Agricultural Research and the Three Rs

Many types of research are carried out in support of animal use by the agricultural industry. Some examples include research to improve livestock husbandry systems, to improve breeding, to understand patterns of disease, and to improve attainment of commercial goals. Institutions that conduct research and teaching related to the agricultural industry often maintain herds and/or flocks of animals in a semi-commercial farm environment. In addition, research is also carried out using commercial herds not owned by the institution. These situations place the ethics of animal use outside of conventional "experimental use", and merit consideration of how the Three Rs may be implemented in agricultural research.

In many cases, replacement in agricultural research is not possible or desirable, for example, when the research goal is to improve the welfare or productivity of the animal. Reduction of animal use may not be appropriate in agricultural trials where treatment of the animal is at the herd level and is non-invasive. Similarly, the implementation of refinements may be difficult when the use of routine, invasive husbandry procedures is required.

However, research and teaching institutions are considered to be in a position to provide a leadership role in the exploration and implementation of best practices for the agricultural industry. Therefore, investigators should aim to implement the Three Rs as much as possible in order to provide a higher standard of animal welfare than would normally be achieved by applying current agricultural industry standards.

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Three Rs strategies in agricultural research

To assist in the implementation of the Three Rs, investigators conducting animal-based agricultural research should:

• conduct statistical evaluation of sample size prior to conducting the research (reduction alternative);
• consider alternatives to routine, invasive agricultural practices - for example, using polled cattle instead of dehorning and not castrating piglets if they are to be killed before maturational changes occur (refinement alternative);
• use anesthesia and analgesic for routine, invasive agricultural practices (if these are necessary), such as dehorning and castration (refinement alternative);
• design the environment to allow the performance of strongly motivated behaviour patterns (i.e. those that are motivated largely by internal stimuli such as changing hormonal levels) - examples include providing an environment that allows for nesting behaviour in domestic fowl, and providing teats for young calves to suck (refinement alternative);
• house compatible animals in groups of appropriate size (refinement alternative);
• provide opportunities for animals to perform normal food searching and foraging behavior (refinement alternative);
• ensure animal comfort in lying and walking areas (refinement alternative);
• optimize age of weaning for dam and offspring well-being (refinement alternative);
• shorten periods of isolation and restraint (refinement alternative);
• train all animal care staff in animal behaviour and the proper methods for lifting, moving and herding animals (refinement alternative); and
• abandon use of painful routine agricultural practices for which there are less invasive alternatives (including branding, tail docking, teeth clipping, debeaking, detoeing, and removing combs of roosters) (refinement alternative).

(This section has been adapted from the CCAC guidelines on: the care and use of farm animals in research, teaching and testing).

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For more information on the agricultural research and the Three Rs, the following resources may be useful:

CCAC resources

• Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) (2008) Animal supply.
• Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) (2009) CCAC guidelines on : the care and use of farm animals in research, teaching and testing 135pp Ottawa ON: CCAC
  
• Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) (1993) Social and behavioural requirements of experimental animals, section B Animals used in agricultural research. In: CCAC Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals, vol 1, 2nd ed. Section VI,p. 52-56. Ottawa ON: CCAC. 
• Griffin G., Tennessen T. & Gauthier C. (2006) Application of the Three Rs in agricultural research and teaching: CCAC guidelines on the care and use of farm animals in research, teaching and testing. (poster pdf) Poster presented at the Canadian Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting, Halifax, NS.

Online resources

• American Association of Swine Veterinarians & National Pork Board (2008) On-Farm Euthanasia of Swine: Recommendations for the Producer. Des Moines, USA.
• Denicourt M. (2008) On-farm euthanasia by electrocution: efficient and safe. Pig PROGRESS 24 (8):28-30.
• Hawkins P., Morton D.B., Cameron D., Cuthill I., Francis R., Freire R., Gosler A., Healy S., Hudson A., Inglis I., Jones A., Kirkwood J., Lawton M., Monaghan P., Sherwin C. & Townsend P. (2001) Laboratory birds: refinements in husbandry and procedures. Laboratory Animals 35:S1-163.
• International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (2007) Farm animals
• UBC Dairy Education & Research Centre. Research Reports:
  
  - See in particular:
  

  • Drissler M., Gaworski M., Tucker C. & Weary D. (2006) Cow comfort and stall maintenance. Research Reports 6(1).
  • Fregonesi J., von Keyserlingk M., Viera D. & Weary D. (2008) Effects of Bedding Quality on Lying Behaviour of Dairy Cows. Research Reports 8 (1)
  •  Ito K., Weary D. & von Keyserlingk M. (2009) Assessing cow comfort on dairy farms. Research Reports 9 (3)
  • von Keyserlingk M. & Weary D. (2006) Feeding calves more milk: a practical approach. Research Reports 6(5).
  • Weary D. (2006) Reducing pain due to caustic dehorning. Research Reports 6(4).
  • Weary D. (2004) Group housing calves. Research Reports 4(2).
  • Weary D. & von Keyserlingk M. (2009) Moving the neck rail helps lame cows recover. Research Reports 9 (2).

Other publications

• Alberta Government (2007) Firm Steps: Identifying Lameness in Dairy Cattle.

  - CD-ROM; ordering online

• Colditz I. (2006) The application of Russell & Burch’s Three Rs in commercial livestock experimentation. Animal Welfare 15:1-5.
• Mellor D.J. (2004) Taming and training of pregnant sheep and goats and of newborn lambs, kids and calves before experimentation. ATLA 32(Suppl. 1):143-146.
  
• Reinhardt V. & Reinhardt A. (eds.) (2002) Comfortable Quarters for Laboratory Animals, 9th ed. 114pp. Washington DC: Animal Welfare Institute.
• Rushen J., de Passillé A.M., von Keyserlingk M.A.G. & Weary D.M. (2008) The Welfare of Cattle. Springer Publishing.

  - This book reviews research on the welfare of cattle, covering behaviour, nutrition and feeding, housing and management, stockmanship, and stress physiology, as well as transport and slaughter. The book is intended for researchers in veterinary and animal science and animal welfare science, as well as professionals in the beef and dairy industries.

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