Darwinian selection, selective breeding and the welfare of animals
UFAW International Symposium 2009
22nd - 23rd June 2009
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
The 150th anniversary of the publication of ‘On The Origin of Species…’ is an auspicious time to consider the impacts of natural selection and of our selective breeding of animals on their welfare (see below). The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (www.ufaw.org.uk) is planning a two-day international symposium on this at the University of Bristol in June 2009.
It seems likely that the states of the brain that embody the intensity and duration of consciously perceived unpleasant feelings such as fear and pain are closely regulated through evolutionary scrutiny because, for example, being either too fearful or not fearful enough would be detrimental to evolutionary fitness. Likewise, we would expect that Darwinian (natural) selection would act such that brain states associated with pleasant feelings are regulated to appropriately reward – neither too much nor too little - activities and states that promote evolutionary fitness.
What happens to these finely-engineered carrots and sticks – whose effects and interactions are no less than welfare (quality of life) itself - when selection is not for evolutionary fitness but for traits preferred by we humans in pursuit of ideal companion or laboratory animals, or of greater farm animal production? Where genetic welfare problems have arisen as a consequence of breeding practices, how can these be tackled? The aim of this symposium is to consider these and related issues, and we intend to include sessions on farm, laboratory, companion, zoo and free-living animals.
The speakers are listed below. If you wish to view the full Speaker Abstracts of these paper please click here to download them.
You can also view the Poster Abstracts by clicking here.
Day One: 22nd June (9:00-17:00)
Session 1:
- JK Kirkwood (UFAW): Introduction to the symposium
- J Quinn (University of Oxford): The adaptive significance of personality traits in nature
- P Jensen (University of Linköping): Domestication, selection, behaviour and welfare of animals – genetic mechanisms for rapid response
Session 2:
- P McGreevy (University of Sydney): Challenges and paradoxes in the companion animal niche
- RB D’Eath, AB Lawrence, J Conington, IAS Olsson and P Sandøe (Scottish Agricultural College, University of Porto and University of Copenhagen): Breeding for behavioural change in farm animals: practical and ethical considerations
- M Špinka (Institute of Animal Science, Prague): Domestication effects on animal emotional signalisation: A conceptual model
Session 3:
- J Yeates, R. ter Meulen and DCJ Main (University of Bristol): Breeding for pleasure: The value of pleasure and pain in evolution and welfare ethics
- PA Oltenacu and D M Broom (Oklahoma State University and University of Cambridge): The impact of genetic selection for increased milk yield on the welfare of dairy cows
- MD Cooper and JHM Wrathall (RSPCA): Assurance schemes as a tool to tackle genetic welfare problems in broilers
Session 4:
- J Hurst (University of Liverpool): On the origin of laboratory mice and consequences for welfare
- P Honess, MA Griffiths and S Narainapoullé (University of Oxford and Bioculture (Mauritius) Ltd): Selective breeding of primates: Consequences and challenges
- T Woodfine (Durrell Institute): Wild animal conservation genetics
- SP Redrobe and JB Carroll (Bristol Zoological Gardens): Gorilla reproduction in captivity – to assist or not
Drinks reception at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery from 19:00
Day Two: 23rd June (9:30-17:20)
Session 5:
- LM Collins, L Asher, G Diesel and JF Summers (Royal Veterinary College, UK): Conforming to standards: A review of inherited defects as a consequence of physical conformation in pedigree dogs
- TB Rodenburg, P Bijma, ED Ellen, R Bergsma, S de Vries, JE Bolhuis, B Kemp and JAM van Arendonk (University of Wageningen and Institute for Pig Genetics, The Netherlands): Breeding amiable animals? Improving farm animal welfare by including social effects into the genetic model
- PC Trimmer, JAR Marshall, JM McNamara and AI Houston (University of Bristol): A theoretical analysis of the evolution of fear
Session 6:
- J Conington (Scottish Agricultural College): Natural selection for easier sheep management
- TW Lewis, JA Woolliams and SC Blott (Animal Health Trust and The Roslin Institute, UK): Optimisation of breeding strategies to reduce the prevalence of inherited disease in pedigree dogs
- JM Macfarlane, SM Matheson and CM Dwyer (Scottish Agricultural College): Genetic parameters for lamb birth difficulty, vigour and sucking ability in Suffolk sheep
- JWS Bradshaw and ES Paul (University of Bristol): Is (was) empathy for animals an adaptation?
Session 7:
- T Mark & P Sandøe (University of Copenhagen): New genomic developments in dairy cattle breeding – the risks and opportunities for health and welfare
- R Casey and JWS Bradshaw (University of Bristol): Individual differences in behavioural response style in domestic cats
- SP Turner, R Roehe, RB D’Eath, SH Ison, M Farish, MC Jack and AB Lawrence (Scottish Agricultural College): Selection against pig aggressiveness at regrouping; practical application and implications for long-term behavioural patterns
Session 8:
- G Mason (University of Guelph): The ‘comparative approach’: Using inter-species variation to test evolutionary and ecological hypotheses about animal welfare
- FD McMillan (Best Friends Animal Society, USA): Selective breeding in fighting dogs: What have we created?
- NJ Rooney (University of Bristol): Welfare concerns associated with pedigree dog breeding in the UK
This symposium is the latest in UFAW’s continuing and successful programme of themed international meetings that bring together leading scientists, veterinarians, policy makers and all those with an interest in animals and their welfare. It will take place on the 22nd-23rd June 2009; a drinks reception will also take place at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery on the evening of the 22nd.
It is intended that that the proceedings of this symposium will be published as a special issue of ‘Animal Welfare’.
Click here to download details of local hotels with special discount rates for this Symposium.
A further list of nearby accommodation can be found here. Please note that this list gives details but not rates and is provided for those who wish to look at other accommodation not listed on the first link, to the PHR site.
Further information about Bristol can be downloaded here.
Further details about the symposium, including how to contribute are following.
Registration Details
Places will be limited so please contact us as soon as possible to register your attendance. Early registration for the symposium will be at the reduced cost of £190 per person until Thursday 28th February 2009, registration will be £240 thereafter.
A limited number of subsidised places have been made available for students and veterinary nurses at the reduced rate of £110 per person until 28th February 2009, and £140 thereafter; these will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Please contact the office for availability before booking.
Prices include attendance at the symposium for the two days, lunch and refreshments and a drinks reception at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery on the evening of the 22nd.
Click here to download an electronic registration form.
Note:
In the event of circumstances arising beyond the charity’s control, UFAW reserves the right to cancel this conference at it’s discretion without incurring any liability in respect of such cancellation, and to return to delegates any monies received.
Delegates who cancel their bookings within 4 weeks of the start of the conference will not have their registration fee refunded. Prior to this, refunds will be discretionary and will be returned less any handling fee.
Click here to download a PDF registration form.
Venue
The Symposium is being held in the Wills Memorial Building at the University of Bristol. This is located at Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1RJ.
The drinks reception is being held at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery, which is next to the symposium venue. Delegates will be able to look around the exhibits during this.
Further information about Bristol can be downloaded here.
Return completed form to:
Dr Stephen Wickens, UFAW Symposium 2009, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire AL4 8AN, UK. Email: wickens@ufaw.org.uk. Tel: +44 (0)1582 831818; Fax: +44 (0)1582 831414
