The concept of animal welfare is evolving due to progress in our scientific understanding of animal biology and changing societal expectations. Animal welfare science has been primarily concerned with minimizing suffering, but there is growing interest in also promoting positive experiences, grouped under the term positive animal welfare (PAW). However, there are discrepancies in the use of the term PAW. An interdisciplinary group arrived at a consensus that 'PAW can be defined as the animal flourishing through the experience of predominantly positive mental states and the development of competence and resilience. PAW goes beyond ensuring good physical health and the prevention and alleviation of suffering. It encompasses animals experiencing positive mental states resulting from rewarding experiences, including having choices and opportunities to actively pursue goals and achieve desired outcomes'. The definition also considers individual and species-specific differences. It provides a framework for researchers to investigate PAW and thereby generate innovative, informative and reproducible science. Studies of PAW can contribute to a richer picture of an animal's life and may elucidate the biological foundations of happiness. The definition creates opportunities to inspire scientific progress in animal biology and to align animal care practices, legislation and markets with societal expectations.

• Klíčová slova
• animal emotion, flourishing, good life, good welfare, happiness, pleasure,
• MeSH
• chov zvířat metody   MeSH
• konsensus * MeSH
• pohoda zvířat * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The findings of traumatic injuries during post-mortem inspection in slaughterhouses reflect the level of pre-slaughter handling of animals at the farm and during transport to the slaughterhouse. The prevalence of traumatic injuries was monitored in poultry (1,089,406,687 broiler chickens, 20,030,744 laying hens, 1,181,598 turkeys, 37,690 geese, 28,579,765 ducks) and rabbits (1,876,929) originating from farms in the Czech Republic and slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic between 2010 and 2019. The greatest incidence of traumatic injuries was found in laying hens (2.80%) and rabbits (1.52%); while the overall incidence of trauma was less than 0.5% in other species and categories. The results show that the current rearing conditions and/or pre-slaughter handling of poultry and rabbits particularly affect the limbs; traumatic findings were significantly (p < 0.01) more frequent on the limbs than on the trunk in all species studied. In poultry, traumatic findings on the trunk were orders of magnitude lower to negligible, so the focus should be on preventing injuries to the limbs. In rabbits, the difference was less pronounced, and many injuries were found on both limbs (0.83%) and trunk (0.69%). Our results emphasize the need to reconsider both housing and pre-slaughter handling methods to determine minimum standards for the protection of rabbits, which are still lacking in European legislation.

• Klíčová slova
• broiler chicken, duck, end-of-lay hen, goose, injury, post-mortem inspection, rabbit,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The transport of end-of-lay hens for slaughter presents a particular cause for concern in relation to hen welfare due to their less robust condition. During the period of 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2017, 17,436,074 end-of-lay hens transported for slaughter in 3,144 consignments were monitored, i.e., all hens transported from Czech farms to slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic in the monitored period. The overall mortality of hens during transport for slaughter was 0.516%. A significant (P < 0.05) impact of outside temperature and month of the year on transport-related mortality was found. Lower outside temperature was connected with the increased hen mortality and vice versa. Correspondingly, more deaths of end-of-lay hens occurred in the cold winter months of January (0.717%) and December (0.695%); on the contrary, the lowest death rates were recorded in August (0.364%). Differences were also found when comparing transport-related mortality rates according to the transport distance. The lowest mortality (0.338%) was found in hens transported for distances up to 50 km; longer distances were associated with increasing (P < 0.05) death rates, with the greatest losses (0.801%) recorded for distances from 201 to 300 km. These findings document the need for increased care for end-of-lay hens during their transport for slaughter in the winter at lower outside transport temperatures, in particular below 0°C (e.g., by adequate temperature regulation in the means of transport), and of hens transported over longer distances (if the transport distance cannot be reduced).

• Klíčová slova
• distance, hen, mortality, temperature, transport,
• MeSH
• chov zvířat MeSH
• dlouhověkost * MeSH
• doprava * MeSH
• jatka * MeSH
• kur domácí * MeSH
• nízká teplota škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• pohoda zvířat * MeSH
• psychologický odstup MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH