous observation (recording rule) of each individual male piglet per litter for 60-min post-castration. The 60-min continuous behavioral data set was then subdivided into six data subsets for each defined continuous time sampling period (5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 45 min). Data from each continuous time sampling period and the full period data were analyzed using both a generalized linear mixed model and linear regression analysis. For the generalized linear mixed model, 30- and 45-min continuous time sampling periods were not different (P > 0.05) when compared with the full observation period data for all behaviors. For the linear regression analysis, affiliative interaction, sitting, walking, huddled up, prostrated, scratching, spasms, and trembling behaviors met the pairwise comparison accuracy criteria: [1) the coefficient of determination (R2) was > 0.90, 2) the intercept did not differ from 0 (P > 0.05), and 3) the slope did not differ from 1 (P > 0.05)] at the 45-min continuous time sampling period compared to full observation period. Results from this study suggest that a 45-min continuous time sampling period would be necessary to accurately investigate piglet behavior during the acute pain sensitivity time post-castration when considering both maintenance and pain-associated behaviors.}, number={11}, journal={JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Robles, Ivelisse and Park, Rachel M. and Cramer, Catie M. and Wagner, Brooklyn K. and Moraes, Luis E. and Viscardi, Abbie V. and Coetzee, Johann F. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D.}, year={2021}, month={Nov} } @article{creutzinger_dann_krawczel_moraes_pairis-garcia_proudfoot_2021, title={The effect of stocking density and a blind on the behavior of Holstein dairy cows in group maternity pens. Part II: Labor length, lying behavior, and social behavior}, volume={104}, ISSN={["1525-3198"]}, DOI={10.3168/jds.2020-19745}, abstractNote={In natural settings, dairy cows separate from the herd to give birth. When kept indoors, seeking isolation before calving may be restricted and may depend on space and resources provided in maternity housing. The effect of group maternity pens on behavior around calving and labor progress is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of stocking density and provision of a blind in group bedded pack maternity pens on lying and social behavior as well as length of labor of preparturient dairy animals. The study was conducted as a complete randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments including stocking density and presence or absence of a blind, resulting in a total of 4 treatments: (1) high stocking density (7.7–12.9 m2 lying space/cow) with a blind, (2) low stocking density (15.4–25.8 m2) with a blind, (3) high stocking density without a blind, and (4) low stocking density without a blind. A total of 127 primiparous heifers and 247 multiparous cows were housed in mixed-parity groups from approximately 3 wk before and immediately after calving. During the 4 h before calving, lying behavior (lying time and bouts) was collected automatically using accelerometers, and social behavior (agonistic interactions, allogrooming, and attention from other cows), stage II labor duration, and frequency of position change during stage II labor were collected using video. Lying behavior was collected with accelerometers. Regardless of treatment, lying time and bouts increased as calving approached. Cows and heifers performed more lying bouts in low stocking density pens compared with high stocking density pens. Agonistic interactions and allogrooming were not different between treatments. Other cows spent more time paying attention to focal animals regardless of stocking density as calving approached, but time spent paying attention was reduced by the presence of a blind during h −2 before calving. The hazard of calving unassisted was greater for cows and heifers in low stocking density pens with a blind compared with all other treatments. Further, animals in pens with a blind tended to change positions fewer times during stage II labor. These results suggest that providing a blind in group maternity pens may improve the calving environment for cows and heifers and, in combination with low stocking density, may reduce the amount of time spent in labor.}, number={6}, journal={JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE}, author={Creutzinger, K. C. and Dann, H. M. and Krawczel, P. D. and Moraes, L. E. and Pairis-Garcia, M. D. and Proudfoot, K. L.}, year={2021}, month={Jun}, pages={7122–7134} } @article{pairis-garcia_robles_2021, title={Timely Euthanasia on Farm; Dairy Cattle and Swine}, volume={99}, ISSN={["1525-3163"]}, DOI={10.1093/jas/skab054.016}, abstractNote={Abstract Euthanasia of mature swine and cattle can be challenging. On-farm euthanasia should be used as a tool to eliminate pain and suffering. However, clear guidelines regarding making euthanasia decisions and alternative euthanasia techniques available for use is limited in the United States (US). In order to prevent prolonged suffering and pain in compromised animals, science-based recommendations are needed to ensure timely and humane euthanasia can be performed when needed on-farm. This presentation will focus on two euthanasia challenges currently faced in swine and dairy cattle systems in the US today: 1) Swine: Validating alternative euthanasia techniques for use in mature breeding stock and 2) Dairy Cattle: Identifying producer barriers preventing timely euthanasia decision-making using surveys and focus groups. The swine study evaluated the effectiveness of two penetrating captive bolt gun styles (cylinder or pistol) using a frontal, temporal and behind-the-ear placement. Four treatments were 100% effective in achieving cardiac arrest and death. The cylinder style captive bolt gun resulted in greater brain trauma and death compared to a pistol style gun and behind-the-ear and temporal placement showed promise as an alternative placement site for euthanizing mature pigs. In the dairy cattle study, dairy producers were recruited to participate in a survey and focus group. Survey results indicated that farm owners were most commonly responsible for on-farm euthanasia and most respondents would treat and monitor compromised cattle for a majority of health conditions, regardless of condition severity. Participants in focus groups focused primarily on animal welfare as the most important factor influencing the decision to euthanize and the desire to eliminate animal suffering by using euthanasia as a tool. This work highlights the complicated challenges that arise when euthanizing livestock and the importance of not only identifying appropriate techniques to humanely euthanize livestock but address the emotional and animal welfare factors that influence these decisions.}, journal={JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Pairis-Garcia, Monique and Robles, Ivelisse}, year={2021}, month={May}, pages={10–10} } @article{kramer_wagner_robles_moeller_bowman_kieffer_arruda_cressman_pairis-garcia_2021, title={Validating the effectiveness of alternative euthanasia techniques using penetrating captive bolt guns in mature swine (Sus scrofa domesticus)}, volume={99}, ISSN={["1525-3163"]}, DOI={10.1093/jas/skab052}, abstractNote={Abstract Euthanasia of mature swine is challenging. Temporal and behind-the-ear locations are two sites that have been identified as alternatives to the more commonly used frontal placement. In stage one, the effectiveness of two penetrating captive bolt gun styles (cylinder or pistol) was evaluated using frontal, temporal, and behind-the-ear placement in anesthetized mature swine (n = 36; weight: 267 ± 41 kg). For stage one, when evaluating treatment efficacy by sex, the cylinder-style equipment was 100% effective in achieving death when applied to all cranial locations (frontal, temporal, and behind-the-ear) for sows; however, the pistol-style equipment was only 100% effective when applied at the behind-the-ear location for sows. For boars, the cylinder-style equipment was 100% effective when applied to the frontal and behind-the-ear location, but the pistol-style equipment was not effective for any cranial location in boars. Therefore, the pistol–frontal, pistol–temporal, pistol–behind-the-ear, and cylinder–temporal were not included for boars, and pistol–frontal and pistol–temporal were not included for sows in stage two. In stage two, commercial, mixed-breed, mature swine (n = 42; weight: 292 +/− 56 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments based on the inclusion criteria described in stage one. A three-point traumatic brain injury (TBI) score (0 = normal; 1 = some abnormalities; 2 = grossly abnormal, unrecognizable) was used to evaluate six neuroanatomical structures (cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hypothalamus, thalamus, pons, and brain stem), and the presence of hemorrhage was also noted. All treatments were 100% effective in stage two. A significant interaction between gun style and placement was determined on predicting total TBI as the cylinder style produced a higher total TBI score compared with the pistol type of the magnitude of +2.8 (P < 0.01). The cylinder style tended to produce a greater TBI score than the pistol in the temporal location (+1.2; P = 0.08). No difference was noted for TBI score behind-the-ear between the cylinder- and pistol-style gun (P > 0.05). TBI tended to be less in boars compared with sows (−0.6; P = 0.08). Hemorrhage was observed in frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes. This study demonstrated that the cylinder-style captive bolt gun more effectively resulted in brain trauma and death compared with a pistol-style gun and the behind-the-ear and temporal placement showed promise as an alternative placement site for euthanizing mature pigs on-farm.}, number={3}, journal={JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Kramer, Scott A. and Wagner, Brooklyn K. and Robles, Ivelisse and Moeller, Steve J. and Bowman, Andrew S. and Kieffer, Justin D. and Arruda, Andreia Goncalves and Cressman, Michael D. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D.