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Since the Middle Ages, the terms Trivium —grammar, logic and rhetoric— and Quadrivium —astronomy, arithmetic, geometry and music— were used to refer to the seven liberal arts, but it wasn’t these definitions that inspired us to create this book. The word trivium has another —more primordial— meaning, which stems from the Latin roots tri, meaning ‘three’ or ‘triple’, and via, meaning ‘path’ or ‘road’. Hence, «the place where three roads meet». We feel that trivium refers to the exact place where these paths meet, and where all things inexorably converge: the profound with the superfluous, the everyday with the unexpected and the trivial...
They say that all worldly things are profound, cerebral and educational on the one hand, while being superficial, insignificant and altogether trivial on the other. Some feel that we should resist the latter and encourage the former, because it is this side of things that shows us the transcendence of life. At this publishing house, however, we believe that, in reality, they are two sides of the same coin. We are quite certain that many of the things we now know started out from a simple question, the answer to which surprised us, interested us, and made us want to learn more —to learn all there is to learn— to the point that we couldn’t stop delving deeper and deeper. Perhaps this is the reason we find useless facts so consuming —because, ultimately, they serve as a doorway into the most unusual or apparently mundane topics. As a result of all of this, and because of our obsession with odd facts, useless information, ingenious thoughts, songs, and humor, we have created the Trivium ColleCTion
In it, we have brought together momentous stories with minor trivialities; everything you didn’t need to know, but which will have you throwing your head back with laughter, will thrill and excite you, and will cause your jaw to drop. In this collection, you will find everything you could never have imagined about your favorite topics. Welcome to a place that deals with all the subjects we all chat about, but which few people would think to publish.
The editors
Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, wrote in his Discourse on the Nature of Animals that without the existence of animals, human nature would be yet more incomprehensible than it already is. This claim placed new light not only on the relationship between mankind and the animal kingdom, but also our relationship with ourselves. It is an incontrovertible fact that the way we treat animals speaks volumes about ourselves.
Certain domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, are so relatable that some people insist on treating them as members of the family. Others look upon animals as outlandish creatures whose foreignness and grandeur we can only truly relate to through documentaries, books, and at the zoo. They regard animals as distant beings and forget that the term domestic actually applies to many other animal species, including pigs, goats, cows, oxen, sheep, and rabbits, which we are able to closely relate to. What about these animals? What can and should we as humans do to ensure their welfare?
The protection of animals is a matter that dates back centuries, garnering mentions in ancient documents such as Greek texts, the Bible, the Code of Hammurabi, Egyptian myths, and Indian and Mesoamerican writings. Each culture has led the issue of animal awareness down a similar course, albeit
based on different motivations, be they religious, ethical, moral or philosophical. However, it was not until recently that we clarified that animal rights, treatment, protection, animal health and welfare are different concepts, but they all relate to the responsibility that mankind has towards our fellow beings.
Animal welfare is a broad scientific concept that generally refers to the appropiate internal and external wellbeing, without pain and suffering, which are privileges that all living beings should be able to enjoy.
One purpose of this book is to circulate information, guidelines, stories, advice, and other material on animal welfare, in addition to outlining the five basic freedoms of all animals.
In the following chapters you will read about what mankind can do to improve animal welfare, based on one simple premise that is often forgotten: humans, too, are part of the animal
kingdom, but we are different in at least two ways. First, no other animal species ever intentionally threatens the ecological balance, and second, the number of animal species that destroy themselves can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Perhaps these differences have caused human beings, who frequently violate the dignity of life, to lose many of the advantages that our environment has gifted us, and have left us senseless in respect of our responsibilities and solidarity towards others.
We hope you enjoy the pages that follow, and that they not only plant key questions in your mind but also open the door to an extremely important discussion: how can I contribute to animal welfare?
Alejandra Oteiza and Babel Jordán
INFORMATION
Diario Oficial de la Federación —offiCial journal of
The federaTion—. It is the main official government publication of the Constitutional Government of the United Mexican States, of a permanent nature and public interest, whose function is to publish in the national territory, laws, decrees, regulations, agreements, circulars, orders and other acts issued by the Powers of the Federation in their respective areas of competence so that they are properly applied and observed.
www.dof.gob.mx
oie: World Organization for Animal Health. It was preceded by the International Office of Epizootics, which was created to address the need to combat animal diseases worldwide. It is responsible for issuing recommendations on animal welfare, as well as information on animal diseases on the planet and strategies to combat them.
www.oie.int
ong: Non-governmental organization —NGO—: It is a non-profit group of people who organize locally, internationally or nationally pursuing a common goal; they are independent of government and, usually, carry out social activities aimed at the common good.
sagarpa: Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación —Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food.
www.sagarpa.gob.mx
senasica: Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria. National Service of Agro Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality, is a decentralized www.senasica.gob.mx
Note:
The information compiled in this edition were taken from existing laws and official regulations in Mexico —NOM-033-SAG/ZOO-2014, NOM-045-ZOO-1995, NOM-051ZOO-1995, NOM-062-ZOO-1995; General Law of Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture, Federal Animal Health Law, Mexico City Animal Protection Act—, as well as the recommendations issued by various international animal welfare organizations and other researchersfi. administrative agency of SAGARPA.
Chapter 1: A very ‘animal’ introduction
The relationship between humans and animals: animal rights and domestication
«The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.»
The Animal Soul
The word animal comes from the Latin word animale, which, in turn comes from anima, meaning ‘air’, ‘soul’ or ‘breath’; the term was used to mean «any being that breathes».
Zootechnical Function
This is the specific purpose for which a particular species or breed is developed, selected and adapted for the purposes of providing them with certain physical characteristics, such as color, weight, size, and temperament —including attachment to humans and prey drive.
Domestic Animal
Individuals or groups of animals that live under human care, and which have been anatomically, physiologically or behaviorally modified through artificial selection.
Production Animal
Animals that produce goods for human or animal consumption based on their zootechnical function.
Companion Animal
Any animal that lives in close contact with humans in a mutually beneficial relationship not related to profitable or utilitarian purposes.
The aurochs —Bos primigenious— was an ancestor of all modern cattle. The aurochs could grow to a height of two meters. It also had large horns in the shape of a lyre.
Albright and Arave, The Behaviour of Cattle.
Horse meat is just as good as other meat for human consumption. In Mexico it is not common to eat horse meat, but in Europe certain butchers sell it as a delicacy.
Thousands of years ago, humans began to relate to other animal species, and stopped seeing them just as beings they had to fight for their food. In the beginning, the main motivation was hunger, but later humans realized they could derive benefits from animals, and learned to keep them close to their homes and take care of them. Thus began a process of reconciliation that continues to this day: the domestication.
