Electrical water bath stunning remains the predominant method for poultry slaughter in Europe, yet its welfare implications are still debated. This study assessed the current status of stunning effectiveness in broiler chickens under commercial conditions, providing a foundation for future comparisons with controlled atmosphere stunning.Behavioral observations were made in 1 slaughterhouse over 2 study years (2021 and 2022) and were analyzed separately for each year across broilers from 4 fattening methods (LIT: light conventional fattening method, HEV: heavy conventional fattening method, LBL: label fattening method, ORG: organic fattening method). The analysis aimed to explore whether stunning performance differs according to fattening method, animal age, transport duration, carcass weight, weather conditions, and total electrical current in the electrical water bath. Stunning effectiveness was evaluated in 3 phases: pre-stunning (shackling), during stunning, and post-stunning. In each phase, key behavioral indicators, such as signs of inadequate stunning (e.g., wing flapping, body movements, rhythmic breathing), were systematically recorded. The results showed that pre-stunning behavior varied among fattening methods in 2022 (defensive reactions: ORG [0.82%] vs. LBL [0.05%]; wing flapping: LIT [29.00%] vs. OGR [17.00%], HEV [21.00%], and LBL [12.60%]), with older and lighter animals showing more pronounced defensive or flapping responses. After stunning in 2021, only ORG broilers showed cases of inadequate stunning (0.01%), whereas no incidences were observed in LIT (0.00%) and HEV broilers (0.00%). These findings highlight that even minor differences in handling and animal characteristics can significantly affect stunning effectiveness and animal welfare.

This publication is part of a large study whose objective was to assess animal welfare during 32 mechanical loadings of broilers. We here focus on animal health aspects and the influences of circumstances during mechanical loading. Broilers in two husbandry systems (HS) (mean number of fattening days: HS 2: 41.3 days; HS 3: 40.1 days) were assessed on-farm for loading-related injuries such as fractures, hematomas, and abrasions before and after mechanical loading. The influence of conveyor belt speed (fast vs. slow), container type (GP container vs. SmartStack container), HS, fattening method (FM), season, and sex on loading-related injuries was analyzed. The two HS were grouped according to the specifications of a retail trade label into three FM (HS 2: Standard and Standard Premium, HS 3: Premium), which differed, among other aspects, in genotype, stocking density, dark period, and access to a veranda. Hematomas on the wing (6.55%) were the most common type of injury followed by hematomas on the wing tip (6.17%), abrasions on the body (4.92%), abrasions on the wing tip (4.25%), severe wing injuries (1.13%), and hematomas on the wing proximal to the wing tip (0.38%). A reduction in injuries was achieved by a slow belt speed, the use of a SmartStack container, and loadings during spring and summer. Loading broilers of HS 3 compared with those of HS 2 led to a significantly lower risk of severe wing injuries, total abrasions, and wing tip abrasions. Broilers of the Standard Premium (P = 0.038) and Premium FM (P = <0.001) had a significantly lower risk of severe wing injuries than those of the Standard FM, demonstrating that not only the genotype, which is one of the major differences between HS 2 and 3, influences the injury rate. Other differences in FM, such as a longer dark period, a lower stocking density at housing, more enrichment, and access to a veranda should be considered as influencing factors.

The aim of the study was to develop an alternative husbandry system for Japanese quail in a step-by-step procedure. The effects of various floor and nest variants on animal health, eggshell contamination and performance in three housing systems (alternative housing system, AHS; conventional cage system, CCS; floor housing system, FHS) were tested in altogether four laying periods, two of which are described in more detail. The analysis revealed that the plastic grid floor in AHS achieved the poorest results for toe and foot pad hyperkeratosis and foot pad dermatitis. Heavier quail showed more toe pad hyperkeratosis. The claw length was longest in CCS and shortest in FHS. Plumage damage on the head developed sooner and more often in CCS. Heavier quail showed significantly less plumage damage on the head. In general, the plumage condition of quail was better in FHS than in CCS and AHS. For eggshell hygiene, a higher microbial load was found on eggs from FHS, and there were no clear differences between CCS and AHS. The number of second-choice eggs was smallest in CCS and highest in FHS. Particularly the high soiling of eggs that were laid in the litter in FHS stood out. In summary, environmental enrichment had a positive effect on animal health, and FHS achieved the best results. Concerning eggshell hygiene and economic efficiency, the situation is the opposite. A floor material in AHS that suits both foot health and eggshell hygiene was not found, suggesting a need for further research.