}, year={2021}, month={Mar} } @article{park_cramer_wagner_turner_moraes_viscardi_coetzee_pairis-garcia_2020, title={A comparison of behavioural methodologies utilised to quantify deviations in piglet behaviour associated with castration}, volume={29}, ISSN={["0962-7286"]}, DOI={10.7120/09627286.29.3.285}, abstractNote={Abstract Surgical castration is a painful procedure that is routinely performed without pain relief on commercial pig ( Sus scrofa domesticus ) farms. Previous research has focused on quantifying piglet pain response through behaviours. However, to date, behavioural sampling methodologies used to quantify pain associated with castration have not been validated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate scan sampling methodologies (2-min, 3-min, 5-min, 10-min and 15-min intervals) to quantify piglet pain responses expressed by castrated piglets’ behaviour. A total of 39 Yorkshire-Landrace × Duroc male piglets (five days of age) were surgically castrated using a scalpel blade. Behaviour frequency and duration (scratching, spasms, stiffness, tail wagging and trembling) of each piglet were continuously collected for the first 15 min of the following hours relative to castration (-24, 1-8 and 24). To determine if the sampling interval accurately reflected true duration and frequency for each behaviour, as determined by continuous observation, criteria previously utilised from other behavioural validation studies were used: coefficient of determination above 0.9, slope not statistically different from one and intercept not statistically different from zero. No scan sampling interval provided accurate estimates for any behavioural indicators of pain. The results of this study suggest that continuous sampling is the most appropriate methodology to fully capture behaviour specific to pain associated with castration. Using validated behavioural methodologies in future research can assist in the development of objective, science-based protocols for managing pig pain.}, number={3}, journal={ANIMAL WELFARE}, author={Park, R. M. and Cramer, M. C. and Wagner, B. K. and Turner, P. and Moraes, L. E. and Viscardi, A. V. and Coetzee, J. F. and Pairis-Garcia, M. D.}, year={2020}, month={Aug}, pages={285–292} } @article{wagner_cramer_fowler_varnell_dietsch_proudfoot_shearer_correa_pairis-garcia_2020, title={Determination of Dairy Cattle Euthanasia Criteria and Analysis of Barriers to Humane Euthanasia in the United States: Dairy Producer Surveys and Focus Groups}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/770}, DOI={10.3390/ani10050770}, abstractNote={There are currently no clear guidelines in the US and some other countries regarding euthanasia decision making timelines for dairy cattle that become injured or ill to the extent that recovery is unlikely or impossible. Our study aimed to identify decision making criteria and the most common factors considered when making and carrying out euthanasia decisions. Dairy producers were recruited to participate in a mailed survey (Part I, 307 completed surveys were returned) or in one of three focus groups (Part II, 8–10 producers/group, n = 24). Part I (survey): Farm owners were most commonly responsible for on-farm euthanasia and most respondents would treat and monitor compromised cattle for a majority of 15 health conditions. Responses were highly variable; for example, 6.3% and 11.7% of respondents would never euthanize a non-ambulatory cow or calf, respectively. Part II (focus groups): Three main themes (animal, human, and farm operation) were identified from discussion which focused primarily on animal welfare (16% of the discussion) and human psychology (16%). Participants expressed a desire to eliminate animal suffering by euthanizing, alongside a wide range of emotional states. Development of specific standards for euthanasia is a critical next step and more research is needed to understand the human emotions surrounding euthanasia decision making.}, journal={Animals}, author={Wagner, Brooklyn and Cramer, M. Caitlin and Fowler, Heather N. and Varnell, Hannah L. and Dietsch, Alia M. and Proudfoot, Katy and Shearer, Jan and Correa, Maria and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2020}, month={Apr} } @article{wagner_cramer_fowler_varnell_dietsch_proudfoot_shearer_correa_pairis-garcia_2020, title={Determination of Dairy Cattle Euthanasia Criteria and Analysis of Barriers to Humane Euthanasia in the United States: The Veterinarian Perspective}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/6/1051}, DOI={10.3390/ani10061051}, abstractNote={When dairy cattle become ill or injured to the extent that recovery is unlikely or impossible, on-farm euthanasia should be used as a tool to eliminate pain and suffering. Our study aimed to identify decision-making criteria and the most common factors considered by veterinarians when making and carrying out euthanasia decisions. Dairy cattle veterinarians were recruited to participate in an online survey (Part I, 61 surveys collected) or in one of three focus groups (Part II, 4-10 veterinarians/group, n = 22). Part I (survey): Surveyed veterinarians varied regarding health condition management and demonstrated a strong proclivity to treat compromised cattle, mirroring trends amongst dairy producers identified in previous research. Sixty percent of respondents indicated that most facilities for which they serve as the primary veterinarian have a written euthanasia protocol in place. Part II (focus groups): Three main themes about euthanasia decision-making (logistical, animal, and human) were identified from focus group discussions. Discussions focused primarily on logistical factors such as financial considerations and client/public perceptions. Development of specific standards for euthanasia, alongside interactive training programs for dairy veterinarians and producers are vital next steps to improving cattle welfare and consistency in euthanasia decision-making across the United States dairy industry.}, journal={Animals}, author={Wagner, Brooklyn and Cramer, M. Caitlin and Fowler, Heather N. and Varnell, Hannah L. and Dietsch, Alia M. and Proudfoot, Katy and Shearer, Jan and Correa, Maria and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2020}, month={Jun} } @article{wagner_royal_caddiell_pairis-garcia_2020, title={Identifying Barriers to Implementing Pain Management for Piglet Castration: A Focus Group of Swine Veterinarians}, volume={10}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/7/1202}, DOI={10.3390/ani10071202}, abstractNote={Surgical castration is a painful husbandry procedure performed on piglets in the United States (US) to improve meat quality. Veterinarians play a crucial role in developing pain management protocols. However, providing pain management for castration is not common practice in US swine production systems. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to identify factors influencing swine veterinarian decision-making in regard to pain management protocols for piglet castration using focus group methodologies. Swine veterinarians (n = 21) were recruited to participate in one of three focus groups. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by two independent coders who identified three areas of focus, including (1) the lack of approved products validated for efficacy, (2) economic limitations and challenges, and (3) deficient guidelines and training for veterinarians to develop protocols. Although participating veterinarians acknowledged the importance of pain management from an animal welfare standpoint, these barriers must be addressed to ensure that castration pain can be successfully mitigated on-farm.}, number={7}, journal={Animals}, publisher={MDPI AG}, author={Wagner, Brooklyn and Royal, Kenneth and Caddiell, Rachel M.P. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2020}, month={Jul}, pages={1202} } @article{edwards-callaway_cramer_roman-muniz_stallones_thompson_ennis_marsh_simpson_kim_calaba_et al._2020, title={Preliminary Exploration of Swine Veterinarian Perspectives of On-Farm Euthanasia}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1919}, DOI={10.3390/ani10101919}, abstractNote={Euthanasia is a critical component in swine production and veterinarians play an important role in euthanasia protocol development and training. This study aimed to understand veterinarian involvement in and perspectives on euthanasia on pig farms. An online survey was disseminated both at a pig welfare conference and online via a veterinarian e-newsletter. Twenty-five veterinarians participated in the survey. The majority of respondents indicated that caretakers are the individuals making euthanasia decisions and performing the task (n = 17, 68% and 22, 88%, respectively). The majority (22, 88%) of respondents indicated that most of the facilities with which they work have a written euthanasia protocol, and 72% (18) indicated that they assisted in protocol development. Only half of respondents (13, 52%) agreed that “all employees performing euthanasia have been trained adequately”, and 80% (20) identified an interest in delivering more training. Less than half the respondents indicated that strategies for coping with “personal stress” and “emotional wellness” (12, 48%) were included in euthanasia training. While the moral stress of performing euthanasia is recognized, there is opportunity for addressing mental well-being in euthanasia resources. Although preliminary, this study supports the need for further euthanasia training on-farm, involving veterinarians in the process.}, journal={Animals}, author={Edwards-Callaway, Lily N. and Cramer, M. Caitlin and Roman-Muniz, I. Noa and Stallones, Lorann and Thompson, Sofia and Ennis, Sari and Marsh, Jordan and Simpson, Hailey and Kim, Elizabeth and Calaba, Elaine and et al.}, year={2020}, month={Oct} } @article{simpson_edwards-callaway_cramer_roman-muniz_stallones_thompson_ennis_kim_pairis-garcia_2020, title={Preliminary Study Exploring Caretaker Perspectives of Euthanasia on Swine Operations}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/12/2296}, DOI={10.3390/ani10122296}, abstractNote={The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of euthanasia training, caretaker perceptions of euthanasia, and available resources for individuals who perform euthanasia as part of their job on swine operations in the United States. An online survey was distributed via an e-newsletter and in-person recruitment at swine industry events. Survey questions were related to training, attitudes towards performing euthanasia, work environment, and communication. Forty-five responses (17 workers, 21 managers, 7 owners) were recorded and summarized. The majority of workers (n = 14, 82%) agreed that they had “received enough training to euthanize pigs correctly” and that training had made them “confident about performing euthanasia”, yet 35% (6) also indicated they would like more euthanasia training. Less than one-third of workers indicated that strategies for dealing with “personal stress” (4, 24%) and “emotional wellness” 29% (5) were included in training programs but the majority (14, 82%) agreed that “trainings included human safety while performing euthanasia”. Most caretakers (37, 82%) agreed that they felt they could “communicate with my supervisors” if they felt uncomfortable performing euthanasia. Opportunities for the future include enhancing euthanasia training opportunities and content to include more awareness of strategies to deal with stress related to euthanasia.