Development of qualitative behavioural assessment of mink: Why is it hard to achieve high inter- and intra-observer agreement in QBA-scoring of mink?

TY - ABST

T1 - Development of qualitative behavioural assessment of mink

T2 - 9th International Conference on the<br/>Welfare Assessment of Animals at Farm Level (WAFL)

AU - Henriksen, Britt I. F.

AU - Rousing, Tine

AU - Foldager, Leslie

AU - Møller, Steen Henrik

N1 - Conference code: 9

PY - 2024/8

Y1 - 2024/8

N2 - Several welfare assessment systems include Qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) as an indicator of welfare in the assessment of the animals’ welfare (AWIN, 2015; Stubsjoen et al., 2022, Welfare Quality, 2023). QBA of animals is an assessment of the animal’s behavioural expression including positive aspects, reflecting the animals experience of their surroundings. The aim of the present study was to develop a QBA indicator to be used in the welfare assessment WelFur-Mink, including development of a fixed QBA descriptor list useable for groups of minks and the test of inter- and intra-observer reliability. A keyperson group of in total 14 experts within mink farming including researchers, production veterinarians, consultants and WelFur assessors, were in a delphi questionnaire asked to 1) identify and 2) prioritise descriptors for a QBA protocol that would best cover all possible behavioural expressions of mink for each of the 3 observation periods (P) included in WelFur-Mink: P1 ‘Winter’; January – February (adult breeder animals), P2 ‘Reproduction’ May-June (adult animals with kits), and P3 ‘Growth’; September-November (adult animals and juveniles. This process resulted in 29 QBA descriptors for P1, 31 for P2 and 29 for P3 which were all prioritized by at least four keypersons. To evaluate the inter- and intra-observer reliability of a QBA for mink, there were conducted two separate on-line sessions with experienced WelFur assessors, for training and test of intra and inter observer-agreement (IntraOR and InterOR) of QBA measurement for P1. Based on video footage 8 observers QBA assessed 15 short videos of mink randomely 2 times. Preliminary analyses show that the IntraOR was found to be high and that the interOR was medium to high. References AWIN 2015. AWIN Welfare assessment protocol for sheep. DOI: 10.13130/ AWIN_SHEEP_2015 Stubsjoen, S.M., Moe, R.O., Mejdell, C.M., Tommerberg, V., Knappe-Poindecker, M., Kampen, A.H., Granquist, E.G., Muri, K., 2022. Sheep welfare in different housing systems in South Norway. Small Ruminant Research 214. Welfare Quality, 2023. Welfare Quality assessment protocol for cattle. Version 3.0. Welfare Quality Network.

AB - Several welfare assessment systems include Qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) as an indicator of welfare in the assessment of the animals’ welfare (AWIN, 2015; Stubsjoen et al., 2022, Welfare Quality, 2023). QBA of animals is an assessment of the animal’s behavioural expression including positive aspects, reflecting the animals experience of their surroundings. The aim of the present study was to develop a QBA indicator to be used in the welfare assessment WelFur-Mink, including development of a fixed QBA descriptor list useable for groups of minks and the test of inter- and intra-observer reliability. A keyperson group of in total 14 experts within mink farming including researchers, production veterinarians, consultants and WelFur assessors, were in a delphi questionnaire asked to 1) identify and 2) prioritise descriptors for a QBA protocol that would best cover all possible behavioural expressions of mink for each of the 3 observation periods (P) included in WelFur-Mink: P1 ‘Winter’; January – February (adult breeder animals), P2 ‘Reproduction’ May-June (adult animals with kits), and P3 ‘Growth’; September-November (adult animals and juveniles. This process resulted in 29 QBA descriptors for P1, 31 for P2 and 29 for P3 which were all prioritized by at least four keypersons. To evaluate the inter- and intra-observer reliability of a QBA for mink, there were conducted two separate on-line sessions with experienced WelFur assessors, for training and test of intra and inter observer-agreement (IntraOR and InterOR) of QBA measurement for P1. Based on video footage 8 observers QBA assessed 15 short videos of mink randomely 2 times. Preliminary analyses show that the IntraOR was found to be high and that the interOR was medium to high. References AWIN 2015. AWIN Welfare assessment protocol for sheep. DOI: 10.13130/ AWIN_SHEEP_2015 Stubsjoen, S.M., Moe, R.O., Mejdell, C.M., Tommerberg, V., Knappe-Poindecker, M., Kampen, A.H., Granquist, E.G., Muri, K., 2022. Sheep welfare in different housing systems in South Norway. Small Ruminant Research 214. Welfare Quality, 2023. Welfare Quality assessment protocol for cattle. Version 3.0. Welfare Quality Network.

M3 - Conference abstract in proceedings

T3 - EAAP Book of Abstracts

SP - 44

EP - 44

BT - Book of Abstracts of the 9th International Conference on the Welfare Assessment of Animals at Farm Level (WAFL)

PB - EAAP

Y2 - 30 August 2024 through 31 August 2024

ER -