An overview of the impact of stress on animal physiology, organised by functional activity. Comparative aspects of the subject are emphasised throughout. The authors concentrate on the recent literature and the volume covers a range of organisation, from molecular to community.

Based on a recent symposium that brought together experts in behavior, nutrition, physiology, immunology, and human and animal medicine, this volume presents an up-to-date discussion of the problems and methods of studying animal stress today. Section one reviews the evolutionary and ontogenetic determinants of animal suffering and the assessment of well-being. The second section examines biological responses to stress and methods of monitoring stress in animals. Section three shows how stress can threaten animal health, disrupt normal reproduction, and influence growth and metabolism. The final section relates the importance of animal stress to developing guidelines on the use of animals in scientific research. This is an invaluable reference for exploring these complex responses

Suffering is a state of mind that is difficult to measure and analyse in human beings and considerably more so in animals. It is related to the environment in which we live and our physical and mental states. Understanding the physiology of suffering in animals is crucial in assessing animal welfare. Written by an expert in applied welfare aspects of physiology, this book is the first to address the physiological aspects of suffering in animals. It explores the different causes of suffering – physical discomfort, thirst and hunger, the responses in the body that lead to suffering and it offers insight into how suffering can be managed. The second book in a major new animal welfare series Draws together information that is scattered across the literature Written for the specialist and non-specialist alike Includes colour pictures This book is part of the UFAW/Wiley-Blackwell Animal Welfare Book Series. This major series of books produced in collaboration between UFAW (The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare), and Wiley-Blackwell provides an authoritative source of information on worldwide developments, current thinking and best practice in the field of animal welfare science and technology. For details of all of the titles in the series see www.wiley.com/go/ufaw.

Scientific advances in our understanding of animal physiology and behavior often require theories to be revised and standards of practice to be updated to improve laboratory animal welfare. This new book from the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) at the National Research Council, Recognition and Alleviation of Distress in Laboratory Animals, focuses on the stress and distress which is experienced by animals when used in laboratory research. This book aims to educate laboratory animal veterinarians; students, researchers, and investigators; animal care staff, as well as animal welfare officers on the current scientific and ethical issues associated with stress and distress in laboratory animals. It evaluates pertinent scientific literature to generate practical and pragmatic guidelines. Recognition and Alleviation of Distress in Laboratory Animals focuses specifically on the scientific understanding of the causes and the functions of stress and distress, the transformation of stress to distress, and the identification of principles for the recognition and alleviation of distress. This book discusses the role of humane endpoints in situations of distress and principles for the minimization of distress in laboratory animals. It also identifies areas in which further scientific investigation is needed to improve laboratory animal welfare in order to adhere to scientific and ethical principles that promote humane care and practice.

Stress and Animal Welfare provides students of animal biology with a fresh, integrated coverage of the concepts and scientific measurement of the welfare of animals. This book is the first to explain the basic biological principles of how animals actually cope with stress, and the major part of the work is devoted to explaining scientifically usable concepts in stress and welfare. A wide range of stress indicators are highlighted in detail with examples being drawn from man and other species. This information forms the basis for a synthesis of now ideas presented here for the first time. Among the issues covered are: •how physical systems are regulated by the body and brain; •limits to adaptation •assessing welfare for both short-term and long-term responses; •ethical problems and suggested solutionsProper assessment of animal welfare is essential so that informed decisions can be taken about what is morality acceptable in terms of practice and in the development of more effective legislation. This text encapsulates a very wide body of literature on scientific aspects of animal welfare, and will prove a valuable asset for students and teachers of animal biology.

Environmental stress is one of the most significant factors affecting livestock performance and health, and it is only expected to increase with effects of global warming. Environmental Physiology of Livestock brings together the latest research on environmental physiology, summarizing progress in the field and providing directions for future research. Recent developments in estimating heat stress loads are discussed, as well as key studies in metabolism, reproduction, and genetic expressions. Environmental Physiology of Livestock begins with a survey of current heat indexing tools, highlighting recent discoveries in animal physiology, changes in productivity levels, and new technologies available to better estimate stress response. Using this synopsis as a point of orientation, later chapters hone in on major effects of heat stress, including changing metabolic pathways and nutrient requirements, endocrine regulation of acclimation to environmental stress, and reduced reproductive performance. The text concludes with a thorough discussion of environmental effects on gene expressions, providing important insight for future breeding practices. Environmental Physiology of Livestock is a globally contributed volume and a key resource for animal science researchers, geneticists, and breeders.