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Giant Animals: evolution and biomechanics inspiring future science

Summary of the impact

Professor Hutchinson's team has pursued research into movement of large land animals, and how they have evolved under biomechanical constraints, such as gravity, which dominate their lifestyles. Their findings relating to elephants and to dinosaurs, applying physics, maths and computer science to study the natural world, have captured the public's imagination through a variety of engagement activities. The work has contributed to several major documentaries and interactive museum exhibits, (with Professor Hutchinson consulting), as well as featuring in a substantial number of print and online news stories. The research has had practical applications in foot health and welfare of elephants in captivity and, through examining constraints of growth on anatomy, has also led to applications in health of broiler chickens.

Submitting Institution

Royal Veterinary College

Unit of Assessment

Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Evolutionary Biology
Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Human Movement and Sports Science

Improved Methods of Handling Laboratory Mice to Increase Safety and Reduce Anxiety

Summary of the impact

The mouse is the most important laboratory animal used worldwide in biomedical research and for regulatory testing of products. Research at the University of Liverpool by Prof Hurst has led to a change in the methods universally recommended for routine handling of mice to minimize a well- recognized problem that handling can create high anxiety, stress and a risk of animals biting the handler. This has impacts for animal welfare, for practitioners, and for reliability in a broad range of research and testing using mice (e.g. in the pharmaceuticals industry) where responses can be confounded by uncontrolled anxiety responses. Mouse handling guidelines have been changed and are being implemented in animal research facilities.

Submitting Institution

University of Liverpool

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Improving Captive Animal Welfare through Cognition-Related Research

Summary of the impact

Research undertaken at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) studied habitat enrichment in captive coyotes (with the National Wildlife Research Center in Utah), and herd composition of donkeys, horses and mules (with the Donkey Sanctuary). These studies observed social and environmental interactions, addressing important welfare indicators in gregarious species. The work identified welfare issues in both sites and provided the necessary evidence to allow improvements to be made.

Specifically, this research has:

1) led to changes in the husbandry practice and policy in both partner institutions that have improved animal welfare;

2) improved how the Donkey Sanctuary trains international partners and undertakes welfare education.

Submitting Institution

Canterbury Christ Church University

Unit of Assessment

Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Ecology

1p. Minimising heat and other stresses during animal transportation improves animal welfare and has driven EU legislation

Summary of the impact

Impact: Policy / animal welfare / economic. European Directives on Animal Welfare have been changed to improve animal comfort during transport. Our research has provided a basis for establishing comfort/discomfort at an objective, physiological level through response modelling and the quantitative assessment of the effects of thermal conditions. The definition of optimum transport environments has underpinned improved transport vehicle design and operation and formed the basis of the development of regulations for improved animal welfare.

Significance: ~60 billion animals are transported world-wide each year.

Beneficiaries: EU policy makers (leading to revised Directives), UK Government departments (especially Defra), and animals during transport.

Attribution: Prof. Mitchell (SRUC).

Reach: All EU Member States, Canada, and the US.

Submitting Institutions

University of Edinburgh,SRUC

Unit of Assessment

Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Applied Mathematics
Engineering: Civil Engineering
Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services: Transportation and Freight Services

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