The estimated 100 million chickens in Australia might be able to make their feelings known, after a University of Queensland study found humans can tell if chickens are excited or displeased, just by the sound of their clucks.   The study used recordings of the noises chickens made when they anticipated a reward, such as food, which researchers labelled the ‘food’ call, or the ‘fast cluck’, and a second set of recordings made when a reward was withheld, which they called the ‘whine’ and ‘gakel’ calls.  Participants in the survey were played the recordings to see if they could te ..read more

An anthrax outbreak has been confirmed on a cattle property northeast of Shepparton, Victoria, prompting swift action from Agriculture Victoria. The property is quarantined, and measures are underway to manage the situation. Anthrax, caused by spore-forming bacteria in soil, poses a significant threat to livestock, resulting in rapid fatalities. Agriculture Victoria has disposed of affected animals and is vaccinating remaining cattle. Cameron Bell, Victoria’s Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, commended early reporting by the property owner and veterinarian, facilitating rapid response. Quaranti ..read more

Humans have a moral obligation to meet the physical and mental needs of the animals in their care. This requires access to resources such as veterinary care, which is integral to achieving animal welfare. However, “access” to veterinary care is not always homogenous across communities and currently lacks a consistent definition. The objectives of this scoping review were to (1) understand how “access” to veterinary care has been defined in the literature, (2) map a broad list of potential barriers that may influence access to veterinary care, and (3) identify how access to care impacts the wel ..read more

Taronga Zoo is ending the year with good news all round. On October 4 – International Zookeeper Day – lion keepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, New South Wales, welcomed three lion cubs, born late in the evening.  “The cubs are doing really well, they’re hitting all their milestones,” zookeeper Melanie Friedman said. “They’ve had their first quick vet check and we can confirm there’s two boys and a girl, their eyes are open and they’re all weighing in around five kilograms.” African Lions are currently classified as vulnerable in the wild, and Marion was imported, along with he ..read more

One of the largest federal parliamentary e-petitions in history, that called for an end to the live sheep export trade, was tabled towards the end of November with Agriculture Minister Senator Murray Watt, confirming the government’s commitment to an ‘orderly and considered’ transition away from the trade. In acknowledging ‘considerable community concerns about animal welfare in the trade of live sheep’, Watt said he understood the desire to see action. “The government took the commitment to phase out live sheep exports by sea to two elections, and it’s my intention to deliver on this commitme ..read more

In late November, five red fire ant nests were identified in Murwillumbah in New South Wales, 13 kilometres south of the Queensland border, where infestations have been recorded since 2001.  NSW has been on high alert for the pests for much of the year as tracking showed them moving further south; however, experts suggest the nests in Murwillumbah are not new.  “We know they’ve been here for more than a few months, otherwise the nests wouldn’t be as developed as they are,” Graeme Dudgeon, of the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program said.  The insects cause painful ..read more

Transport conditions have the potential to alter the physiological responses of animals to the psychological or physical stress of transport. Transportation may introduce multiple physical and psychological stressors to unweaned calves and adult cattle, including noise, overcrowding, food and water deprivation, extreme temperatures, commingling with unfamiliar animals, handling by unfamiliar humans, and being placed in a novel environment upon arrival. Apart from these factors, the type of road and even driving skill may affect the welfare of animals. One of the concerns regarding cattle trans ..read more

For the first time, A Day in the Life heads to our national capital, Canberra, to meet Andrew Breed. A veterinary epidemiologist, Breed loves living in Canberra because he is a big fan of birdwatching, camping, mountain biking and generally getting into the outdoors. His interest in epidemiology, zoonoses and disease investigation was sparked while he was studying for his veterinary science degree at Murdoch University between 1992-1996, which coincided with Hendra virus emerging in Queensland and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (more commonly known as BCE or Mad Cow Disease) being linked to ..read more

Every vet practice has a premises to operate out of that they either lease from the premises owner or own themselves. Occasionally, a practice owner that is leasing is given the opportunity to buy their premises at a reasonable/fair price … If you, as a business owner, have this opportunity: What are the relevant considerations that you should take into account?  Why should you buy when you can rent? Capital growth through paying your rent. As a practice owner, you are already paying rent to someone else – if you buy the premises and put that rent towards premises interest repayments ..read more

With a hot dry summer predicted, animal welfare organisations in NSW have warned that the risk to animals from bushfires has not been mitigated since the 2019 Black Summer fires. A report by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), released in April 2022, estimated that some three billion animals were killed or displaced by the fires, with more than 29 million acres of forest and woodlands burnt. The inquiry into the fires recommended that wildlife rescue be better integrated into overall emergency response plans; however, both WIRES and the NSW Wildlife Council have flagged that that a new policy ..read more