The development of the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for donkeys

Emanuela Dalla Costa; Francesca Dai; Leigh Margaret Anne Murray; Simona Cannas; Elisabetta Canali; Adroaldo José Zanella; Michela Minero

doi:10.11606/issn.1678-4456.bjvras.2021.173333

Authors

Emanuela Dalla Costa Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Milan, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5037-3759
Francesca Dai Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Milan, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2983-4880
Leigh Margaret Anne Murray Cambridge Education Group (Digital), Cambridge, United Kingdom
Simona Cannas Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Milan, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5665-7971
Elisabetta Canali Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Milan, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4962-5955
Adroaldo José Zanella Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Pirassununga – SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5505-1679
Michela Minero Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Milan, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8285-5501

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1678-4456.bjvras.2021.173333

Keywords:

AWIN protocol, Animal-based measure, Donkey welfare, Welfare assessment, Welfare indicator

Abstract

The donkey population has increased in the last 10 years, with an estimated 50 million donkeys currently worldwide. Donkey welfare, meanwhile, is an increasing global concern that receives close public scrutiny. However, multiple challenges are surrounding how donkey welfare is assessed and recorded. The Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) project is the first project, funded by the European Commission, intended to improve donkey welfare by developing a scientifically sound and practical on-farm welfare assessment protocol. The present study describes the procedure for the development of the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for donkeys: 1) selection of promising welfare indicators; 2) research to cover gaps in knowledge; 3) stakeholder consultation; 4) testing the prototype protocol on-farm. The proposed two-level strategy improved on-farm feasibility, while the AWIN donkey app enables the standardized collection of data with prompt results. Although limitations are linked with a relatively small reference population, the AWIN welfare assessment protocol represents the first scientific and standardized approach to evaluate donkey welfare on-farm.

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References

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The development of the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for donkeys

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