The Inner World of Farm Animals: Their Amazing Social, Emotional and Intellectual Capacities
This beautiful book by Amy Hatkoff fully lives up to its title. At first glance it may seem like a neat coffee table book, as it contains quality photos of farm animals accompanied by heart-warming stories about individual farm animals who have displayed a wide array of clever or generous actions. Presumably, if one pig can show presence of mind in a human crisis then the presumption would be that other pigs would have this capacity too. (In this case the pig brought passers-by to the help of her owner who was indoors having a heart attack.)
Amy Hatkoff has backed up these stories with short passages based on the work of leading animal welfare scientists such as Professors Marian Dawkins and Mike Mendl, showing the unexpected intelligence of farm animals, such as long-term recognition of missing comrades, delight upon discovering a new technique, and ability to operate a computer game.
Compassion in World Farming highly recommends this book. It would make a lovely gift for a forthcoming birthday or seasonal celebration. We can guarantee that any animal-loving friend will delight in this book. We can nearly guarantee that the sceptic will have their eyes opened! Amy Hatkoff has done the animals a real service.
The Inner World of Farm Animals: Their Amazing Social, Emotional and Intellectual Capacities
By Amy Hatkoff
Published by Stewart, Tabori and Chang (New York), 2009
UK Distributors: ABRAMS/STC Tel: 0207 713 2066
£10.99 (UK), $19.95 (US)
Posted in Books, Cattle, Chickens & hens, Communicating, Emotions, Family bonds, Farm Animals, General, Natural behaviour, Pigs, Sheep | No Comments »
In commercial farming, young animals such as piglets and dairy calves are separated from their mothers at a very young age. The weaning age and the rearing conditions can affect the physical health and the welfare of these very young animals.
This sow and her piglets benefit from better animal welfare conditions. Image: Compassion/Martin Usborne
Animals reared in more interesting, ‘enriched’ conditions are more settled and confident with their companions, and female animals seem to take more easily to rearing their young (when given the opportunity). For example, piglets who lived in outdoor enclosures before and after forced weaning had fewer problems than piglets in barren indoor conditions.
Young piglets need their mum
In intensive farming piglets are removed from their mother between 2-4 weeks of age. At this age they are still dependent on her for feeding, mothering and protection. A more natural weaning age would be 3-4 months.
The younger the piglets are when they are removed from their mothers, the more they squeal for her, try to jump out of the pen and rub their noses against the bellies of their companions, which can cause injuries. The piglets are probably looking for their mother’s udder or to gain physical contact with her.
This frantic behaviour is not seen in 8-week-old piglets in a semi-natural environment, but is commonly seen in commercial farms world-wide.
Dairy calves
Dairy calves in commercial farms are usually separated from their mother at only a few hours old, but natural weaning would take place at 9-11 months old. Often a cow whose calf has been taken away will walk up and down in an agitated way, calling out and apparently looking for her calf. Calves too often appear distressed at this time.
Researchers also looked at the long-term effects on the calf of separation in this way.
If calves are removed from their mother as new-borns, they may not call out for her so much, but their health and long-term development can be affected. If they are taken away from their mother after a longer time spent with her, they may be more distressed at the time, but their long-term development may be better and they may have more confidence to cope with new situations.
The vital bond between mother and young. Image: Compassion/Karen Playford
Tags: animal agriculture, animal farming, Cattle, Compassion in World Farming, emotion, Natural behaviour, sentience
Posted in Cattle, Communicating, Emotions, Family bonds, Maternal care, Pigs | 1 Comment »