With a Taste for Discovery
Several of the species that Darwin discovered first passed through his stomach; he was quite the gourmand and liked to try new flavors.
Domestication
From the Latin domus, meaning ‘house’ or ‘belonging to the home’, domestication is the process by which animals reproduce and complete their life cycle under conditions developed by humans. That is not all, however, as a key requirement of domestication is that it must offer some kind of benefit to the domesticator.
www.produccion-animal.com.ar
Bee buzz
Calf low
Sheep, ram, lamb, goat bleat
Donkey bray
Horse neigh, pant, snort
Pig grunt
Rabbit, hare squeak
Hen cluck
Rooster crow
Cat hiss, meow, mew, purr
Duck quack
Turkey gobble
Chicken cackle, crow
Dog bark, howl, growl, yelp
Bull, cow, ox moo, low
Dr. Ian Q. Carrington, Sonidos animales
—Animal Sounds—, Algarabía 106.
Why Are Fish so Important to Human Beings?
Because they are:
œ A source of nutrition.
œ A source of recreation —fishing and aquarism.
œ A source of work for fishermen, artisans, and others.
œ Biological controllers for insect larva carrying vector-borne diseases.
œ Aquatic gene pool for the study of aquatic habitats.
Víctor Ruíz, Biología marina y oceanografía: conceptos y procesos —Marine biology and oceanography: concepts and processes.
In medieval Europe, chicken soup was considered an aphrodisiac.
Sedentary lifestyles and farming helped to accelerate the domestication process, since humans needed animals as guardians and hunters —dogs—, raw materials for food —pigs, birds, cows, goats, bees—, and assistance for diverse load and transportation tasks —horses, donkeys, oxen.
«To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world.
To you, I shall be unique in all the world.»
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince.
œ Be a source of nutrition.
œ Provide assistance in war, construction, natural disasters, disease, hunting, transportation, and agriculture.
œ Offer companionship.
œ Provide raw material for clothing and fashion —leather and plumage—.
œ Be a source of entertainment —horse racing.
«First it was necessary to civilize man in relation to man. Now it is necessary to civilize man in relation to nature and the animals.»
Victor Hugo
An Ancient Contract
The popular ethologist Desmond Morris saw domestication as a four-step contract between man and the species he domesticated —a contract that has broken down over time:
Era of the early hunters: if our stomachs are full and you cause us no harm, we’ll leave you alone.
Move towards agriculture: you’ll work for us and provide us with meat, milk, and leather, and in exchange we’ll give you food, shelter, and protection against predators.
Shepherding: we’ll take care of you and let you live natural, rich, active lives in exchange for us being able to use you as food at the end of your lives.
Breaching the contract: humans abrogated the agreement by overexploiting animals through actions such as recreational hunting, torturing animals for fun —the circus and bullfighting—, and using them for consumer goods such as leather, fat, feathers, and ivory.
Morris, The Animal Contract.
Desmond
Domestic animals include cows, buffaloes, camels, sheep, goats, pigs, and horses.
One Ethiopian legend tells that coffee was discovered by some goats whose owner noticed that they were frolicking all night after eating its bitter beans.
«The animal orchestra has made it anew, and a wonderful party is bound to ensue. Their instruments tuned, they’re ready to play, so pick out your partner and whisk them away.»
Francisco Gabilondo Soler, «Cri-Crí», «Orquesta de animales»
—Animal Orchestra.
Like a Wild Colt
You’re
Not all animals can be domesticated, and they must have certain characteristics in terms of their stress levels; dietary, behavioral, and ecological flexibility; size; territorial needs; and learning ability.
Myth to take on juvenile behaviors, such as playfulness and docility. This is evident when we compare the behavior of dogs
wolves
Domestication can cause certain adult animals with their closest non —domesticated relatives:
You Have the Memory of a Fish
It is false that tropical fish have a memory of just 3 seconds. Experiments conducted in 2003 by researchers at Plymouth University found that they have a memory of at least 3 months.
Animal Domestication
Species Year Purpose Species Year Purpose
dog 14,000 BC- pet, herding, protection, 12,000 BC food, service, transportation
goat 8,000 BC food, pet, leather
sheep 7,200 BC wool, food, leather, pet, religious ceremonies
pig 7,000 BC food, leather, pet, environmental protection
cow/bull
7,000 BC food, leather, pet, religious ceremonies
donkey 5,000 BC work, meat
bee 5,000 BC honey, wax, pollination
camel 4,500 BC transportation, service, food
horse 4,000 BC transportation, service, racing, food, pet
carrier 3,000 BC carrying messages, pet, food
pigeon
alpaca 2,400 BC transportation, cargo, fur, security, pet, food
elephant 2,000 BC transportation, cargo, hunting, religious ceremonies
chicken 2,000 BC food, feathers
rabbit 600 food, fur, research
turkey 180 food, feathers
goldfish 300 pet
canary 1,400 pet, research
laboratory 1,800 research, pet
rat
betta fish 1,800 pet U Silvana Mattielo, El proceso de domesticación —The domestication process.
Before the Europeans set foot in the Americas, the continent’s inhabitants were oblivious that horses existed. And it was Hernán Cortés who brought the first horses to Mexico: Eleven horses, five mares, and one foal disembarked onto the beaches of Mexico in 1519.
«Writing a thesis is like cooking a pig: nothing goes to waste.»
Umberto Eco
José Oteiza Fernández, De caballos: 18 resúmenes
—On horses: 18 synopses.
Around the fourth century bc, some religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism adopted the principles of non-violence and compassion for living things.
Wool is the long, wavy fur that grows on sheep. Wool is spun to create yarn and fabric.
SOME HISTORY Animal Rights
1635 Ireland Legislation was passed against «animal cruelty» for the first time, prohibiting the pulling of wool off live sheep, and the attaching of ploughs to horses’ tails.
1641 Massachusetts An article was inserted in the legal code, that read: «No man shall exercise any tyranny or cruelty towards any brute creature which are usually kept for man’s use.»
1654 England Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan government prohibited cockfighting, dogfighting and bullfighting; but the law was repealed when King Charles II was returned to the throne in 1660.
1809 England Lord Erskine introduced a bill to punish cruelty against horses and livestock.
1822 Ireland The bill introduced by Richard Martin to punish cruelty against horses and livestock was approved by King George IV, becoming the country’s first animal protection legislation.
1824 London Richard Martin founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In 1840, it was granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria, and became a Royal Society.