According to Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009, poultry must be stunned before slaughter or killing by using an electrical water bath or controlled atmosphere stunning. Low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS) is a novel approach to stunning poultry without process gases. The animals are placed into a sealed chamber, and the air pressure is reduced by a specific 2-phased pump curve to reach a target level of decompression. During a LAPS cycle, air oxygen decreases to under 5% of the initial oxygen concentration and leads to unconsciousness of the animals by hypoxia. In 2018, LAPS was approved as a stunning method in the European Union (Commission Implementing Regulation [EU] 2018/723). The aim of this study was to evaluate LAPS in Germany under animal welfare aspects. On 9 trial days, 35 Ross 308 broilers were stunned using a LAPS cycle with a decompression curve in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/723. Individual video recordings of the broilers were analyzed. The ethogram used to interpret animal behavior consisted of aversive reactions, indicators of consciousness, and indicators of unconsciousness. Additionally, microclimatic and biological factors such as age, sex, and body weight potentially influencing the LAPS cycle were recorded. The results showed that up to 43 seconds after starting the LAPS cycle, only indicators of consciousness were recorded. From 248 seconds after starting the LAPS cycle, only indicators of unconsciousness occurred. During the interval between 44 and 247 seconds in the LAPS cycle, indicators of both consciousness and unconsciousness were observed, which impaired the evaluation of whether animals were conscious or unconscious. Aversive reactions were frequently observed during this intermediate phase. Even though Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/723 lists LAPS as stunning method for slaughtering and killing broilers, further research on welfare aspects is necessary. The results of this study indicate difficulties in determining the exact time when the animals become unconscious and whether aversive reactions are still consciously perceived.

Background: Uroflowmetry (UF) is an established procedure in urology and is recommended before further investigations of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). Some authors even consider using UF instead of urodynamics (UD). Studies on the interrater reliability of UF regarding treatment recommendations are rare, and there are no relevant data on people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The aim of this study was to investigate the interrater reliability (IRR) of UF concerning diagnosis and therapy in PwMS prospectively. Methods: UF of 92 PwMS were assessed by 4 raters. The diagnostic criteria were normal findings (NFs), detrusor overactivity (DO), detrusor underactivity (DU), detrusor–sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). The possible treatment criteria were as follows: no treatment (NO), catheter placement (CAT), alpha-blockers, detrusor-attenuating medication, botulinum toxin (BTX), neuromodulation (NM), and physiotherapy/biofeedback (P/BF). IRR was assessed by kappa (κ). Results: κ of diagnoses were NFs = 0.22; DO = 0.17; DU = 0.07; DSD = 0.14; and BOO = 0.18. For therapies, the highest κ was BTX = 0.71, NO = 0.38 and CAT = 0.44. Conclusions: There is a high influence of the individual rater. UD should be subject to the same analysis and a comparison should be made between UD and UF. This may have implications for the value of UF in the neuro-urological management of PwMS, although at present UD remains the gold standard for the diagnostics of NLUTD in PwMS.

BACKGROUND:Lesions in the periventricular, (juxta)cortical, and infratentorial region, as visible on brain MRI, are part of the diagnostic criteria for Multiple sclerosis (MS) whereas lesions in the subcortical region are currently only a marker of disease activity. It is unknown whether MS lesions follow individual spatial patterns or whether they occur in a random manner across diagnostic regions. AIM:First, to describe cross-sectionally the spatial lesion patterns in patients with MS. Second, to investigate the spatial association of new lesions and lesions at baseline across diagnostic regions. METHODS:Experienced neuroradiologists analyzed brain MRI (3D, 3T) in a cohort of 330 early MS patients. Lesions at baseline and new solitary lesions after two years were segmented (manually and by consensus) and classified as periventricular, (juxta)cortical, or infratentorial (diagnostic regions) or subcortical-with or without Gadolinium-enhancement. Gadolinium enhancement of lesions in the different regions was compared by Chi square test. New lesions in the four regions served as dependent variable in four zero-inflated Poisson models each with the six independent variables of lesions in the four regions at baseline, age and gender. RESULTS:At baseline, lesions were most often observed in the subcortical region (mean 13.0 lesions/patient), while lesion volume was highest in the periventricular region (mean 2287 µl/patient). Subcortical lesions were less likely to show gadolinium enhancement (3.1 %) than juxtacortical (4.3 %), periventricular (5.3 %) or infratentorial lesions (7.2 %). Age was inversely correlated with new periventricular, juxtacortical and subcortical lesions. New lesions in the periventricular, juxtacortical and infratentorial region showed a significant autocorrelative behavior being positively related to the number of lesions in the respective regions at baseline. New lesions in the subcortical region showed a different behavior with a positive association with baseline periventricular lesions and a negative association with baseline infratentorial lesions. CONCLUSION:Across regions, new lesions do not occur randomly; instead, new lesions in the periventricular, juxtacortical and infratentorial diagnostic region are associated with that at baseline. Lesions in the subcortical regions are more closely related to periventricular lesions. Moreover, subcortical lesions substantially contribute to lesion burden in MS but are less likely to show gadolinium enhancement (than lesions in the diagnostic regions).

