University LINKs Scheme
Moulton College (UK)
2023:
17th annual UFAW Student Animal Welfare Conference
Writtle University College ONLINE 26th April 2023
Dr Jonathan Amory, Writtle University College
Undergraduate students from Writtle University College, Brooksby Melton College, Hartpury University and Moulton College took part in this annual research conference presenting their dissertation studies in animal welfare science. The conference began with a welcome from Professor Tim Middleton and words from Dr Stephen Wickens from UFAW. This was followed by an inspiring and interactive lecture from Suzanne Rogers from Human Behaviour Change for Life entitled 'Applying the science of behaviour change to help animals'.
This year introduced the 30 second flash talks to entice conference attendees to go online to look at student posters. Main presentations were:
- The Visitor Effect on Captive Raptor Behaviour at a Falconry Centre in the UK (Ellie Martin and Ben Brilot, Hartpury) - winner of the Best Presentation award
- An evaluation of stress-related behaviours comparing the intramuscular and intradermal needle-free vaccine on piglet welfare (Ellie Breeze and Isabel Lewis, Writtle)
- A Taxonomic Bias Study with Management Implications (Nathan Scott and Melanie Reynolds, Moulton)
- Would pre-purchase spinal x-rays (that rule out ‘kissing spine’) increase buyer confidence and horse welfare when purchasing former racehorses for continual riding? (Erin Hall and Helen Tedds, Hartpury)
Lily Hewitt-Bennett (Writtle) won the Best Poster award for her study "An investigation into, and a comparison of peak pressure and pressure distribution under a general-purpose saddle, racing exercise saddle, and race saddle at a walk". Megan Read and Katie Townsend also presented posters on behalf of Writtle University College. All the posters can be viewed here: https://www.library.writtle.ac.uk/ufaw2023
Many thanks to Helen Tedds, Jane Carruthers and Nicola Field at our partner institutions and Dr Stephen Wickens UFAW. Special thanks to Mary Davidson, David Hopkinson and Eleanor Drinkwater for their support.
2018:
More than 90 students and staff from Brooksby Melton College, Hartpury College, Moulton College and Writtle University College attended the 13th Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) Student Animal Welfare conference on Wednesday 21 March. The keynote presentation was entitled “In Conversation with Chickens”, given by Dr Siobhan Abeyesinghe, Head of Animal Welfare and Ethics group at the Royal Veterinary College. This was followed by research presentations and a poster event displaying the dissertation projects of more than 30 students.
The prizes awarded were:
BEST ORAL PRESENTATION - Caitlyn Cuthbert, BSc (Hons) Equine Behaviour and Welfare at Writtle University College
The Effect of Isolation on Equine Behaviour, Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability Whilst Exercised on a Horse Walker
Caitlyn Cuthbert and Rosa Verwijs
COMMENDED ORAL PRESENTATION - Charlotte Hood, BSc (Hons) Animal Management at Writtle University College
The back garden chicken’s preference of dustbathing substrate and the substrates ability to improve plumage quality by reducing the feather lipid concentration
Charlotte Hood and Jonathan Amory
BEST POSTER - Lucianna Churchill, MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy at Writtle University College
A systematic review: Common occurring injuries in performance dogs
Lucianna Churchill and Nick Selemetas
COMMENDED POSTER – Leighanne Mclean, Hartpury College
How well do nutrient components of dry, wet and raw dog foods meet the NRC’s recommendations?
Leighanne Mclean and Brian Evans
2017:
12th Annual UFAW Student Animal Welfare Conference – Hartpury College
On March 29th, students and staff from Moulton, Writtle and Brooksby Melton Colleges travelled to Hartpury to attend the 12th annual UFAW Student Animal Welfare Conference. At this inter-collegiate event, which is supported by the UFAW LINK scheme, final year students from the four colleges present the results of studies undertaken as part of their degrees.
Attendees listened to a range of talks from students at each college and browsed a diverse selection of poster presentations, on topics including assessment of dental disease in guinea pigs to an investigation into stress responses and coping strategies in horses. The day started with a thought provoking keynote speech from Professor Bob Elwood (Queen’s University Belfast) on ‘Assessing the potential for pain in invertebrates’. In his talk Professor Elwood presented the results of numerous studies that made a compelling case that many crustaceans do indeed feel pain.
Special congratulations go to the following students, who were awarded prizes for the quality of their work and presentations:
Best talk: Louise Cox (Hartpury College) ‘An assessment of dietary drift and why it occurs at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park’
Runner up: Lauren Dey (Writtle College) ‘The effect of anaesthetic in calf castration, assessed through behavioural observation and infrared thermography’
Best poster: Kate Bateson (Moulton College) ‘Rabbit energy requirements – temperature influence’
Runner up: Hope Williams (Brooksby Melton College) ‘Are their diffences in faecal pH levels if riding horses are fed on dry hay, soaked hay or haylage?’
Thanks to all those who attended and to the staff at Hartpury that were involved in organising the event, especially Lucy Bearman Brown.
2015:
On Friday 27th March, Moulton College hosted the 10th Student Animal Welfare Conference, supported by UFAW Link funding. This event was attended by 150 final year animal and equine degree students from Moulton, Writtle, Hartpury and Brooksby Melton Colleges. Invited speaker Dr Peter Kettlewell from SRUC spoke about ‘Animal welfare: an engineer’s perspective’, giving some fabulous insights into his research career exploring livestock transport both in the UK and abroad. Selected students from all four colleges presented their dissertation work, either as oral presentations or academic posters, on topics that covered everything from enclosure design to laboratory analysis of forage, on a diverse spread of animals including tropical fish, horses and rhinos.
Special congratulations go to the following students, who were awarded prizes for the quality of their work and presentations:
- Aline Bouquet, Writtle College – Best presentation (see right)
- Charlotte Maru, Writtle College – Runner-up presentation
- Katerina Nicola, Moulton College – Best poster
- Chloe Yates, Hartpury College – Runner-up poster
On Wednesday 23rd May 2012, staff and students participated in the 7th Students’ Animal Welfare Conference supported by Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), that took place this year at Moulton College. Gareth Hughes (BSc Bioveterinary Science), Sienna Jones (BSc Animal Behaviour and Welfare) and Kyle Smith (BSc Animal Science) gave oral presentations and made their lecturers proud with their performance. Kyle Smith receiving a commendation for her presentation on the impact of dietary carbohydrates on oral health in dogs. Eight other students presented posters based on their dissertations, all with interesting content and attractive presentation.