1835 England Cockfighting and dogfighting were outlawed.
1850 France Legislation was passed prohibiting cruelty against domestic animals.
1866 USA Henry Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals—ASPCA—whose members signed the first Declaration of the Rights of Animals.
1875 Ireland Frances Power Cobbe founded the National Anti-Vivisection Society. It was the first organization to oppose scientific research and testing on animals.
1925 Queensland, Australia The Animals Protection Act was passed.
1933 Germany The Nazi party passed the Animal Protection Act, which prohibited cruelty against various animals and scientific experimentation on animals. One year later, legislation was passed to ban hunting.
1966 USA President Lyndon Johnson approved the Animal Welfare Act, the first federal legislation to regulate the treatment of animals intended for use for exhibition or research purposes.
1976 USA The Animal Liberation Front—ALF—was founded as a radical group engaging in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal rights.
1980 USA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals —PETA— was founded.
2002 Mexico Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly passed the Animal Protection and Welfare Act, which was reformed in June 2015.
2007 Mexico SAGARPA published the Federal Animal Health Law in the Federal Official Gazette. The law, reformed in June 2012, allows for the creation of federal advisory committees in areas such as health, animal welfare and best practices.
2010 Spain The autonomous community of Catalonia outlawed bullfighting. U
Mufasa:
Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.
The Lion King (1994). Dir. Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers.
Regulatory Framework in Mexico
NOM-033-SAG/ZOO-2014. Methods for slaughtering domestic and wild animals.
Establishes methods for slaughtering animals while ensuring their welfare.
NOM-045-ZOO-1995. Zoosanitary regulations for premises holding animals for fairs, exhibitions, auctions, street markets, and other similar events.
Provides requirements for operating premises and places where animals are held in confinement —fairs, exhibitions, auctions, street markets— for the purposes of preventing the transmission of infections and contagious diseases.
NOM-051-ZOO-1995. Humanitarian treatment in moving animals.
Establishes regulations for moving animals in order to decrease suffering and avoid or reduce tensions throughout the process.
NOM-062-ZOO-1995. Technical specifications for producing, caring for, and use of laboratory animals.
Establishes and standardizes technical specifications for producing, caring for, and using laboratory animals. Individuals and corporate entities must follow these regulations in all areas relating to such animals.
Did You Know...
Chiron, the centaur son of Cronos and Philyra in Greek mythology who used his vast medical knowledge to cure creatures, is often regarded as the first veterinary figure.
During the Stone Age, mares were often used for their milk, and may have produced up to 17 liters per day.
Chapter 2: Notes on Animal Welfare
«Animal welfare is a state of mental and physical health, where the animal is in harmony with its environment.»
B. O. Hughes
Animal Welfare
According to Mexico’s Federal Animal Health Act, animal welfare is the set of activities that aims to provide comfort, tranquility, protection and security to animals during their development, growth, production, transportation and slaughter.
The OIE defines animal welfare as how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives.
An animal is said to be in a good state of welfare if, following scientific testing, it is found to be healthy, well-fed, safe, free to express normal patterns of behavior, and free from pain, fear, distress and discomfort.
In Other Words
German uses the term Wohlbefinden; French has bien-être, and Spanish has bienestar to refer to general welfare, including that of animals.
If an individual is coping with the environment in which they live, they will have a good state of emotional, physiological, and behavioral health.
The 1997 periodical review of the Treaty of Rome (1957) led to the signing of the Amsterdam Treaty, which entered in to force for the European Union in 1999, and legally recognizes animals as sentient beings that are capable of feeling pain and suffering.
Pigs’ blood is used in making adhesives.
Some animal species can be helpful and harmful at the same time. Gray city rats, for instance, can bring more harm to human beings than benefits, whereas their close relative, the white laboratory rat, has led to much greater progress in scientific research than would have occurred without them.
The Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare
In 1995, the Farm Animal Welfare Council set out its five freedoms of animal welfare, which state that all animals should enjoy freedom from:
œ Hunger, thirst, and malnutrition.
By providing ready access to good-quality food and water.
œ Physical and thermal discomfort. By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
œ Fear and distress. By handling animals in a way that avoids conditions of mental suffering such as stress.
œ Pain, injury and disease. By preventing illnesses and administering adequate veterinary care.
«No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.»
Louis Sabin
Rabbit meat is of a white color similar to chicken meat, whereas hare meat is red.
The use of animals in agriculture, education, research, business, recreation and entertainment contributes decisively to the wellbeing of human beings. We therefore have an ethical responsibility to safeguard their wellbeing.
«This universe is the work of the supreme power for the benefit of all, and therefore each and every being must learn to enjoy its benefits by taking part in the system in close relation to the others. No species may usurp the rights of others.»
Radhakrishna
The
way we treat animals can also be referred to in other ways, such as caring for animals, raising animals, or compassionate treatment.
White-feathered hens lay white eggs, and brown-feathered hens lay brown ones. Some breeds even produce green and blue eggs, such as the Araucana hen.
Narrator:
Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.
Animal Farm (1954).
Dir. Joy Batchelor and John Halas.
Myth
You’re as Lethal as
Pork Sausage!
Contrary to popular belief, pork is one of the healthiest meats around, and is one of the most nutritional and inexpensive. Of all domestic mammals, pigs are the most able to quickly and efficiently transform the food they eat into meat.
The first cloned animal was known as Dolly the sheep, who was born on July 5, 1996 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The World Organisation for Animal Health —OIE— is an international organization that publishes recommendations regarding animal health and best practices for animal welfare to its member countries. It has Collaborating Centers in Italy, New Zealand/Australia, Chile/Mexico/Uruguay, and USA.
It’s not the Same Thing...
Welfare is not a byword for health. It is a broader concept that includes other aspects of life.
Rather, health is part of welfare. It also differs from animal protection, which is a social attitude generally driven by nGO’S, which are set up to reduce animal cruelty.
Pliny «The Elder», the author of Natural History, believed that eating hare meat for nine days would make the eater physically attractive and increase sexual prowess.
Did You Know...
Due to its similarities with human skin, pigs’ skin can be used in skin grafts for human burn victims.
In 1992, the World Veterinary Association issued a Policy Statement on Animal Welfare and Ethology. The goal of this statement was to raise awareness of animal use and to combine two areas of study: animal welfare and ethology —the study of animal behavior in their natural habitats.
«The dog wags his tail not for you, but for his food.»
Popular saying
Animals try to run away if you get too close. Critical distance, or flight distance, is the distance at which an animal tolerates other species approaching before it decides to flee; this varies based on the species concerned and any prior contact between them. Domestic animals have a much smaller escape zone than those living in the wild.
