The new results echo similar studies of other animals, said Ian Duncan, the Chair in Animal Welfare at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Anxious chickens lay fewer eggs, for example. Fearful pigs and sheep grow more slowly. Even trout quickly learn to swim away from scary situations, and fear causes them to eat less. "It seems natural to me that you would get these sorts of findings," he said. "It just adds to what we already know." As farming practices become more automated, Duncan added, it might become even more important for farmers to take time to visit with their animals. He also hopes the work will lead to a shift in how consumers shop. "I think in the future we will see food items, including eggs, milk, and meat, with labels that guarantee these animals had a certain quality of life," he told Discovery News. "It's something we're working on." Related Links: |
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