}, journal={Animals}, author={Simpson, Hailey and Edwards-Callaway, Lily and Cramer, M. Caitlin and Roman-Muniz, Ivette Noa and Stallones, Lorann and Thompson, Sofia and Ennis, Sari and Kim, Elizabeth and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2020}, month={Dec} } @article{simpson_edwards-callaway_cramer_roman-muniz_calaba_stallones_thompson_ennis_kim_pairis-garcia_2020, title={Preliminary exploration of caretaker and manager perspectives of on-farm euthanasia on swine operations}, volume={98}, ISSN={["1525-3163"]}, DOI={10.1093/jas/skaa278.414}, abstractNote={Abstract Employees on swine operations have the critical role of ensuring animal health and well-being, which sometimes involves performing euthanasia. This study aimed to understand caretaker and manager involvement and perspectives on performing euthanasia on swine farms. Individuals were recruited through online (newsletters and emails to companies) and in-person (e.g. Pig Welfare Symposium, MN) methods in the fall of 2019. The survey consisted of 61 questions on topics related to training, methods of euthanasia, perspectives about euthanasia and knowledge of available mental health resources. Thirty-nine individuals participated in the survey (18 caretakers, 21 managers). Half of respondents (50%, n = 20) indicated that they were involved with making euthanasia decisions. The vast majority of respondents “believe that euthanasia is a humane way to end animal suffering” (95%; n = 36) and that “the euthanasia process on-farm is necessary” (97%; n = 34). A quarter of individuals (25%, n = 9) “feel emotionally upset after euthanizing a pig” and 84% (n = 26) indicated it is “easier to euthanize a pig the more they do it.” Additionally, 92% (n = 35) of respondents agreed that they have “enough experience and knowledge to know when to euthanize a pig.” Most of survey respondents (n = 34) agreed that they “feel as though I can communicate with my supervisors if I feel uncomfortable performing euthanasia” and that their “supervisors aim to promote a safe and encouraging work environment” (n = 38). Despite this, a small number of respondents (n = 6) did not feel “as though my supervisors acknowledge concerns that they may have” and did not feel that their supervisors take “an interest in my professional development and/or job performance.” Overall, data suggest that caretakers and managers understand the importance of euthanasia regarding animal well-being and generally feel they can communicate their concerns.}, journal={JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Simpson, Hailey M. and Edwards-Callaway, Lily and Cramer, Catie and Roman-Muniz, I. Noa and Calaba, Elaine N. and Stallones, Lorann and Thompson, Sofia and Ennis, Sari and Kim, Elizabeth and Pairis-Garcia, Monique}, year={2020}, month={Nov}, pages={225–225} } @article{calaba_edwards-callaway_cramer_roman-muniz_stallones_ennis_kim_simpson_pairis-garcia_thompson_2020, title={Preliminary exploration of swine veterinarian perspectives on euthanasia on-farm}, volume={98}, ISSN={["1525-3163"]}, DOI={10.1093/jas/skaa278.399}, abstractNote={Abstract Euthanasia is a critical component of swine production. Veterinarians should play a key role in development of euthanasia protocols and training to ensure humane euthanasia. This study aimed to understand veterinarian involvement and perspectives on euthanasia training on swine farms. An online survey was disseminated through the American Association of Swine Veterinarians newsletter in February 2020. The survey consisted of 56 questions. Twenty-six veterinarians responded to the survey. The majority (88%, n = 23) of respondents indicated that most of the facilities with which they work have a written euthanasia protocol, and 69% of respondents indicated that they participated in the protocol design. The majority of respondents (88%; n = 23) indicated that caretakers are responsible for performing euthanasia of the pigs. When presented with the statement: “All employees performing euthanasia have been trained adequately,” 52% of respondents agreed while 42% disagreed. Additionally, 81% (n = 21) of the respondents indicated a desire to facilitate additional euthanasia training. All respondents (100%; n = 26) “believe that euthanasia is a humane way to end animal suffering” and that “the euthanasia process on-farm is necessary.” Over half of respondents (62%; n = 16) reported feeling emotionally upset after euthanizing an animal. Approximately half (54%; n = 14) of respondents believe their workplace values the mental health of employees, yet 50% (n = 13) indicated there were no programs to promote worker mental health and 96% (n = 25) indicated there were no mental health evaluations. Fifty four percent of respondents (n = 14) reported there were no employee check-ins with supervisors. Preliminary data supports the need for further euthanasia training on-farm developed with veterinarians and suggests veterinarians want to deliver more training. Although some facilities are considering employee mental well-being, further development of euthanasia training and wellness programs could benefit caretakers.}, journal={JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Calaba, Elaine N. and Edwards-Callaway, Lily and Cramer, Catie and Roman-Muniz, I. Noa and Stallones, Lorann and Ennis, Sari and Kim, Elaine and Simpson, Hailey M. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique and Thompson, Sofia}, year={2020}, month={Nov}, pages={216–216} } @article{ross_wagner_cressman_cramer_pairis-garcia_2020, title={SHORT COMMUNICATION: Investigating woody breast disease and broiler chicken activity using an automated tracking software program}, volume={36}, ISSN={["2590-2865"]}, DOI={10.15232/aas.2019-01953}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT Objective This research quantified the effect of woody breast disease (WBD) presence and severity on activity in broilers. Materials and Methods Broiler cockerel chicks (n = 27) were enrolled over 2 periods and individually housed. Video data were collected continuously from 21 to 55 d of age. Behavior was analyzed over a 4-h interval using EthoVision XT automated tracking software to quantify total activity. Birds were slaughtered at 55 d of age and assigned a woody breast severity score (0–2) based on manual palpation and visual observation. Results and Discussion Of the 25 birds that survived for the duration of the study, 6 birds were assigned a severity score of 0 (no evidence of WBD), 14 a severity score of 1 (firm focal lesions), and 5 a severity score of 2 (diffuse firmness of the entire pectoralis major muscle). Neither WBD presence nor severity had an effect on total activity (P > 0.05). In the present study, no effect of WBD on activity was detected using an automated tracking software program for behavior quantification. However, limitations of the software and the potential presence of microscopic lesions in birds with a severity score of 0 may be contributing to this outcome. Implications and Applications Although WBD has significant financial implications for the poultry industry, limited research has evaluated the effect of WBD on bird welfare and behavior. Future studies should measure a more diverse set of behaviors while also analyzing muscle histology to better elucidate any associations between WBD and behavior.}, number={3}, journal={APPLIED ANIMAL SCIENCE}, author={Ross, L. and Wagner, B. K. and Cressman, M. D. and Cramer, M. C. and Pairis-Garcia, M. D.}, year={2020}, month={Jun}, pages={447–453} } @article{kim_lee_pechtl_hettick_campler_pairis-garcia_beauchemin_celi_duval_2019, title={Effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol on enteric methane production, rumen fermentation, and feeding behavior in beef cattle fed a high-forage or high-grain diet}, volume={97}, ISSN={0021-8812 1525-3163}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz140}, DOI={10.1093/jas/skz140}, abstractNote={Abstract The objective of the study was to determine whether feeding a diet supplemented with 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) affects feeding behavior altering intake and rumen fermentation. Two experiments were conducted with 9 rumen-cannulated beef steers in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design where animals received a high-forage or high-grain diet. Treatments were 1) a basal diet (CON), the CON diet supplemented with 3-NOP (dNOP; 100 mg/kg in dietary DM or 1 g/d), or the CON diet with 3-NOP (1 g/d) infused into the rumen (infNOP). Each experimental period consisted of 14-d diet adaptation and 7-d sample collection. A 7-d washout period was provided between experiment periods. All data were analyzed as a Latin square design using Mixed Procedure of SAS. In Exp. 1 (high-forage diet), methane yield (measured by the Greenfeed system) was lowered by 18% (18.6 vs. 22.7 g/kg DMI; P < 0.01) by dNOP compared with CON. Rumen fermentation was altered similarly by both NOP treatments compared with CON where dNOP and infNOP increased (P < 0.01) rumen pH at 3 h and decreased (P < 0.01) proportion of acetate in total VFA. However, DMI, feed consumption rate (0 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 12, and 12 to 24 h after feeding), particle size distribution of orts, and feeding behavior (videotaped for individual animals over 48 h) were not affected by dNOP and infNOP compared with CON. In Exp. 2 (high-grain diet), methane production was not affected by dNOP or infNOP compared with CON. Dry matter intake, feed consumption rate, particle size distribution of orts, and feeding behavior were not altered by dNOP and infNOP compared with CON. However, both dNOP and infNOP affected rumen fermentation where total VFA decreased (P = 0.04) and acetate proportion in total VFA tended to decrease (P = 0.07) compared with CON. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 3-NOP did not affect feeding behavior of beef steers fed a high-forage or high-grain diet. However, rumen fermentation was similarly changed when 3-NOP was provided in the diet or directly infused in the rumen. Thus, observed changes in rumen fermentation with 3-NOP were not due to changes in feeding behavior indicating no effects on the organoleptic property of the diets. In addition, according to small or no changes in DMI in both experiments and relatively small changes in rumen fermentation in Exp. 2, a greater dosage level of 3-NOP than 100 mg/kg (dietary DM) may need further examination of its effects on feeding behavior of beef cattle.}, number={7}, journal={Journal of Animal Science}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Kim, Seon-Ho and Lee, Chanhee and Pechtl, Heather A and Hettick, Jade M and Campler, Magnus R and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D and Beauchemin, Karen A and Celi, Pietro and Duval, Stephane M}, year={2019}, month={May}, pages={2687–2699} } @article{burkemper_pairis-garcia_moraes_park_moeller_2019, title={Effects of Oral Meloxicam and Topical Lidocaine on Pain associated Behaviors of Piglets Undergoing Surgical Castration}, volume={3}, ISSN={1088-8705 1532-7604}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2019.1590717}, DOI={10.1080/10888705.2019.1590717}, abstractNote={The objective of this study was to find a practical means of reducing pain associated with surgical castration by evaluating the effects of oral meloxicam and topical lidocaine, separately and in combination, on behavioral indicators of pain in piglets. Two hundred thirty-five piglets were surgically castrated between three and seven days of age. Immediately following castration, piglets received one of four treatments: (1) No pain mitigation (C; control; n = 58); (2) NSAID only (M; meloxicam; n = 59); (3) Topical anesthetic (L; lidocaine spray; n = 60); or (4) NSAID and topical anesthetic (X; meloxicam and lidocaine spray; n = 59). Behaviors were recorded by direct observation of individual piglets using five-minute scan samples over a five-hour period, for three days post-castration. Results of the experiment demonstrate the administration of oral meloxicam and topical lidocaine spray at the time of castration under the current methods did not mitigate pain associated with the procedure (P = 0.09; C: 2.1 ± 0.1, L: 2.4 ± 0.1, M: 2.1 ± 0.1 and X: 2.1 ± 0.1).}, journal={Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Burkemper, M.C. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and Moraes, L. E. and Park, R. M. and Moeller, S. J.}, year={2019}, month={Mar}, pages={1–10} } @misc{arruda_deblais_hale_pairis-garcia_srivastava_kathayat_kumar_rajashekara_2019, title={Nasal and gut microbiota for sows of different health status within six commercial swine farms from one swine production system}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/596130}, DOI={10.1101/596130}, abstractNote={Abstract Sow culling is an essential practice in swine herds to optimize animal health and productivity; and cull sows represent a considerable proportion of the herd at any given time point. Even though recent studies have reported that the microbiome is associated with susceptibility to diseases, the microbiome in the cull sow population has not been explored. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether there were differences in abundance and diversity of microbes encountered in the gut and upper respiratory tract of sows of different health status (healthy, cull, and compromised cull sows) and different farms. Farms were visited once, 30 individual fecal and nasal swab samples were obtained per farm; and pooled across animals by health status and farm in pools of five. Genomic DNA was extracted and samples were subjected to MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing using Illumina MiSeq. Diversity analyses were conducted using QIIME. Alpha diversity was analyzed using observed OTUs, PD Whole Tree, and Chao1; and beta diversity was assessed using weighted UniFrac. The mean number of OTUs was 3,846.97±9,078.87 and 28,747.92±14,090.50 for nasal and fecal pooled samples, respectively. Diversity of the nasal microbiota was low compared to the gut microbiota. For nasal samples, there was a difference in diversity between samples from farms 1-6 using the Chao1 metric (p = 0.0005); and weighted beta diversity values indicated clustering by health status. For fecal samples, there was no difference in diversity between compromised, cull, and healthy sows; or between samples from farms 1-6. Weighted PCoA analyses showed an influence of farm of origin on the diversity of pooled fecal samples. Finally, differences at the genus level were found in the fecal microbiota composition of sows of different health status and farm of origin; but not for nasal microbiota.}, publisher={Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory}, author={Arruda, Andréia Gonçalves and Deblais, Loic and Hale, Vanessa and Pairis-Garcia, Monique and Srivastava, Vishal and Kathayat, Dipak and Kumar, Anand and Rajashekara, Gireesh}, year={2019}, month={Apr} } @article{cramer_pairis‐garcia_bowman_moeller_zhang_sidhu_magnin_coetzee_2019, title={Pharmacokinetics of transdermal flunixin in sows}, volume={42}, ISSN={0140-7783 1365-2885}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvp.12772}, DOI={10.1111/jvp.12772}, abstractNote={Abstract The objective of this study was to describe the pharmacokinetics (PK) of flunixin in 12 nonlactating sows following transdermal (TD) flunixin (3.33 mg/kg) and intravenous (IV; 2.20 mg/kg) flunixin meglumine (FM) administration using a crossover design with a 10‐day washout period. Blood samples were collected postadministration from sows receiving IV FM (3, 6, 10, 20, 40 min and 1, 3, 6, 12, 16, 24, 36, and 48 hr) and from sows receiving TD flunixin (10, 20, 40 min and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hr). Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to determine plasma flunixin concentrations, and noncompartmental methods were used for PK analysis. The geometric mean ± SD area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) following IV injection was 26,820.59 ± 9,033.88 and 511.83 ± 213.98 hr ng/ml for TD route. Mean initial plasma concentration ( C 0 ) was 26,279.70 ± 3,610.00 ng/ml, and peak concentration ( C max ) was 14.61 ± 7.85 ng/ml for IV and TD administration, respectively. The percent mean bioavailability of TD flunixin was 1.55 ± 1.00. Our results demonstrate that topical administration is not an efficient route for delivering flunixin in mature sows.}, number={4}, journal={Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Cramer, Mary C. and Pairis‐Garcia, Monique D. and Bowman, Andrew S. and Moeller, Steven J. and Zhang, Yuntao and Sidhu, Pritam K. and Magnin, Geraldine and Coetzee, Johann F.}, year={2019}, month={Jun}, pages={492–495} } @article{campler_pairis-garcia_kieffer_moeller_2019, title={Sow behavior and productivity in a small stable group-housing system}, volume={27}, number={2}, journal={Journal of Swine Health and Production}, author={Campler, M.R. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and Kieffer, J. and Moeller, S.}, year={2019}, pages={76–86} } @article{burkemper_cramer_moeller_pairis-garcia_2019, title={The effects of oral meloxicam on piglet performance in the pre-weaning period}, journal={Journal of Swine Health and Production}, author={Burkemper, M.C. and Cramer, M.C. and Moeller, S.J. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D.}, year={2019} } @article{ross_cressman_cramer_pairis-garcia_2019, title={Validation of alternative behavioral observation methods in young broiler chickens}, volume={8}, ISSN={0032-5791 1525-3171}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez475}, DOI={10.3382/ps/pez475}, abstractNote={Continuous sampling provides the most complete data set for behavioral research; however, it often requires a prohibitive investment of time and labor. The objectives of this study were to validate behavioral observation methods of young broiler chickens using 1) 7 scan sampling intervals (0.5, 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min) and 2) an automated tracking software program (EthoVision XT 14) compared to continuous behavioral observation, considered the gold standard for behavior observation. Ten 19-day-old Ross 708 broiler cockerels were included in this study. All behavior was video recorded over an 8-h period, and data were collected using a continuous sampling methodology. The same video files were utilized for analysis for scan sampling and automated tracking software analysis. For both analyses, the following criteria were used to identify which method accurately reflected the true duration and frequency for each behavior, as determined by continuous observation: R2 ≥ 0.9, slope was not different from 1 (P > 0.05), and intercept was not different from 0 (P > 0.05). Active, eating, drinking, and maintenance behaviors were accurately estimated with 0.5-min scan sample intervals. Active, inactive, eating, and maintenance behaviors were accurately estimated with 1-min scan sample intervals. Inactive behavior was accurately estimated with 5-min scan sample intervals. The remainder of sampling intervals examined did not provide accurate estimates, and no scan sampling interval accurately estimated the number of behavior bouts. The automated tracking software was able to accurately detect true duration of inactive behavior but was unable to accurately detect activity. The results of this study suggest that high-frequency behaviors can be accurately observed with instantaneous scan sampling up to 1-min intervals. Automated tracking software can accurately identify inactivity in young broiler chickens, but further behavior identification will require refinement.}, journal={Poultry Science}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Ross, L and Cressman, M D and Cramer, M C and Pairis-Garcia, M D}, year={2019}, month={Aug} } @article{campler_pairis-garcia_rault_coleman_arruda_2018, title={Caretaker attitudes towards swine euthanasia}, volume={2}, number={3}, journal={Translational Animal Science}, author={Campler, M.R. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and Rault, JL and Coleman, G. and Arruda, AG}, year={2018}, pages={254–262} } @article{mullins_pairis-garcia_campler_anthony_johnson_coleman_rault_2018, title={Teaching Tip: The Development of an Interactive Computer-Based Training Program for Timely and Humane On-Farm Pig Euthanasia}, volume={45}, ISSN={0748-321X 1943-7218}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/jvme.1216-191r}, DOI={10.3138/jvme.1216-191r}, abstractNote={With extensive knowledge and training in the prevention, management, and treatment of disease conditions in animals, veterinarians play a critical role in ensuring good welfare on swine farms by training caretakers on the importance of timely euthanasia. To assist veterinarians and other industry professionals in training new and seasoned caretakers, an interactive computer-based training program was created. It consists of three modules, each containing five case studies, which cover three distinct production stages (breeding stock, piglets, and wean to grower-finisher pigs). Case study development was derived from five specific euthanasia criteria defined in the 2015 Common Swine Industry Audit, a nationally recognized auditing program used in the US. Case studies provide information regarding treatment history, clinical signs, and condition severity of the pig and prompt learners to make management decisions regarding pig treatment and care. Once a decision is made, feedback is provided so learners understand the appropriateness of their decision compared to current industry guidelines. In addition to training farm personnel, this program may also be a valuable resource if incorporated into veterinary, graduate, and continuing education curricula. This innovative tool represents the first interactive euthanasia-specific training program in the US swine industry and offers the potential to improve timely and humane on-farm pig euthanasia.}, number={3}, journal={Journal of Veterinary Medical Education}, publisher={University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)}, author={Mullins, Caitlyn R. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D. and Campler, Magnus R. and Anthony, Raymond and Johnson, Anna K. and Coleman, Grahame J. and Rault, Jean-Loup}, year={2018}, month={Aug}, pages={405–412} } @article{pairis-garcia_moeller_2017, title={ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND WELL-BEING SYMPOSIUM: The Common Swine Industry Audit: Future steps to assure positive on-farm animal welfare utilizing validated, repeatable and feasible animal-based measures}, volume={95}, ISSN={1525-3163}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas2016.0960}, DOI={10.2527/jas2016.0960}, abstractNote={The Common Swine Industry Audit (CSIA) was developed and scientifically evaluated through the combined efforts of a task force consisting of university scientists, veterinarians, pork producers, packers, processers, and retail and food service personnel to provide stakeholders throughout the pork chain with a consistent, reliable, and verifiable system to ensure on-farm swine welfare and food safety. The CSIA tool was built from the framework of the Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) site assessment program with the purpose of developing a single, common audit platform for the U.S. swine industry. Twenty-seven key aspects of swine care are captured and evaluated in CSIA and cover the specific focal areas of animal records, animal observations, facilities, and caretakers. Animal-based measures represent approximately 50% of CSIA evaluation criteria and encompass critical failure criteria, including observation of willful acts of abuse and determination of timely euthanasia. Objective, science-based measures of animal well-being parameters (e.g., BCS, lameness, lesions, hernias) are assessed within CSIA using statistically validated sample sizes providing a detection ability of 1% with 95% confidence. The common CSIA platform is used to identify care issues and facilitate continuous improvement in animal care through a validated, repeatable, and feasible animal-based audit process. Task force members provide continual updates to the CSIA tool with a specific focus toward 1) identification and interpretation of appropriate animal-based measures that provide inherent value to pig welfare, 2) establishment of acceptability thresholds for animal-based measures, and 3) interpretation of CSIA data for use and improvement of welfare within the U.S. swine industry.}, number={3}, journal={Journal of Animal Science}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Pairis-Garcia, M. and Moeller, S. J.}, year={2017}, pages={1372} } @article{campbell_pairis-garcia_campler_moraes_mccutcheon_fluharty_2017, title={An investigation of oral moxidectin carryover to nursing lambs via milk}, volume={154}, ISSN={0921-4488}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2017.07.001}, DOI={10.1016/j.smallrumres.2017.07.001}, abstractNote={Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentrations of moxidectin in the plasma and milk of lactating ewes and in the plasma of their nursing lamb. Four, single lamb bearing Border Leister x Dorset ewes were administered a single oral dose of moxidectin (0.2 mg/kg). Plasma and milk samples were collected nine times within the first 72 h and at 30 and 60 d post anthelmintic administration. Samples were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. A pharmacokinetic analysis of moxidectin was conducted on ewe plasma and resulted in a CMAX of 13.1 ng/mL at 8.2 h (TMAX). Ewe milk and lamb plasma samples were reported descriptively. Three of the four ewes on trial demonstrated quantifiable levels of moxidectin in milk at baseline sampling. Ewe milk samples reached an average peak concentration of 151.1 ng/mL 12 h post administration. Moxidectin levels were detected up to 60 d in all milk samples. Lamb plasma samples reached an average peak concentration of 2.8 ng/mL 24 h post administration to the ewe. Results from the current study demonstrate that orally administrated moxidectin is carried over into the milk and evident in the plasma of nursing lambs. Further research is needed in order to understand how moxidectin concentrations and exposure time influences the fetus and nursing lamb in regards to the development of anthelmintic resistance.}, journal={Small Ruminant Research}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Campbell, B.J. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and Campler, M.R. and Moraes, L.E. and McCutcheon, J.S. and Fluharty, F.L.}, year={2017}, month={Sep}, pages={9–12} } @article{mullins_pairis-garcia_george_anthony_johnson_coleman_rault_millman_2017, title={Determination of swine euthanasia criteria and analysis of barriers to euthanasia in the United States using expert opinion}, volume={26}, ISSN={0962-7286}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.26.4.449}, DOI={10.7120/09627286.26.4.449}, abstractNote={Abstract Timely euthanasia on swine farms can help to reduce the incidence of poor welfare outcomes for compromised pigs (Sus scrofa) when recovery is prolonged or impossible. Timely euthanasia relies upon caretakers’ abilities to identify compromised pigs and administer euthanasia in various environments. To determine appropriate timelines and most common reasons for on-farm euthanasia, an online survey was conducted with members of the United States National Pork Board. Additionally, two focus groups were conducted to investigate barriers and possible solutions associated with timely euthanasia. Clinical signs related to poor locomotion (57.6%), prolapses (47.2%), and hernias (43.5%) were identified by the greatest percentage of respondents who believed immediate euthanasia was warranted, while a greater percentage of respondents believed euthanasia was not warranted for clinical signs related to the integumentary (90.3%), reproductive (75.8%), and respiratory (67.5%) systems. The most common reason for euthanasia was poor body condition in pre-weaned piglets and non-ambulatory or severely weak for both breeding and non-breeding pigs. In the focus groups, two themes were identified when evaluating barriers to euthanasia on-farm, and participants agreed that making timely decisions relies upon several dimensions of risk analysis. An unsupportive farm culture was identified as a critical barrier to timely euthanasia decision-making, suggesting that caretaker characteristics may play a role in the success of any timely euthanasia programme. This present study has highlighted areas for future research and demonstrated the need to extend educational efforts both to swine industry leaders and producers to improve overall animal welfare by ensuring timely euthanasia in swine.}, number={4}, journal={Animal Welfare}, publisher={Universities Federation for Animal Welfare}, author={Mullins, CR and Pairis-Garcia, MD and George, KA and Anthony, R and Johnson, AK and Coleman, GJ and Rault, J-L and Millman, ST}, year={2017}, month={Nov}, pages={449–459} } @article{ruff_pairis-garcia_campler_moeller_johnson_2017, title={Effect of rubber mats on sow behavior and litter performance during lactation}, volume={204}, ISSN={1871-1413}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2017.08.010}, DOI={10.1016/j.livsci.2017.08.010}, abstractNote={The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of rubber lying mats on sow behavior, production and litter performance throughout lactation. In total, 213 multiparous, late gestation, group housed sows were enrolled in the study after being blocked by parity and classified as lame or non-lame. Sows were randomly allocated to treatments; a farrowing crate with a perforated rubber lying mat (R), or a farrowing crate with standard metal slatted flooring (C). Sow behavior, lesion scores, sow weight, and body condition measurements were obtained once weekly over the course of 4 weeks around the farrowing event (1 week prior until 3 weeks post farrowing day). Piglet weights were recorded during the weeks of farrowing and weaning. Wean to estrus intervals and piglet mortality data were obtained post-hoc via records from the farm's computer database PigKnows®. Sows housed on the R treatment spent an increased proportion of time spent standing (P = 0.02) and tended to spend a lower proportion of their time spent lying (P = 0.07). Sows that were housed on R treatment weaned piglets with lower body weights when compared sows housed on C treatment (P < 0.05). Sows on the R treatment had a higher number of crushed piglets when compared to C treatment sows (P < 0.05). Rubber mats did not affect the total number of body lesions, body condition scores, or body weights of the sows (P > 0.05). In conclusion, rubber mats did not affect behavior of lame or non-lame sows during lactation but impacted weaning weights and total piglet mortality due to crushing. Further research evaluating alternative flooring during the farrowing and lactation period is needed in order to improve sow comfort and longevity while protecting piglet health and viability.}, journal={Livestock Science}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Ruff, Garth R. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D. and Campler, Magnus R. and Moeller, Steven J. and Johnson, Anna K.}, year={2017}, month={Oct}, pages={65–70} } @article{pullin_pairis-garcia_campbell_campler_proudfoot_2017, title={Technical note: Instantaneous sampling intervals validated from continuous video observation for behavioral recording of feedlot lambs}, volume={95}, ISSN={0021-8812 1525-3163}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas2017.1835}, DOI={10.2527/jas2017.1835}, abstractNote={When considering methodologies for collecting behavioral data, continuous sampling provides the most complete and accurate data set whereas instantaneous sampling can provide similar results and also increase the efficiency of data collection. However, instantaneous time intervals require validation to ensure accurate estimation of the data. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate scan sampling intervals for lambs housed in a feedlot environment. Feeding, lying, standing, drinking, locomotion, and oral manipulation were measured on 18 crossbred lambs housed in an indoor feedlot facility for 14 h (0600–2000 h). Data from continuous sampling were compared with data from instantaneous scan sampling intervals of 5, 10, 15, and 20 min using a linear regression analysis. Three criteria determined if a time interval accurately estimated behaviors: 1) R2 ≥ 0.90, 2) slope not statistically different from 1 (P > 0.05), and 3) intercept not statistically different from 0 (P > 0.05). Estimations for lying behavior were accurate up to 20-min intervals, whereas feeding and standing behaviors were accurate only at 5-min intervals (i.e., met all 3 regression criteria). Drinking, locomotion, and oral manipulation demonstrated poor associations (R2) for all tested intervals. The results from this study suggest that a 5-min instantaneous sampling interval will accurately estimate lying, feeding, and standing behaviors for lambs housed in a feedlot, whereas continuous sampling is recommended for the remaining behaviors. This methodology will contribute toward the efficiency, accuracy, and transparency of future behavioral data collection in lamb behavior research.}, number={11}, journal={Journal of Animal Science}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Pullin, A. N. and Pairis-Garcia, M. D. and Campbell, B. J. and Campler, M. R. and Proudfoot, K. L.}, year={2017}, month={Nov}, pages={4703–4707} } @article{pullin_pairis-garcia_campbell_campler_proudfoot_fluharty_2017, title={The effect of social dynamics and environment at time of early weaning on short- and long-term lamb behavior in a pasture and feedlot setting}, volume={197}, ISSN={0168-1591}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.09.003}, DOI={10.1016/j.applanim.2017.09.003}, abstractNote={Lambs are commonly weaned around 60 d of age in the Eastern United States, but this age is also a time for lambs to apply long-term feeding strategies learned from adult animals. There is minimal evidence on how weaning strategies may affect long-term adaptation of feeding behavior. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of social and environmental factors at weaning on short- (3 d post-weaning) and long-term (8 wk post-weaning) feeding, lying, and standing idle behavior of lambs on pasture or in a feedlot. Two experiments tested this objective: Experiment 1 investigated social dynamics at time of weaning for lambs housed on pasture, and Experiment 2 investigated the effect of weaning into a feedlot compared to a pasture environment. At 60 d of age, 72 crossbred twin lambs were assigned to one of four treatments: lambs weaned and placed with similar-aged lambs onto pasture (W); lambs weaned and placed with similar-aged lambs and non-related adult ewes onto pasture (SF); lambs that remained with their dam on pasture (E); and lambs weaned and placed with similar-aged lambs into a feedlot (FL). Each treatment had three replicates with six lambs/replicate. Behavioral data were collected with instantaneous scan sampling for 15 h/d for 55 d. During the first 3 d after weaning in Experiment 1, W lambs spent more time standing than SF lambs (P = 0.03), and all lambs decreased standing idle time over the 3 d (P < 0.0001). During the 8 wks after weaning, W and SF lambs spent more time grazing (P = 0.03) and less time lying (P = 0.02) compared to E lambs. In Experiment 2, feeding time of FL lambs increased on d 3 compared to d 1 and 2 (P < 0.05). However, there was no effect of week on feeding, lying, or standing time over the long-term period (P > 0.05). When the time-budgets of lambs from both experiments were compared, W lambs spent 39.2% more time grazing compared to the amount of time that FL lambs spent feeding. Results suggest that keeping non-related adult ewes (SF) with weaned lambs did not influence the grazing and lying behavior of lambs on pasture. Lambs that stayed with their dams and were weaned later (E) had the lowest grazing time, likely because they are still receiving milk. Lambs in the feedlot environment increased their time spent feeding in the first few days, suggesting an initial adaptation to stress after weaning.}, journal={Applied Animal Behaviour Science}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Pullin, Allison N. and Pairis-Garcia, Monique D. and Campbell, Braden J. and Campler, Magnus R. and Proudfoot, Kathryn L. and Fluharty, Francis L.}, year={2017}, month={Dec}, pages={32–39} } @article{campbell_pullin_pairis-garcia_mccutcheon_lowe_campler_fluharty_2017, title={The effects of alternative weaning strategies on lamb health and performance}, volume={156}, ISSN={0921-4488}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2017.09.006}, DOI={10.1016/j.smallrumres.2017.09.006}, abstractNote={Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of weaning age on lamb growth and the severity of parasitic infection in grazing lambs. All lambs were fed in a feedlot until they reached a set marketable weight after their allocated grazing period. In experiment 1, 48 Hampshire × Dorset and Suffolk × Dorset crossbred lambs and 24 Dorset × Suffolk and Dorset × Hampshire crossbred ewes were placed into one of two weaning treatments for 63 days: Pasture control (PC): lambs weaned early at 60 days of age and placed on pasture and Ewe (E): Lambs placed on pasture at 60 days of age with ewe and weaned at approximately 123 days of age. The E lambs had a greater average final body weight, total ADG, and PCV value on day 63 compared to PC lambs during the grazing period (P < 0.05). In the feedlot, E lambs spent fewer days in the feedlot to reach market weight and had a greater overall ADG with PC lambs demonstrating a greater G:F and total DMI (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, a total of 72 crossbred lambs and 27 crossbred ewes were placed into one of four weaning treatments for 56 days: Pasture control (PC). Ewe (E): lambs weaned at approximately 116 days of age. Social facilitator (SF): lambs weaned at 60 days of age and placed on pasture with non-lactating, non-related ewes. Feedlot control (FC): lambs weaned at 60 days of age and placed in a research feedlot facility. Feedlot control lambs were not re-exposed to parasites after the initiation of the experiment and therefore included as an industry standard control. The E lambs demonstrated greater BW from day 42 to the end of the grazing period and FC lambs had the lowest BW from day 7 to day 28 and a greater ADG on day 56 of the grazing period (P < 0.05). The E and FC lambs also demonstrated a smaller difference in change in PCV values from day 28 to the end of the grazing period (P < 0.05). In the feedlot, E lambs required less total weight gain and had lower DMI compared to all other treatments to reach market weight (P < 0.05). The FC lambs had a greater total weight gain, DMI, and G:F compared to all other treatments (P < 0.05). The results from these two experiments demonstrate that extending the weaning age of lambs beyond 60 days of age in pasture-based systems can be beneficial from an animal health standpoint and requires less harvested grain in the feedlot to reach a market appropriate endpoint.}, journal={Small Ruminant Research}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Campbell, B.J. and Pullin, A.N. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and McCutcheon, J.S. and Lowe, G.D. and Campler, M.R. and Fluharty, F.L.}, year={2017}, month={Nov}, pages={57–65} } @article{pullin_pairis-garcia_campler_proudfoot_2017, title={Validation of scan sampling techniques for behavioural observations of pastured lambs}, volume={26}, ISSN={0962-7286}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.26.2.185}, DOI={10.7120/09627286.26.2.185}, abstractNote={Abstract The study of farm animal behaviour is a critical tool for assessing animal welfare. Collecting behavioural data with continuous sampling or short scan sampling intervals (eg every 60th second) is considered ideal as this provides the most complete and accurate dataset; however, these methods are also time and labour intensive. Longer sampling intervals provide an alternative in order to increase efficiency, but these require validation to ensure accurate estimation of the data. This study aims to validate scan sampling intervals for lambs ( Ovis aries ) housed on pasture. Grazing, lying, standing, drinking, locomotion, and mineral consumption were evaluated from six pens of crossbred lambs (six lambs per pen) for 15 h. Data from 1-min instantaneous scan sampling were compared with data from instantaneous scan sampling intervals of 5, 10, 15, and 20 min in two statistical tests: generalised linear mixed model and regression analysis. Using the mixed model, the percentage of time each behaviour was performed did not differ amongst sampling intervals for all behaviours except grazing, which was statistically different at 20-min intervals. Using regression analysis, lying and grazing estimations were accurate up to 20-min intervals, and standing was accurate at 10- and 20-min intervals only. Locomotion, mineral consumption, and drinking demonstrated poor associations for all tested intervals. The results from this study suggest that a 10-min instantaneous scan sampling interval will accurately estimate lying, grazing, and standing behaviour for lambs on pasture. This validation will assist with the efficiency of future data collection in lamb behaviour and welfare research.}, number={2}, journal={Animal Welfare}, publisher={Universities Federation for Animal Welfare}, author={Pullin, AN and Pairis-Garcia, MD and Campler, MR and Proudfoot, KL}, year={2017}, month={May}, pages={185–190} } @article{parsons_johnson_coetzee_karriker_pairis-garcia_stalder_millman_2016, title={Flooring preference and behavior in sound and lame sows}, volume={66}, ISSN={0906-4702 1651-1972}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2016.1256421}, DOI={10.1080/09064702.2016.1256421}, abstractNote={The objectives of this study were to assess sow flooring preference and behavior during sound, induced lame and lameness recovery states. Thirty-four multiparous, non-pregnant sows were compared pr...}, number={2}, journal={Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A — Animal Science}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Parsons, R. L. and Johnson, A. K. and Coetzee, J. F. and Karriker, L. A. and Pairis-Garcia, M. D. and Stalder, K. J. and Millman, S. T.}, year={2016}, month={Apr}, pages={115–118} } @article{campler_pairis-garcia_stalder_johnson_2016, title={Rubber mat placement in a farrowing and lactation facility: Tips and techniques}, volume={24}, number={3}, journal={Journal of Swine Health and Production}, author={Campler, M. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and Stalder, K.J. and Johnson, A.K.}, year={2016}, pages={142–146} } @article{pairis-garcia_2016, title={The U.S. swine industry: historical milestones and the future of on-farm swine welfare assessments.}, volume={11}, ISSN={1749-8848}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/pavsnnr201611025}, DOI={10.1079/pavsnnr201611025}, abstractNote={Abstract Swine welfare has become an ever increasing area of public interest in the United States (USA) and has resulted in dramatic changes to legislation, policy and practices in swine production. Over the past decades, consumer engagement, animal protection campaigns and increase knowledge about swine welfare arising from education and research programmes have escalated swine welfare to a top industry priority. For both mainstream and niche pork marketing streams, science based and culturally relevant programmes have been developed to assess swine welfare, articulate standards of care and verify compliance to assure purchasers and consumers of pork about on-farm husbandry practices that impact animal welfare. This response has transitioned primarily from education of producers and/or consumers, to outcome-based animal welfare assessment programmes with independent third party verification audits. This review paper will evaluate some factors that have influenced the development of swine welfare standards in the USA and describe programmes developed to improve and evolve on-farm swine welfare for the future.