Animal welfare begins when an animal is born, and continues through its upbringing, production and transportation, until its slaughter.
Livestock production facilities; farms; production, upbringing, and genetic improvement centers; zoos; exhibition centers; street markets; and circuses, should comply with the basic principles of animal welfare.
The Mexican Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food —SAGARPA— heads senasica, a devolved agency that is responsible for regulating, managing and fostering activities to promote agricultural health safety and quality, which it does by reducing risks in agriculture, livestock farming, aquatic farming and fisheries for the benefit of producers, consumers and the industry itself. This organization also issues federal regulations on animal welfare.
The
Aztecs depicted Toxtli, the goddess of fertility, as a hare.
With a Little Help from my Friends
Different collective nouns are used for different groups of animals...
Refers to the absence of disease-causing pathogens such as Salmonella spp and E.coli, antibiotic residues, heavy metals, or pesticides in animal products. It is extended to the products consumed by animals, which must also be safe and healthy.
Depending on the Production System They Are Part of, Animals Can Be Housed as Follows:
œ Intensive: kept permanently confined in a special pen with a food and drink area, which they only leave to be taken to slaughter.
œ Semi-intensive: spend part of the day confined and the rest outdoors on the grazing land.
œ Extensive: spend all day in the grazing land and only returning to the pens at night.
Katie Mcloughlin (Alison Lohman):
The history of the West was written by the horse. Wherever a settler left his footprint, there was a hoof print beside it.
Flicka (2006). Dir. Michael Mayer.
Anyone involved in handling, caring for, stunning, euthanizing, and slaughtering animals should be sufficiently trained to carry out these tasks, in accordance with the guidelines established by SAGARPA and the relevant authorities.
«Of all the animals in God’s creation, man is the only one who drinks without being thirsty, eats without being hungry, and talks without having something to say.»
John Steinbeck
Slaughterhouse or Butchery
An authorized establishment that has facilities suitable for the slaughter of animals, whose products are used for consumption.
Stunning
Loss of consciousness caused by mechanical or electrical stun methods applied to the head or by gas.
Questions Used to Assess Animal Welfare
œ Are the animals fed properly?
œ Are the animals housed suitably?
œ Are the animals in good health?
œ Does the animals’ behavior indicate a healthy emotional state?
Based on protocols developed by Welfare Quality, a five-year European Union research project started in 2004 for the purpose of proposing a means of assessing animal welfare.
Did You Know...
The OIE Aquatic Code, which was first published in 1995, sets out international standards for monitoring, preventing, and controlling disease and for the safe trade of amphibians, crustaceans, fish, mollusks, and their by-products.
Sheep attract lightning. So, stay away from them during thunderstorms!
Remember: You have to shelter them when it rains.
There Are Four Types of Pig Farms, the Use of Which Depends on the Purpose of Production:
3 breeding stock: produce and improve pig stock in order to be sold as replacement gilts, sows and boars.
3 Piglet producer: when the animals reach the desired weight, they are sold to other farmers who grow them out and take care of them until the pigs are shipped to be slaughtered.
3 Farrow-to-finish: these farms have their own sows and studs, and take care of them from birth through to the moment they are sent to slaughter.
3 Finishers: purchase weaned feeder pigs and grow them out until they are ready to be sent to slaughter.
Jonathan Beever, a researcher at the University of Illinois, claims that humans share more than 90% of our DNA with pigs. The second closest animal in terms of DNA is dogs, with 75% compatibility.
Article 165 of Mexico’s Federal Animal Health Act provides that any person may report actions or omissions in detriment of animal health to SAGARPA , as well as any actions or omissions that could contaminate animal by-products.
Mexico has 17 coastal states, which produce a wide variety of edible marine products from the crustacean —shrimp, lobster, crab— and mollusk —clam, oyster, mussel, octopus, squid— families.
Indicators for Evaluating Animal Welfare
œ The behaviors expressed are inherent to the species.
œ Evaluation of morbidity and mortality rates.
œ Changes in the animal’s weight.
œ Ability to reproduce.
œ Response to being handled by humans.
œ Physical appearance.
Morbidity Rate
Ratio of the number of cases of a disease to the number of individuals in a particular population at any one time or over a given period.
Mortality Rate
Number of animal deaths scaled to the total population.
«My dark horse, how could I ever forget you? I owe you my own life when the troops of Pancho Villa were going to execute me.»
José Albarrán, «Caballo prieto azabache» —My Dark Horse.
Meat is good for our health! It quickly and effortless provides the body with the proteins it needs,and protects us through fatty acids that care for our skin and activate our immune system. It also helps maintain muscle mass and tone.
People who suffer cow milk intolerance can drink goat milk without any problems, because the protein properties of each type of milk are different.
Marvin Harris, Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and Culture.
Traceability
A series of systemized administrative and technical activities that enable us to track processes in relation to the birth, raising, fattening, upbringing, slaughter and processing of animals, animal by-products, and chemical, biological, pharmaceutical and nutritional products for animal use, until they are consumed. It enables us to identify the specific location of a product at each stage, and any zoosanitary and contamination risk factors that may be present in each.
The daily slaughter capacity of a slaughterhouse may vary based on demand and facilities; some of them work up to three shifts.
Mexican regulation nom-001-/sag/gan-2015 was created in 2015 to ensure the traceability of Mexican livestock, and thus to provide it with added value and competitiveness in the global market.
Animals Require Patience
Konrad Lorenz, dubbed the «father of ethology» and winner of the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology, roamed Europe giving courses to veterinarians and agricultural engineers on how animal care affects their products. He explained how animals’ minds work and why it was necessary to have knowledge of animal psychology so that it could be applied to their production.
Pig heart valves can be used in human hearts. The first transplant was performed in 1971.
Numbers from Mexico and Around the World
In 2015, Mexico:
œ Was the 15th largest pork producer in the world.
œ Became the world’s 5th largest poultry producer.
œ Was the 5th largest egg producer in the world.
œ Consumed 21.7 kg of fresh eggs per capita.
œ Exported 923,005 cattle to USA. Food Atlas 2015.
«I am obliged not to do any harm to my fellow species, less because they are rational but sentient beings: a quality that is common to both animals and men.»
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Cats’ whiskers help to guide them in the dark; trimming them affects their ability to navigate and their balance.
Francis Bacon died of pneumonia while trying to prove that chicken meat would not decompose if left in the snow.
There Are Three Categories of Poultry Breeders, Defined by the Chicken’ Size and Zootechnical Function:
œ Light: raised to produce eggs and can produce up to 300 eggs per year.
œ Heavy: raised for meat production—broiler chickens.