This study aimed to develop and validate a camera vision score that could detect macroscopic alterations of the hock, to identify errors and to assess possible factors that could influence the assessment. Two hundred hocks in the first (calibration) phase and 500 hocks in the second (validation) phase were collected at slaughter, visually assessed, placed back into the evisceration line and assessed by a camera system with 2 software systems. The size of the alteration in percent (%) measured by the camera system was evaluated ("camera score", CS). Additionally, temperature, humidity, and light intensities were measured. In the calibration phase, threshold values of camera scores for respective macro scores were defined and performance measures evaluated. In the validation phase, the generated threshold values were validated, occurring errors, as well as possible impacts of climatic factors analyzed. The results showed that the generated thresholds predict the camera score values at which the respective macro score has the highest probability of appearance. Small hock burn lesions ≤0.5 cm have the highest probability at a camera score of ≥0.2 (original CS) or ≥0.1 (updated CS), and lesions >0.5 cm have the highest probability at a camera score of ≥0.7 (original CS) or ≥1.1 (updated CS). Large lesions (>0.5 cm) are more reliably identified by the system than small lesions. The risks of errors in assessing reference areas and lesions showed a correct identification of lesions to be the most probable result even if the reference area is not correctly identified. The probability of a correct identification of lesions by the camera system was slightly higher (not significant) with the updated software (risk = 0.66 [0.62-0.70]) than with the original software (risk = 0.63 [0.58-0.67]). Automatic assessment systems at slaughter could be adjusted to the presented threshold values to classify hock burn lesions. Software adaptations can improve the performance measures of diagnosis and reduce the probability of errors.

The assessment of foot pad dermatitis at slaughter is a suitable method to assess and monitor the welfare of broilers. The goals of this study were to define and validate a camera-based score that could identify macroscopic lesions of the foot pads, to identify errors, and to assess possible external factors that could influence the assessment. In the first phase 200 feet of broilers and in the second phase 500 feet were collected at slaughter, assessed visually, hung back into the evisceration line, and assessed by an automatic system. The camera score cut-off values were defined in the first (=calibration) phase. In the second (=validation) phase, the performance of diagnosis for these cut-off values was evaluated, and possible errors in the assessment of reference surface area and foot pad lesions were analyzed. The results showed that, in particular, Macro Scores 0, 2, and 3 could be identified with sufficiently high sensitivity. For Macro Score 1, the sensitivity of diagnosis was not sufficiently high in the two evaluated software versions. The current automatic assessment systems at slaughter could be adjusted to the cut-off values in order to classify foot pad dermatitis lesions. Furthermore, software updates can enhance the performance measures and lower the probability of errors.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund In der Routine steht man vor der Aufgabe, neurogene Störungen des unteren Harntraktes (NLUTD) bei Patienten mit Multipler Sklerose (MS) frühzeitig zu erkennen und adäquat zu therapieren. Verschiedene nationale Leitlinien geben dazu sehr unterschiedliche praktische Empfehlungen. Ziel der Arbeit Erarbeitung eines einfachen, studienbasierten Algorithmus zum Nachweis von NLUTD bei Patienten mit MS, aus dem sich therapeutische Konsequenzen ableiten lassen. Material und Methode Als direktes Ergebnis zweier multidisziplinärer Konferenzen wurde eine prospektive, multizentrische Studie initiiert. Deren Ziel war es, statistisch relevante Parameter für die Routinediagnostik von NLUTDs zu identifizieren. Als Goldstandard dienten Auffälligkeiten in der Urodynamik. In drei weiteren Konsensuskonferenzen wurden die Ergebnisse der Studie diskutiert, ein diagnostischer Algorithmus entwickelt und eine Erstlinientherapie konsentiert. Ergebnisse und Diskussion Der vorgeschlagene Algorithmus ermöglichte das Erkennen einer NLUTD bei Patienten mit MS mithilfe von 4 statistisch signifikanten Prädiktoren: (1) dem Restharnvolumen, (2) der Anzahl der Harnwegsinfektionen (HWI) innerhalb der letzten 6 Monate, (3) der standardisierten Miktionsfrequenz und (4) dem Vorhandensein/Fehlen einer Harninkontinenz. Gestützt auf den Algorithmus benötigen ca. 75 % der Patienten keine urodynamische Untersuchung zur First-line-Therapieentscheidung. In 25 % der Fälle sind urodynamische Untersuchungen unerlässlich. Für die Routine notwendigen Assessments sind: die Anamneseerhebung, eine Restharnbestimmung, ein Miktionstagebuch und eine Uroflowmetrie (optional).