The signs are that dairy cows really enjoy being let out of their shed after a long confinement during winter weather. Our clip shows them enjoying their taste of freedom!
We have quoted broadcaster and farmer John Humphrys before but his remark is well worth repeating because this clip shows you exactly what he’s talking about:
“They tear about the field, kicking their legs into the air …For six months they have lived in sheds, slept in stalls, stood on concrete. Now, once again, they have the grass beneath their feet. They seem, quite literally, to be full of the joy of spring. It lifts the spirits to watch them.”
Sakura, a baby chimpanzee, is showing that chimps prefer melodic music. During a research trial to see which kind of music Sakura would chose, she preferred to listen to a pleasant melody than to discordant musical chords.
Santino, another clever chimp, who's at www.livesofanimals.org/2009/03/santino-rocks/
This shows us more fascinating evidence about the sentience of chimps. In this case, Sakura is in a human-designed, captive environment, which may be somewhat enriched, but which is still unnatural for a chimp. The fact that Sakura works out what to do in these circumstances tells us even more about chimp awareness and understanding. These abilities are strong indicators of animal sentience.
Sakura is not alone in preferring sweet music. Back in 2001, there was research investigating how cows reacted to fast beats or to softer music. The researchers said: “We found that slow music improved milk yields perhaps because it relaxes the cows in much the same way as it relaxes humans.”
Despite increasing awareness of animal sentience, there is still resistance to appreciating or acknowledging that animals are sentient beings and there is reluctance to peer over the barrier of “human vs other animals” that we ourselves have created.
Cows enjoy soothing sounds. Photo (c) Compassion in World Farming/Karen Playford
It was previously thought that this kind of choice and preference about music was a “uniquely human trait.” So we see that Sakura and the dairy cows have overcome yet another barrier!
Floss was separated from her calf and sold at a market, but it seems she had other plans. She escaped from the new farm, eventually fetching up 60 miles away. Cows form a strong bond with their calves and she may have taken off to look for her calf.
Floss then spent the next nine months fending for herself. She hid during the day and looked for food at night, searching rubbish dumps and finding occasional hay supplies.
It is reported that she did not have an easy time as joyriders and others tried to run her down and shot at her.
Two local women began to help Floss. She was taken food and they raised £500 GBP to buy her from the farmer and took her to Hillside, an animal sanctuary.
One of her rescuers said: “Floss trotted off the back of the trailer and it was the most wonderful thing. She really deserves it. For an animal to look after herself all that time she deserves this life.”
Cows and their calves form strong family bonds. Image: Compassion/Martin Usborne
Jane Goodall’s observations of chimps revolutionised our knowledge of them as sentient beings. Chimps have strong family bonds and are skilled at using tools.
Santino, a chimp who is in a zoo in Sweden, has attracted huge media interest by his planning for the future. Chimps in zoos are known for throwing stones at visitors. But Santino has been searching his enclosure for stones and loose concrete. He has been both storing these up, and making discs out of concrete, to later throw at visitors to the zoo during what are called “dominance displays” (perhaps when he is stressed or fed up at being stared at).
Santino - a very clever chimp
The signs are, then, that chimps can plan for the future. Previously scientists had thought only humans were capable of planning ahead in this way, but based on these kinds of observations, it is likely that other animals can too. Dr Osvath, Santino’s researcher, is reported as saying: “I bet there must be a lot of these kinds of behaviours out there, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we find them in dolphins or other species.”
What’s more, planning is not the end of Santino’s abilities, as the article tells us:
“Most interestingly, Santino seems to have learned how to spot weak parts of the concrete “boulders” in the centre of the enclosure. When water seeps into cracks in the concrete and freezes, portions become detached that make a hollow sound when tapped. Santino was observed gently knocking on the “boulders”, hitting harder to detach bits that were loosened and adding those to his stashes of ammunition.”
You can see Santino on the film clip below. Lives of Animals.org has some concerns with this clip. Firstly, it is entitled “Naughty chimp’s human ways”, when Santino is not “naughty”. The report says that if he carries on his “naughty ways”, staff will keep him indoors. Santino already has a far from natural life and it’s important to seek a better answer such as enriching his environment, rather than restricting it further.
Zoo staff are said to be calling Santino "The Thinker."
Animals are capable of experiencing a rich quality of life and Santino’s story shows us how clever they can be. In our treatment of animals, we need to pay attention to their quality of life.
Dogs are not just man’s best friend. Bella the dog is best friend of Tarra the elephant at the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary and you can watch their amazing story here:
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