œ Semi-heavy breeders: have a dual purpose, they produce eggs but not as many as light chickens, and their young reach similar weights to those of broiler chickens.
The modern chicken is a descendent of the gallus gallus bankiva, a feeble wild bird that lived in southern Asia in parts of Pakistan, Sumatra and Indonesia. Clutton-Brock, A Natural History of Domesticated Mammals.
Old Ewe:
Before we give you anything, wolf, you’ll be making us a solemn promise.
Rex (the dog): Yes?
Sheep: Treat us civil!
Old Ewe: Yes, you gotta treat us nice like.
Rex: I’ll try.
Babe (1995). Dir. Chris Noonan.
The production of fish, mollusks, crustaceans and amphibians belongs to two different industries: aquaculture and commercial fishing —harvesting of wild fish—. Due to the global reduction in natural aquatic animals populations, aquafarming has the potential both to help feed the global population, and preserve
wild aquatic species
Ruminants digest food in two stages: first, they eat it, and then they ruminate it, which involves regurgitating the partially digested material and chewing it again—which breaks down the particle size, and also adds saliva.
«The question is not ‘Can they reason?’ nor ‘Can they talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?’.
»
Jeremy Bentham
Regular inspection of animals serves two main purposes: first, to detect issues concerning their welfare or health; and second, to identify sick or injured animals so that they may be treated or slaughtered.
Aquaculture
Activities aimed at raising, upbringing, and growing out species of aquatic flora and fauna —whether in fresh or salt water facilities— for commercial, decorative or recreational purposes.
According to a study conducted in 2006 by the University of Manchester, dogs and cats can be either left-pawed or right-pawed, just like humans.
Biochemical and Hormonal Reactions to Poor Animal Welfare
When animals are subject to stress, pain, suffering or fear on a daily basis, a series of reactions unfolds, which produces the following negative effects:
œ Protein degradation, and thus the weakening of the immune system and susceptibility to infections.
œ Decrease in muscle mass, loss of weight and delayed growth.
œ Depression and poor stimulus response.
Beatriz Vanda, Justificación ética para una ley general de bienestar animal en México —Ethical justification for a general animal welfare law in Mexico.
BBC World News
Chapter 3: The Five Freedoms
Freedom from Hunger, Thirst, and Malnutrition
«The destiny of a nation depends on the way in which it feeds.»
Jean Anthelme Brillat Savarin
The majority of animals in captivity depend on humans to receive their food, which should be provided consistently over time and
across all seasons.
Animals should be fed products that meet their protein, carbohydrate and fat requirements to prevent malnutrition. Other important factors in avoiding harm to animals’ health concern the choice of ingredients, quantities, quality, safety and portion sizes, as well as the manufacturing and storage process employed. Malnutrition can have serious consequences, such as wasting syndrome.
Wasting
Similar to emaciation, stemming from the Latin word emaciare, wasting refers to pathological weight loss. Wasting syndrome is the involuntary loss of more than 10% of body weight —particularly muscle mass— over a period of at least 30 days, due either to diarrhea, or weakness and fever.
«At
the crack of dawn the rabbits are up and gone, first to hop along their way.»
—The baker rabbits.
«
Before observing any animal behavior, we must avoid any inkling of anthropocentrism —of seeing human characteristics in the behaviors of other species.»
Francisco Gabilondo Soler, «Cri-Crí», «Los conejos panaderos»
Konrad Zacharias Lorenz
Growth Rate
The rate used to indicate the daily weight gain of an animal.
As pigs need plenty of water, owners should take all measures necessary to ensure that they grow healthily.
Fodder, hay, straw, barley, alfalfa, corn, bran, carrots and apples are some of the main components of a horse’s diet. They can also be given protein supplements, vitamins and minerals.
Turkeys have had a significant role in Mexican cuisine since the precolonial era, and were often raised and fattened in people’s yards so that they could butcher them later for special occasions. The Mayans were the first to domesticate turkeys, almost a thousand years before the Aztecs did. Later on, these birds were used in religious rituals. The Mayans, for instance, would sacrifice a turkey to celebrate the birth of a child. According to some researchers, the bird was first brought to Spain by Vasco de Quiroga in 1498, although others claim it was first introduced into Galicia by Pedro Núñez in 1499. When Fernando de Córdoba reached the shores of the Yucatan peninsula in 1517, two years before Cortés arrived in Veracruz, he found a «flock of enormous hens».
Pablo Aragón Leiva, Cría de guajolotes —Turkey Raising.
Food selection is learning-based.
Animals may be suspicious of foods unfamiliar to them.
Fish Are Never Thirsty?
Fish don’t drink the water that surrounds them; instead, they get water from their food. This is why it is vital that fish receive adequate and sufficient food to prevent malnutrition and dehydration.
Animals should be provided with drinking water free from chemical and microbiological —contaminants, that’s why it is important to carry out regular bacteriological analysis.
Cows usually spend 6-7 hours a day eating their bolus of food, and about 8 hours re-chewing it.
Pellets
The generic name used to refer to the small portions of clustered or compressed material that form part of an animal’s balanced diet. Their importance stems from the fact they improve performance, decrease waste, destroy pathogens, and improve the digestibility of food.
Poor shape and excessive weight loss can be one of many indicators of problems with an animal’s welfare.
Very thin 20% below ideal weight.
Thin Between 10% and 20% below ideal weight.
Ideal
Overweight 20% above ideal weight.
Obese 40% above ideal weight.
Sacred Animals
Human beings are symbolic creatures, meaning that we ascribe significance to everything around us. There are certain animals that for many of us are just another species; we even eat them without remorse and create industries based on their products. However, in other countries, legends are told of these animals, and of their beauty, abilities, or other qualities. They have become objects of worship and form the basis of a number of religions, leading them to be considered sacred.
3 Cows. In India, cows are the most sacred of all animals. In Hinduism, cows represent food and life —the defense of existence— and thus are entitled to a dignified and unthreatened life. Cows are considered sacrosanct, so they are protected.
3 Elephants. In Thailand, elephants represent peace and power, and are associated with having magical qualities. White elephants represent the souls of the dying, and when they die they must be venerated and mourned as with an important figure of human society.
3 Monkeys. In India, the monkey god Hanuman symbolizes strength and guile. It can transform the flames of passion into spiritual energy, and for that reason is revered.
3 Rats. Believe it or not, these animals have sacred status in India, and there is even a temple, called Karni Mata, in their honor. This building is famous for housing over 20,000 rats, which are cared for and treated as sacred creatures.
3 Bears. Bear worship is one of the oldest religious practices in the world, originating in the Neolithic Period. Bears are revered in many North American and North Eurasian religions, where they are seen to represent courage and strength.
