Infrared Thermography Camera: A non-invasive tool to aid in the development of science based solutions for improving the welfare of animals

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The overall aim of the UBC Animal Welfare Program is to improve the lives of animals through research, teaching and outreach. The aim of this specific proposal is to request funds to purchase an Infrared Camera and two lenses that will allow for objective non-invasive measurement of changes in peripheral skin and/or eye temperature of animals before, during and after an environmental or physiological stressor. Changes in skin and eye temperature have been used to assess both disease (i.e. fever associated with infectious diseases or inflammatory issues) and emotional states of the animals. The farm animal industries are under increasing pressure to minimize the pain and distress farm animals experience when exposed to routine management procedures such as castration, dehorning, or transport. To date the majority of research in this area has focused on physiological changes that require blood sampling, which requires physical restraint and likely some discomfort. In contrast the infrared technology requested is non invasive and allows for real-time measurements. Our first aim is to use this non-invasive method to improve our understanding the effects of routine management practices on animal emotions (e.g. fear) and to determine if refinements in how these practices can aid in mitigating these extent to which animals express these negative emotions. With the exception of fear, few emotions have been described in farm animals despite a growing body of evidence suggesting that they are able to experience a very complicated emotional life. There is also a growing body of evidence that animals differ in their ability to cope with negative experiences. Thus, our second aim is to assess the relationship between consistent individual differences in behaviour, frequently referred as ‘personality traits’, and differences in the intensity of the stress response. Collectively these lines of research will lead to a better understanding of individual variation and most importantly of its consequences on the welfare of farm animals. Although it is commonly assumed that challenging situations are individually perceived and consequently result in different types of responses by different animals (within the same species) little consideration have been taken regarding individual characteristics within a farm animal species. Improved understanding of individual responses at the behavioural and physiological level is an important step in understanding the individual emotional life of farm animals. The purchase of the infrared camera is an important necessary step in achieving these aims.