Reader in Animal Welfare Science
Animal Behaviour & Welfare
Animal & Veterinary Sciences
Research interests
My main areas of research interest are in the assessment of animal pain, and the animal welfare implications of prenatal stress in farmed animals.
My current research focuses on behavioural development and the relevance of very early life (prenatal) experiences for later welfare in pigs, cattle and sheep. A recent Defra funded study (AW0509) also conducted a risk assessment for prenatal hazards in these species, and in poultry and farmed fish. Before that I worked on a BBSRC funded study investigating the effect of prenatal stress and tail-docking on pig welfare. I have also worked previously on on-farm welfare assessment as part of a Defra-funded study (AW1020) comparing welfare measures on organic and non-organic dairy farms.
Selected research projects
- Livestock production, health, welfare and disease control: Improved husbandry & reduction of painful procedures (RESAS)
Research work examining the impact of maternal body condition in beef cows on progeny health, welfare and productivity.
- Do gastric ulcers harm the welfare of finishing pigs? (Danish Pig Research Centre)
Research work investigating whether gastric ulcers are painful for pigs.
- Effects of early environment on behaviour, reproduction, welfare and product quality of livestock (RESAS)
Research
work examining the effects of prenatal stress in livestock,
particularly sheep (in collaboration with Prof Cathy Dwyer at SRUC and
Prof Cheryl Ashworth at Roslin Institute).
- Early environment effects on animal welfare, health and productivity (Defra)
Production
of a risk assessment of the effects of prenatal stress in farmed
animals, including sheep, pigs, cattle, poultry and fish (in
collaboration with Prof Jimmy Turnbull at University of Stirling).