3 Owls. In some countries, owls are said to embody prosperity. Hindus consider them bearers of good fortune. In ancient Greece, the goddess Athena was often depicted accompanied by an owl, symbolizing wisdom.
3 Tigers. In Chinese culture, tigers —rather than lions— are regarded as the «Kings of the Jungle», where they are seen to represent sovereignty, bravery and rage. White tigers are held up as gods, and also appear in pop culture as symbols of strength, beauty and eminence.
3 Oxen. In Taoism and Buddhism, oxen represent the ego. Lao Tse, the writer to whom the Tao is attributed, is depicted as riding an ox in order to demonstrate that the ego can be tamed and brought under control.
3 Goats. In ancient Greece, goats were sacred to the lives of Zeus, Artemis, and Pan. In India, the animal represents the «higher self», while in Viking mythology Thor traveled in a chariot drawn by goats.
3 Wild boars. The Celts believed boars to represent strength and courage, as well as magic and prophecy. Europeans regard wild boars as a symbol of health and protection against danger, and the animal was often used in feasts bestowed upon warriors. U
Broiler Chickens
A bird of the Gallus gallus species that is raised for commercial meat production.
Although cows, goats and sheep are mainly fed of grass, fodder, and grains, their diets should be supplemented by additional vitamins and minerals.
«It is difficult to obtain the friendship of a cat. It is a philosophical animal, tenacious of its own habits, fond of order and neatness, and one that does not place its affections thoughtlessly. If you are worthy of its affection, a cat will be your friend, but never your slave.»
Myth
Rabbits Only Eat Carrots
The most important food in a rabbit’s diet are pellets made with sorghum, barley, wheat, and alfalfa. They don’t just eat carrots, as children‘s stories have led us to believe.
Théophile Gautier
A cow produces nearly 200,000 glasses of milk during its lifetime, and therefore needs to drink a lot of fluids. For every liter of milk produced, it requires at least three liters of water. To produce 40 liters of milk per day, a cow needs around 120 liters of water.
All pet food sold in Mexico must be registered with the Mexican Service for Health, Food Safety and Food Quality, SENASICA.
Chickens and turkeys have a diet of grains, such as corn, barley and sorghum; soybean pastes; and vitamins and minerals.
When the grain proportion in a food changes, it increases the risk of digestive disorders in cattle. The ideal percentage is 80% fodder to 20% grain.
Research has shown that when dogs sleep, they dream about eating and playing.
«The smallest of the three, a cute and courteus little pig, dreamed of working to help his poor mama».
Francisco Gabilondo Soler, «Cri-Crí», «Los cochinitos dormilones» —The sleepy piglets.
Sheep need to consume between 4.5 and 5.5 kg of fodder in order to produce one kilogram of meat, and therefore it is crucial that producers provide everything they need to grow—food, vitamin supplements and water—as well as adequate facilities to aid productivity.
Chocolate is toxic to all breeds of dogs. The theobromine contained in cacao harms their nervous system and heart; in some cases it can be fatal! Other harmful foods include onions, grapes and avocados. Ángeles
Daza and Esther Ayuso, Intoxicaciones más frecuentes en pequeños animales — Most common forms of poisoning in small animals.
Freedom from Fear and Distress
«Modern man no longer regards nature as being in any sense divine, and feels perfectly free to behave towards her as an overweening conqueror and tyrant.»
Aldous Huxley
Stress
Used to denote when a person has difficulty adapting to environmental changes; inadaptability.
Major stress factors for farm animals include the environment, handling and holding methods, diet, climate, host-parasite relationships and overpopulation.
Anxiety
An animal’s condition when it is required to exert itself to adapt to changes in its environmental or emotional surroundings.
Aline Aluja, Bienestar animal en la enseñanza de la medicina veterinaria. —Animal welfare in the veterinary medicine curriculum.
Fish get dizzy if they enter strong water currents.
Poor handling, transportation or unsettling loading and unloading can cause livestock to become afraid or anxious. The animals may slide around, hitting the walls or doors, and injure themselves.
Víctor Ruíz, Biología marina y oceanografía: conceptos y procesos
—Marine biology and oceanography: concepts and processes.
Stress and anxiety cause the disruption of animal welfare, affecting the physical and mental health of animals, and their harmonious interaction with their
environment.
Caring for a pet too much can cause them stress. It has been proven that hyperattachment of humans to their pets causes the former to dissociate from the latter, which causes pets anxiety and panic attacks when they are away from their owners.
Animals can suffer stress when they are put in a place they do not know..
Mechanical and hand milking should be done calmly and carefully, in order to avoid pain and anxiety.
Changes to the composition of the herd, drove or flock can cause stress. The mixing of animals from different herds should be avoided when forming groups to be sold; however, if this is absolutely necessary, it is best to ship each group separately.
Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn):
I’m like a cat here, a no-name slob. We belong to nobody, and nobody belongs to us. We don’t even belong to each other.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). Dir. Blake Edwards.
«I like pigs. Dogs look up to us, cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.» Sir Winston Churchill
Did You Know...
A
dog’s snout is a unique identifier, as the markings on each individual are different and help to identify them, in the same way as fingerprints are distinct between human beings.
Stress
pheromones in
the blood can be sensed by other animals and can cause them anxiety.
The Code of Hammurabi —an ancient text drafted under the sixth king in the Babylonian Amorite dynasty (17921748 BC)— punished anyone who worked their livestock too hard.
Did You Know...
A cow can go up stairs, but not down them.
The period of time between stunning and bleeding should be as short as possible, and should depend on the animal and stunning method used.
Due to the optical properties of water, fish are nearsighted, although their retinae have developed to such a degree that they are able to sense movement and contrasts... many fish see colors that are beyond the spectrum visible to humans!
Víctor Ruíz, Biología
marina y oceanografía: conceptos y procesos —Marine biology and oceanography: concepts and processes.
When leading cows down a path, it is important to make sure that no surrounding objects cast shadows on the road; the cows will think they are holes, and may become scared and refuse to proceed.
Minimize exposure to sudden loud noises to avoid the onset of stress and fear. If noise is unavoidable, the animals should be familiarized with it from a young age.
It’s Getting Hot in Here!
To avoid heat-induced stress, animals exposed to high temperatures —particularly pigs and poultry— may be refreshed with foggers, fans and other means.
Dim lighting, such as blue lights, are useful to help calm birds kept indoors.
Fish tend not to approach the walls of their tanks, but it isn’t because they can see where they are; instead they have a sense organ called a «lateral line», which helps them avoid collisions, and detect water pressure and current. This allows them to navigate in unlit environments.