}, number={025}, journal={CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources}, publisher={CABI Publishing}, author={Pairis-Garcia, M}, year={2016}, month={Aug} } @article{whalin_pairis-garcia_proudfoot_stalder_johnson_2016, title={Validating behavioral sampling techniques for lame sows administered flunixin meglumine and meloxicam}, volume={191}, ISSN={1871-1413}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2016.07.017}, DOI={10.1016/j.livsci.2016.07.017}, abstractNote={Abstract Lameness poses a welfare challenge for pigs as it is associated with pain. Monitoring changes in behavior is a useful tool for recognizing illnesses in animals, including lameness. Lame sows spend more time lying down compared to non-lame animals, but there is currently no practical way of recording these changes in behavior. The objectives of this study were to determine if scan sampling could detect behavioral changes in sows induced lame, and detect changes in behavior associated with pain mitigation in sows induced lame. Lameness was induced in 12 multiparous, crossbred sows using a chemical synovitis model. Standing, sitting and lying behaviors were evaluated using continuous sampling, as well as 5, 10 and 15 min scans (‘scan sampling’) for 12 h/d (0600-1800) over a 5-day period. Three pain control treatments were evaluated: flunixin meglumine, meloxicam, and sterile saline administered approximately 28 and 52 h after lameness induction. No differences were found in lying and standing behavior in saline treated sows for all sampling methods (P =0.99). Regardless of sampling method, standing time decreased in the days following lameness induction compared to the day before induction (P}, journal={Livestock Science}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Whalin, Laura and Pairis-Garcia, Monique and Proudfoot, Kathryn and Stalder, Kenneth and Johnson, Anna}, year={2016}, month={Sep}, pages={103–107} } @article{pairis-garcia_johnson_stalder_abell_karriker_coetzee_millman_2015, title={Behavioural evaluation of analgesic efficacy for pain mitigation in lame sows}, volume={24}, ISSN={0962-7286}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.24.1.093}, DOI={10.7120/09627286.24.1.093}, abstractNote={Abstract Lameness in breeding swine has a large negative economic impact and is a welfare concern. Pain-related behaviour, such as postural changes, may be used to evaluate the presence and severity of pain in animals. The objective of this work was to determine the effects of flunixin meglumine (FM) and meloxicam (M) on postural changes in lame sows. Lameness was induced in 24 mature sows (Sus scrofa) using a chemical synovitis model. Three treatments were compared: FM (2.2 mg kg −1 ; n = 24, intramuscular [IM]), M (1.0 mg kg −1 ; n = 24, by mouth [PO]) and sterile saline (equivalent volume to FM; n = 24 [IM]), administered approximately 28 and 52 h after lameness induction. Behavioural data were collected in the home pen during 12-h periods and quantified using 15-min scan sampling on the day prior to (-24 h; Day-1) through +168 h post lameness induction. Frequency of behaviour was analysed by day using generalised linear mixed model methods. The frequency of standing postures significantly decreased and lying postures increased 24-72 h post lameness induction relative to baseline day. All postures returned to baseline frequencies by +168 h. Meloxicam-treated sows demonstrated lower frequencies of lying postures +48 and +72 h after lameness induction compared to saline-treated sows. Flunixin-treated sows did not differ in lying behaviours compared to saline-treated sows. No differences were noted in standing or sitting postures between treatments. The results of this study suggest that meloxicam mitigates pain sensitivity as demonstrated by higher frequency of standing and lower frequency of lying compared to saline-treated sows.}, number={1}, journal={Animal Welfare}, publisher={Universities Federation for Animal Welfare}, author={Pairis-Garcia, MD and Johnson, AK and Stalder, KJ and Abell, CA and Karriker, LA and Coetzee, JF and Millman, ST}, year={2015}, month={Feb}, pages={93–99} } @article{pairis-garcia_johnson_abell_coetzee_karriker_millman_stalder_2015, title={Measuring the efficacy of flunixin meglumine and meloxicam for lame sows using a GAITFour pressure mat and an embedded microcomputer-based force plate system}, volume={93}, ISSN={0021-8812 1525-3163}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2014-8796}, DOI={10.2527/jas.2014-8796}, abstractNote={Pain associated with lameness on farm is a negative affective state and has a detrimental impact on individual farm animal welfare. Animal pain can be managed utilizing husbandry tools and through pharmacological approaches. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including meloxicam and flunixin meglumine are compounds used in many species for pain management because they are easy to administer, long lasting, and cost-effective. Assessing an animal's biomechanical parameters using such tools as the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system and GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system provides an objective, sensitive, and precise means to detect animals in lame states. The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy of meloxicam and flunixin meglumine for pain mitigation in lame sows using the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system and GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system. Lameness was induced in 24 mature mixed-parity sows using a chemical synovitis model and compared 3 treatments: meloxicam (1.0 mg/kg per os), flunixin meglumine (2.2 mg/kg intramuscular) and sterile saline (intramuscular). Weight distribution (kg) for each foot was collected twice per second for a total of 5 min for each time point using the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system. Stride time, stride length, maximum pressure, activated sensors, and stance time were collected using 3 quality walks (readings) for each time point using the GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system. Sows administered flunixin meglumine or meloxicam tolerated more weight on their lame leg compared with saline sows (P < 0.005). Sows administered flunixin meglumine or meloxicam had smaller differences in stance time, maximum pressure, and activated sensors between the sound and lame legs compared with saline-treated sows between 37 and 60 h after lameness induction (P < 0.03). In conclusion, flunixin meglumine and meloxicam administration mitigated pain sensitivity in sows after lameness induction when pain sensitivity was evaluated with the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system and GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system. Analgesic drugs may be a key tool to manage negative pain affective states associated with lameness.}, number={5}, journal={Journal of Animal Science}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Pairis-Garcia, M. D. and Johnson, A. K. and Abell, C. A. and Coetzee, J. F. and Karriker, L. A. and Millman, S. T. and Stalder, K. J.}, year={2015}, month={May}, pages={2100–2110} } @article{parsons_millman_coetzee_karriker_mohling_pairis-garcia_stalder_johnson_2015, title={Sow behavioral responses to transient, chemically induced synovitis lameness}, volume={65}, ISSN={0906-4702 1651-1972}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2015.1110617}, DOI={10.1080/09064702.2015.1110617}, abstractNote={The objective was to determine behavioral changes when sows were induced lame using this chemical synovitis model. Twenty-three multiparous, non-pregnant sows were compared during lame and non-lame states. Behavior was recorded over three days. Seven behaviors (foraging, drinking, standing, sitting, sternal and lateral lying) and three locations (drinker, home pen and feed bunk) were recorded. Observations of sows drinking, standing, lying sternal and being in the drinker location decreased after induction. Lying lateral frequency, regardless of side, increased after sows were induced lame. Frequency in the home pen location increased, but no differences were observed for feed bunk location after sows were induced lame. The induced lame foot had no observed effect on lying side preference. By the end of the round, all behavioral and location frequencies returned to baseline levels. Standing, lying and drinking frequencies seem to be promising sow behavioral tools when transitioning from sound to lame states.}, number={2}, journal={Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A — Animal Science}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Parsons, R.L. and Millman, S.T. and Coetzee, J.F. and Karriker, L.A. and Mohling, C.M. and Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and Stalder, K.J. and Johnson, A.K.}, year={2015}, month={Apr}, pages={122–125} } @article{pairis-garcia_johnson_millman_2014, title={Case study: Treatment of oral and locomotory stereotypic behaviors in a mature sow}, volume={9}, ISSN={1558-7878}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2014.06.004}, DOI={10.1016/j.jveb.2014.06.004}, abstractNote={A 32-month-old female 225-kg nonpregnant cross-bred Newsham sow presented a 6-week history of stereotypic behaviors when housed in a laboratory research facility. A behavioral examination over 12 daylight hours revealed 3 main stereotypic motor patterns, namely (1) oral-nasal gate manipulation defined as placement of the snout between the bars of the pen gate with repetitive, forceful up and down movement; (2) head weaving defined as repetitive lateral head and snout movement toward the pen gates while rocking back and forth on her forequarters with hooves remaining on ground at all times; and (3) body weaving defined as repetitive shifting of body weight from one side to the other with front hooves lifting alternately off the ground. The sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 4.0%, 12.4%, and 6.8% of her total baseline time budget, respectively. The presumptive diagnosis was oral-nasal and locomotory stereotypies. Three treatments were used to mitigate the duration and frequency of these stereotypic behaviors. Treatment 1—Social treatment (change social stimuli by providing visual and nose-to-nose contact with different neighboring sows); Treatment 2—Forage treatment (change foraging substrates by providing peat moss as a rooting substrate); and Treatment 3—Space treatment (change pen configuration by increasing space). The sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 0%, 0.4%, and 0.1% of her total time budget, respectively; social treatment: the sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 0.9%, 15.3%, and 11.3% of her total time budget, respectively; and forage treatment: the sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 0.5%, 28.0%, and 15.5% of her total time budget, respectively. This study is one of the first reports to evaluate the treatment of established stereotypies in a mature sow. Results suggest the promise of environmental enrichment as an effective treatment strategy. Further research is needed to evaluate the persistence of these behavioral changes and relative importance of different environmental manipulations provided.}, number={5}, journal={Journal of Veterinary Behavior}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Pairis-Garcia, Monique D. and Johnson, Anna K. and Millman, Suzanne T.}, year={2014}, month={Sep}, pages={269–273} } @article{pairis-garcia_johnson_millman_stalder_karriker_2014, title={Effects of yohimbine, an alpha 2-antagonistic reversal agent, on physiological recovery parameters of anesthetized sows}, volume={22}, number={1}, journal={Journal of Swine Health and Production}, author={Pairis-Garcia, M.D. and Johnson, A.K. and Millman, S.T. and Stalder, K.J. and Karriker, L.A.}, year={2014}, pages={16–23} } @article{pairis-garcia_johnson_stalder_karriker_coetzee_millman_2014, title={Measuring the efficacy of flunixin meglumine and meloxicam for lame sows using nociceptive threshold tests}, volume={23}, ISSN={0962-7286}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.23.2.219}, DOI={10.7120/09627286.23.2.219}, abstractNote={Abstract Lameness in breeding swine can cause severe pain leading to on-farm welfare issues and significant economic impacts. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including meloxicam and flunixin meglumine are commonly used in veterinary medicine for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Pressure algometry and thermal sensitivity tests are non-invasive methods to quantify pain sensitivity using nociceptive thresholds to provoke withdrawal responses on lame and sound legs. The objective of this work was to determine the effects of these drugs on nociceptive thresholds in sows induced lame using pressure algometry and thermal sensitivity tests. Lameness was induced in 24 mature, mixed-parity sows using a chemical synovitis model and three treatments were compared: meloxicam (1.0 mg kg −1 PO), flunixin meglumine (2.2 mg kg −1 IM) and sterile saline (IM). Pressure algometry was measured on sound and lame rear legs with three replicates at three landmarks. Thermal sensitivity tests were done on sound and lame rear legs with three replicates using a thermal stimulus at one landmark. From 37 to 72 h after lameness induction, meloxicam- and flunixin meglumine-treated sows tolerated higher pressure algometer nociceptive thresholds compared to saline-treated sows. Changes in thermal nociceptive thresholds were evident at the T max time-points for meloxicam administration and 72 and 168 h post lameness induction for flunixin meglumine-treated sows. In conclusion, flunixin meglumine and meloxicam administration mitigated pain sensitivity in lame sows post lameness induction when pain sensitivity was evaluated with pressure algometry. These analgesic drugs may be a key tool to manage pain associated with lameness.}, number={2}, journal={Animal Welfare}, publisher={Universities Federation for Animal Welfare}, author={Pairis-Garcia, MD and Johnson, AK and Stalder, KJ and Karriker, LA and Coetzee, JF and Millman, ST}, year={2014}, month={May}, pages={219–229} } @article{pairis-garcia_johnson_kukanich_wulf_millman_stalder_karriker_coetzee_2014, title={Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in mature swine after intravenous and oral administration}, volume={38}, ISSN={0140-7783}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvp.12170}, DOI={10.1111/jvp.12170}, abstractNote={The purpose of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in mature swine after intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration. Six mature sows (mean bodyweight ± standard deviation = 217.3 ± 65.68 kg) were administered an i.v. or p.o. dose of meloxicam at a target dose of 0.5 mg/kg in a cross-over design. Plasma samples collected up to 48 h postadministration were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) followed by noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Mean peak plasma concentration (CMAX) after p.o. administration was 1070 ng/mL (645–1749 ng/mL). TMAX was recorded at 2.40 h (0.50–12.00 h) after p.o. administration. Half-life (T½ λz) for i.v. and p.o. administration was 6.15 h (4.39–7.79 h) and 6.83 h (5.18–9.63 h), respectively. The bioavailability (F) for p.o. administration was 87% (39–351%). The results of this study suggest that meloxicam is well absorbed after oral administration.}, number={3}, journal={Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Pairis-Garcia, M. D. and Johnson, A. K. and KuKanich, B. and Wulf, L. and Millman, S. T. and Stalder, K. J. and Karriker, L. A. and Coetzee, J. F.}, year={2014}, month={Oct}, pages={265–270} } @article{pairis-garcia_johnson_bates_stock_barth_brommel_stalder_karriker_2013, title={Development and refinement of a technique for short-term intravascular auricular vein catheter placement in mature sows}, volume={48}, ISSN={0023-6772 1758-1117}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0023677213514044}, DOI={10.1177/0023677213514044}, abstractNote={Intravenous drug administration in adult swine is difficult to perform due to inaccessible superficial veins and thick subcutaneous fat layers. However, successful intravenous drug administration is critical for many biomedical applications including pharmacokinetic studies as extravascular drug administration can influence the drug’s absorption and elimination rate. The purpose of this study was to develop and refine an effective technique for indwelling auricular vein catheter placement in the conscious mature sow. We developed a protocol using a topical anesthetic cream and minimal physical restraint to place indwelling catheters in the auricular vein of six multiparous sows. This method was quick (3 min 20 s ± 8 s [mean ± SE per catheter]), effective (11/12 catheters successfully placed) and reliable, allowing a large drug volume (20–22 mL) to be administrated successfully during the trial without relying on prolonged restraint or general anesthesia of the sow.}, number={1}, journal={Laboratory Animals}, publisher={SAGE Publications}, author={Pairis-Garcia, MD and Johnson, AK and Bates, JL and Stock, ML and Barth, LA and Brommel, AS and Stalder, KJ and Karriker, LA}, year={2013}, month={Dec}, pages={78–81} } @article{pairis-garcia_karriker_johnson_kukanich_wulf_sander_millman_stalder_coetzee_2013, title={Pharmacokinetics of flunixin meglumine in mature swine after intravenous, intramuscular and oral administration}, volume={9}, ISSN={1746-6148}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-9-165}, DOI={10.1186/1746-6148-9-165}, abstractNote={Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to determine intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and oral (PO) FM PK in mature swine. Appropriate pain management for lameness in swine is a critical control point for veterinarians and producers, but science-based guidance on optimal housing, management and treatment of lameness is deficient. Six mature swine (121–168 kg) were administered an IV, IM, or PO dose of flunixin meglumine at a target dose of 2.2 mg/kg in a cross-over design with a 10 day washout period between treatments. Plasma samples collected up to 48 hours post-administration were analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) followed by non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Results No adverse effects were observed with flunixin meglumine administration for all routes. Flunixin meglumine was administered at an actual mean dose of 2.21 mg/kg (range: 2.05-2.48 mg/kg) IV, IM and PO. A mean peak plasma concentration (C MAX ) for IM and PO administration was 3748 ng/ml (range: 2749–6004 ng/ml) and 946 ng/ml (range: 554–1593 ng/ml), respectively. T MAX was recorded at 1.00 hour (range: 0.50-2.00 hours) and 0.61 hours (range: 0.17-2.00 hours) after PO and IM administration. Half-life (T ½ λ z ) for IV, IM and PO administration was 6.29 hours (range: 4.84-8.34 hours), 7.49 hours (range: 5.55-12.98 hours) and 7.08 hours (range: 5.29-9.15 hours) respectively. In comparison, bioavailability (F) for PO administration was 22% (range: 11-44%) compared to IM F at 76% (range: 54-92%). Conclusions The results of the present study suggest that FM oral administration is not the most effective administration route for mature swine when compared to IV and IM. Lower F and Cmax of PO-FM in comparison to IM-FM suggest that PO-FM is less likely to be an effective therapeutic administration route.}, number={1}, journal={BMC Veterinary Research}, publisher={Springer Nature}, author={Pairis-Garcia, Monique D and Karriker, Locke A and Johnson, Anna K and Kukanich, Butch and Wulf, Larry and Sander, Suzanne and Millman, Suzanne T and Stalder, Kenneth J and Coetzee, Johann F}, year={2013}, pages={165} } @article{karriker_abell_pairis-garcia_holt_sun_coetzee_johnson_hoff_stalder_2013, title={Validation of a lameness model in sows using physiological and mechanical measurements}, volume={91}, ISSN={0021-8812 1525-3163}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2011-4994}, DOI={10.2527/jas.2011-4994}, abstractNote={The objective of this study was to develop a validated, transient, chemically induced lameness model in sows using subjective and objective lameness detection tools. Experiment 1 determined an effective joint injection technique based on volume and placement of dye using feet collected from 9 finisher pigs and 10 multiparity cull sow carcasses. Experiment 2 confirmed the injection technique in live animals and produced a transient clinical lameness in 4 anesthetized sows injected with amphotericin B (15 mg/mL) in the distal interphalangeal joints of the claw. Clinical lameness was assessed by a categorical lameness scoring system, and a postmortem visual confirmation of joint injection technique was obtained. In Exp. 3, 6 sows were injected with 0, 10, or 15 mg/mL amphotericin B in either the left or right hind foot and were monitored until clinical resolution. Treated sows demonstrated elevated clinical lameness scores. These changes resolved by 7 d after lameness induction. Control sows injected with sterile saline developed a clinical lameness score of 0.5, which resolved 72 h post injection. In Exp. 4, 36 sows were injected with 10 mg/mL amphotericin B in 1 of 4 injection sites (left front claws, right front claws, left rear claws, and right rear claws). All injected sows exhibited a decrease in maximum pressure, stance time, and number of sensors activated on the GaitFour (P < 0.05) sensor system. A static force plate also demonstrated a decrease in weight (kg) being placed on the injected foot when all feet were injected (P ≤ 0.05). Injection of amphotericin B induced a predictable acute lameness that resolved spontaneously and is an effective method to model lameness in sows.}, number={1}, journal={Journal of Animal Science}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Karriker, L. A. and Abell, C. E. and Pairis-Garcia, M. D. and Holt, W. A. and Sun, G. and Coetzee, J. F. and Johnson, A. K. and Hoff, S. J. and Stalder, K. J.}, year={2013}, month={Jan}, pages={130–136} }