Darwinian selection, selective breeding and the welfare of animals
UFAW International Symposium 2009
22nd - 23rd June 2009
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
The 150th anniversary of the publication of ‘On The Origin of Species…’ is an auspicious time to consider the impacts of natural selection and of our selective breeding of animals on their welfare (see below). The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (www.ufaw.org.uk) is planning a two-day international symposium on this at the University of Bristol in June 2009.
It seems likely that the states of the brain that embody the intensity and duration of consciously perceived unpleasant feelings such as fear and pain are closely regulated through evolutionary scrutiny because, for example, being either too fearful or not fearful enough would be detrimental to evolutionary fitness. Likewise, we would expect that Darwinian (natural) selection would act such that brain states associated with pleasant feelings are regulated to appropriately reward – neither too much nor too little - activities and states that promote evolutionary fitness.
What happens to these finely-engineered carrots and sticks – whose effects and interactions are no less than welfare (quality of life) itself - when selection is not for evolutionary fitness but for traits preferred by we humans in pursuit of ideal companion or laboratory animals, or of greater farm animal production? Where genetic welfare problems have arisen as a consequence of breeding practices, how can these be tackled? The aim of this symposium is to consider these and related issues, and we intend to include sessions on farm, laboratory, companion, zoo and free-living animals.
Speakers will include:
Dr John Quinn (University of Oxford)
The adaptive significance of personality traits in nature
Professor Per Jensen (University of Linköping)
Domestication, selection, behaviour and welfare of animals – genetic mechanisms for rapid response
Dr Paul McGreevy (University of Sydney)
Challenges and paradoxes in the companion animal niche
Professor Jane Hurst (University of Liverpool)
On the origin of laboratory mice and consequences for welfare
Dr Tim Woodfine (Durrell Institute)
Wild animal conservation genetics (title to be confirmed)
Dr Joanne Conington (Scottish Agricultural College)
Natural selection for easier sheep management
This symposium is the latest in UFAW’s continuing and successful programme of themed international meetings that bring together leading scientists, veterinarians, policy makers and all those with an interest in animals and their welfare. It will take place on the 22nd-23rd June 2009; a drinks reception will also take place at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery on the evening of the 22nd.
Click here to download details of local hotels with special discount rates for this Symposium.
Further details about the symposium, including how to contribute are following.
Contributing to the Symposium
UFAW is inviting contributions to the symposium. If you wish to contribute, please submit a title and abstract to UFAW for consideration. Both oral and poster presentations will be accepted. Abstracts of all accepted talks and posters will be placed on UFAW’s website in advance of the symposium and we plan publish the proceedings as an issue of our quarterly scientific journal ‘Animal Welfare’.
TITLE OF PAPER
AB Authorone1 and CD Authortwo2
1 Department of Animal Welfare Science, University of Wheathampstead, UK
2 Department of Applied Animal Welfare, University of Brewhouse Hill, UK
ab.authorone@wheathampstead.ac.uk
Abstracts should be written in English and not exceed 400 words, excluding the title and the authors’ names and addresses, which should be formatted as above. Please use Microsoft Word for Windows when submitting an abstract. Text should be in Times New Roman 12 pt font.
The title should be centered and in bold capital letters (as above). Names of authors should be centered under the title in bold upper and lower case. Institutional addresses should be left justified and in bold upper and lower case. The email address of the main author to be contacted with regard to the abstract in italics should follow. A blank line should precede the text. The text should clearly and concisely outline the main findings or premise without reference(s) to other text or paper or to future findings. It can include graphs or tables but must fit on one side of A4.
Please send a copy of the abstract by email to wickens@ufaw.org.uk AND a signed hard copy marked for the attention of Stephen Wickens, UFAW Symposium 2009 by 19th November 2008. If you wish to present a poster rather than a talk, please indicate this at the bottom of the submitted abstract. The deadline for receipt of final papers for publication in the proceedings will be the first day of the symposium, when full papers of upto 5000 words will be required from all speakers. Poster presenters will have their abstracts published.
Registration Details
Places will be limited so please contact us as soon as possible to register your attendance. Early registration for the symposium will be at the reduced cost of £190 per person until Thursday 28th February 2009, registration will be £240 thereafter.
A limited number of subsidised places have been made available for students and veterinary nurses at the reduced rate of £110 per person until 28th February 2009, and £120 thereafter; these will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Prices include attendance at the symposium for the two days, lunch and refreshments and a drinks reception at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery on the evening of the 22nd.
Click here to download an electronic registration form.
Click here to download a PDF registration form.
Venue
The Symposium is being held in the Wills Memorial Building at the University of Bristol. This is located at Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1RJ.
The drinks reception is being held at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery, which is next to the symposium venue. Delegates will be able to look around the exhibits during this.
Return completed form to:
Dr Stephen Wickens, UFAW Symposium 2009, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire AL4 8AN, UK. Email: wickens@ufaw.org.uk. Tel: +44 (0)1582 831818; Fax: +44 (0)1582 831414