Víctor Ruíz, Biología marina y oceanografía: conceptos y procesos —Marine biology and oceanography: concepts and processes.
Pain, Injury and Disease
«Not only had he abandoned the Wild and his kind when he gave himself up to man [...] His allegiance to man seemed somehow a law of his being greater than the love of liberty, of kind and kin.»
Jack London, White Fang.
Pathogens are mainly spread by domestic animals, wild species, people, zoosanitary practices, equipment, air, water supply, food, animal bedding material, feces, semen, dead animals, and other residues. For this reason, you should consult a specialist before introducing new animals into the house . Check to be sure they are healthy and do not represent a danger to you, your family, or the animals at your care.
Biosecurity
Biosecurity refers to all basic zoosanitary regulations and actions aimed at minimizing the risk of introducing, transmitting or spreading diseases or epidemics.
In 1872, an equine influenza virus killed nearly one quarter of all horses in the USA.
Max Figueroa, Enfermedades infecciosas de los animales domésticos —Infectious diseases in domestic animals.
Using sticks and prods to drive cattle can cause injury.
Did You Know...
Once upon a time, in England, a tax was levied on working dogs with tails, leading many people with meager resources to dock their dogs in order to avoid the tax.
It is not advisable to use tools to accelerate the birthing process in animals unless it is difficult, laborious or slow; if used, they should not cause pain, undue stress, or major health problems.
Sick or injured animals should be separated from healthy stock because they have differing needs; for example, animals that need to lay down may require additional bedding or other surface covering.
If an animal’s condition carries a poor prognosis and low chance of recovery, it is best to carry out an emergency slaughter without further delay, thus avoiding harm to the injured animal, further financial losses incurred through special care, and the likelihood of the problem spreading.
Emergency Slaughter
The measure taken for the good of one or more animals that have suffered severe injuries caused by accident or natural disaster, which are not feasible for the continuance of life, or which result in suffering that cannot immediately be alleviated.
Animals that Require Frequent Check-ups
œ Newborns and weaned animals.
œ Females in the final stages of gestation.
œ Animals that have suffered
• environmental stress, • painful handling, or • surgery.
In some situations, branding with hot irons is the only practical way of marking livestock for identification purposes.
Experienced handlers should do this quickly and with the appropriate equipment.
Before an animal is slaughtered, it is important make sure it is unconscious to ensure that no pain or suffering is caused.
«Federico was dozing against a maguey leaf as the oxen and cows went down to the ravine. In the afternoon the largest ox was missing and his friend offered to go look for it.»
Rogelio Calzada, «El buey de la barranca» —The ox in the ravine.
The Slaughterhouse should have ramps for loading and unloading; walkways; resting areas; access ramps; and slaughter, stunning and bleeding areas. All facilities should have a functional layout that facilitates handling and animal welfare.
Animals Should Not Travel When They Are
œ Sick. œ Injured. œ Weak.
œ Disabled or exhausted.
œ Unable stand unaided.
œ Blind.
œ Newborns, before their umbilical cord has cauterized.
œ Recovering from surgery.
Freedom from Physical and Thermal Discomfort
«Cruelty towards animals is contrary to man’s duty to himself, because it deadens in him the feeling of sympathy for their sufferings, and thus a natural tendency that is very useful to morality in relation to other human beings is weakened.»
Stables are areas where horses rest, eat, and sleep. Equestrian facilities are the places where they are trained.
Immanuel Kant
Did You Know...
The long-term effects of improper housing on an animal can be more acute than a brief bout of severe pain.
Animals Require Special Handling Measures to Travel When They Are
œ Large or obese.
œ Very young or very old.
œ Nervous or aggressive.
œ Susceptible to dizziness.
œ Unaccustomed to human contact.
œ Females in the last stage of gestation or during lactation.
Myth
Sweating Like a Pig
An adult bull should have at least six square meters of space to itself.
Because they don’t have sudoriferous glands, pigs don’t sweat, which is why, when they have enough space, they keep refreshed in mud puddles which also protect them from external parasites and insects such as mosquitoes.
It is best to minimize the amount of time animals spend traveling.
Adequate planning of travel is essential to the animal’s welfare. It must be ensured that the animals are readied and a suitable means of transportation is provided.
John Grogan (Owen Wilson):
A dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel... extraordinary?
Marley and Me (2008). Dir. David Frankel.
Adequate ventilation is important as it injects fresh air, removes residual gases such as carbon dioxide and ammonia, and extracts dust and excess moisture from the environment.
Cats and dogs have undergone adaptive modifications common to all nocturnal hunters. Below under their retinae they have a mirror-like layer of tissue called a tapetum ludicum, which intensifies their night vision. It is the structure that makes their eyes shine so bright.
B. Hugues, La visión cromática en los animales
—Color vision in animals.
«The milking cow said to the farmer: You owe me rent for January, February, March... »
Anonymous —children’s rhyme.
Stables and holding pens must be designed with enough space for each animal to stand up and lay down comfortably on a solid surface; the length, width, and height of the area should be adequate for the largest of the animals.
«Animals have feelings, and unnecessary cruelty towards them is morally wrong because it hardens their heart even towards men.»
John Locke
Newborn calves are susceptible to hypothermia, and so it is important to maintain adequate temperature and ventilation conditions during labor.
Research conducted on cows and pigs indicates that stress hormones are secreted in saliva and urine, leading these animals to avoid areas that are contaminated with the urine of stressed animals.
Mmm, Cajeta from Celaya!
Cajeta is a traditional Mexico treat made from goat’s milk and sugar. It is eaten on its own or in sweets such as custard, candies, wafers, butterscotch and lollipops.
When broiler chickens pant or repeatedly unfurl their wings, this may be a sign of stress caused by excessive heat or poor air quality.
Did You Know...
Pigs’ skin can be used to make items such as parchment, gloves, shoes and purses.
To prevent injury, animals with horns or antlers should not be kept together with those that do not.
When preparing a goat pen, elevated surfaces should be incorporated to allow them to climb, since climbing and leaping are their normal behavior.
Freedom to Express Normal Behavior
«If it were not for animals, human nature would be yet more incomprehensible than it already is.» Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Allowing group-forming among animals encourages positive social behavior and minimizes injuries, disorders and chronic fear.
Every herd has an established hierarchy
. When the composition of the group is altered, conflicts arise due to lack of familiarity.
Giraffes are mammals with no vocal chords, meaning they are completely mute.
Cows form groups and spend most of their time with those of their species with which they get along best.
Giving pigs a bed of straw helps them to rest better and allows them to pursue their natural behavior of searching for food within the straw.
«All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.» George Orwell, Animal Farm.
Some farmers do not shear their sheep, allowing the fleece to become moist and increase in weight. This is harmful to the animal because it can cause heat-induced stress, as well as increasing the risk of fleece rot caused by rain or cuts made by shears.
Unlike roosters and hens, turkeys do not have a comb on the top of their heads; instead they have a fleshy growth called a snood, which is larger on male turkeys.
In Mexico, the slaughter of animals, and the processing, packaging, refrigeration and industrialization of animal by-products, take place at federally-inspected these facilities is to use high-quality processes in the handling of animals and their by-products —TIF-certified— establishments, in accordance with best agricultural practices and animal welfare regulations. The purpose of
to reduce the risk of
«Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another.» Juvenal
New Kid in School
Aquatic animals must go through an acclimation phase if the water used for transportation is significantly different from their own.
Vocalization may hint at an animal’s emotional state, whether positive or negative.
Issues related to low reproductive performance may include:
œ Lack of reproductive cycle.
œ Extended post partum period.
œ Low conception rate.
œ High rate of abortion and labor complications.
Physical attributes that may point to problems of animal welfare may include:
Ectoparasite
œ The presence of ectoparasites.
œ Fur of an unusual color or texture, or fur that is thoroughly stained with dirt, mud or feces.
œ Dehydration.
œ Wasting.
An organism that lives on the surface of another organism —the host— and obtains a benefit at the host’s expense. Ectoparasites include fleas and mites, which may spread diseases from animals to humans, and vice versa, such as mange and pediculosis.
Although some domestic animals have a wide angle of vision, they may also have limited frontal vision and poor depth perception. This means they can detect objects and movement occurring next to and behind them, but can only estimate the distances in front of them.
Most domestic livestock lives in groups, and they instinctively follow a leader.
«In a world increasingly concerned with human rights, the welfare of animals needs all the arguments it can get, both those that are animal-centered and those that appeal to human well-being. But it also needs those arguments to be scrupulously clear and correct, or they will, in the end, fall victim to kill-joy explanations and be dismissed as not counting at all. And the losers will be the animals themselves.»
Marian Dawkins
«I wish I were a goldfish, brushing my nose against your fishbowl, I ‘d blow love bubbles everywhere, and stay awake all night while drowned in you.»
Juan Luis Guerra, «Burbujas de amor» —Love bubbles.
How Do They Look?
Characteristics
Bovinae 6 Vertical field of vision of approximately 60-70°
6 Cannot see well up and down
6 Binocular field of vision —depth perception— of only 30 to 50°
6 Can distinguish the colors orange, red, yellow/ green, yellow/red; have difficulty distinguishing blue, gray, some shades of green, and particularly violet.
Ovis 6 Rectangular pupils give them broad peripheral vision, which is better with moving objects than stationary ones
6 Field of vision from 270 to 280°
6 Large eyes and good vision in low lighting
6 They are dichromatic and can see shades of yellow, green and blue, but not red.
Caprinae
6 Their monocular sight gives them a panoramic field of vision
6 Field of vision of over 300°, better to the sides than directly in front, giving them effective remote vision.
Equidae
Dogs/Cats
6 Field of vision of nearly 360° —340° to be exact—; they have two blind spots: directly in front of and behind them
6 Good long sight but poor short sight
6 Extended pupil allows good side-to-side range of vision, but hinders up-and-down vision
6 Difficulty distinguishing violet, red and gray, but can see greens, yellows and blues well.
6 Field of vision of 240°
6 Dogs cannot see red and green.
6 Cats have dichromatic vision.
Pigs 6 Panoramic field of vision of 310°
6 Binocular vision of 35-50°
6 Lateral monocular vision is strong, which improves panoramic vision and reduces bifocal sight.
Birds 6 Field of vision between 280-360°, allowing them to see nearly all of their surroundings
6 Birds with eyes on the side of their head have a wide field of vision, while those with eyes in front, such as owls, have binocular vision and can better measure depth
6 Highly-developed visual system U
B. Hugues, La visión cromática en los animales —Chromatic vision in animals.
Legendary Animals
As one Chinese folk story goes, the Jade Emperor called all the animals together for a race to see which animals would be assigned a place on the Chinese zodiac. The rat and cat, who were at that time friends, asked the ox to carry them across the river on its back. He agreed, but in the rat’s desire to win the race, it pushed the cat into the river, and since then they have been sworn enemies. Incidentally, that is why there is no cat on the Chinese zodiac, and why cats hate water.
The rat won the race and became the first sign of the zodiac. After him came the patient ox, the strong tiger, the hopping rabbit, the dragon, the snake (who beat the horse to sixth place by frightening him), the horse, the rooster, the goat and monkey (who formed a team), the dog (who stopped for a bath before finishing the race), and the pig (who arrived last because he had gorged himself before the start of the race).
According to Chinese astrology, these animals represent the physical, social and material aspects of each person. 6
«All the large and little horses, run at top speed through the courses, aiming for the stable where their food is sure to show; there they’ll find a trough with fresh food, hay and straw they can chew, and it makes them want to gorge themselves anew.»
Francisco Gabilondo Soler, «Cri-Crí», «Los caballitos»
—The little horses.
Animal welfare issues can be identified by decreased food consumption, increased respiration, gasping, stereotypies, aggressiveness, depression, and other anomalous behaviors.
Stereotypy
Repetitive, persistent behavior that has no obvious purpose. These are anomalous behaviors that tend to show in animals kept in captivity, especially those that are kept penned up in small spaces with little opportunity to perform their normal activities. For example:
horses: Wind-sucking, head shaking, weaving.
cows: Tongue rolling, lip smacking.
pigs: Bar biting, vacuum chewing.
chickens: Pecking feet and feathers, cannibalism. dogs: Chasing their tails, running in circles, licking themselves, chasing shadows.
«I have hope that man will wake up and cooperate with nature in the knowledge that only then will nature continue to support life.»
David Hopcraft
Colophon:
This edition was printed in November 2015 in Mexico City at Di SaRo S.A. de C.V.
The following fonts were used: Achille, Helvetica Neue, Gandhi Sans, and Gandhi Serif.
Editorial Team
Editorial director: María del Pilar Montes de Oca Sicilia
Art director: Victoria García Jolly
Editing: Fernando Montes de Oca Sicilia
Editing and proofreading: Erika Elizabeth Rivera Jordán
Editorial design: Diana Langarica Martínez
Editorial consulting: Carlos Bautista Rojas
Translated by: Word Factor, Member of American Translator Association
