Mission: “To enhance the rural economy and environment.”

Partnership with University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow

Center for rural policy, teaching, research, and consulting

Ayr Aberdeen Edinburgh

1,013 hectares (2,500 acres)

1,100 Hill ewes, 700 upland ewes, 200 suckler cows, 120 sows with finishing capabilities

Also contains arable cropland and woodlands

2,200 hectares (5,436 acres)

Livestock focus: Hill sheep

Also contains native woodlands, lowland and hill paths

18 Strathfillan Wigwams

Facilities for:› Breeding› Laying› Hatching› Growing› Processing

Investigating ways of fulfilling the Five Freedoms while maintaining commercially viable systems 

252 hectares (622 acres)

Innovative and ahead of times› 1907 milking

machine› 1925 silo erected

to store silage Home of dairy

research at SAC

Food Supply Chains Environmental Management Animal Health Animal Welfare Agricultural Systems Rural Policy Whole systems/multidisciplinary

approach to agricultural research

Common interest:› Understanding behavioral development in animals › Developing ‘scientifically valid, practical and

reliable methods of welfare assessment.’ Accomplish this by:

› Improving the understanding of the biological basis of animal welfare

› Developing genetic or management solutions to welfare problems

› Creating scientifically valid and practical methods of assessing animal welfare

› Developing approaches to integrate animal welfare with other issues or concerns

Genetically improving adaptations of animals to production environments

Maternal behavior and its impact on the later welfare of offspring

Genetics of animal aggression Development of welfare assessments Welfare of dairy cows in organic and

non-organic production systems

Professor Alistair Lawrence Dr. Rick D-Eath Dr. Francoise Wemelsfelder Dr. Simon Turner Dr. Marie Haskell Dr. Colin Morgan Dr. Christine Moinard Dr. Kenny Rutherford

Dr. Fritha Langford Dr. Malcolm Mitchell Dr. Susan Jarvis Dr. Cathy Dwyer Dr. Emma Baxter Dr. Victoria Sandilands

Professor Alistair Lawrence Dr. Marie Haskell Dr. Cathy Dwyer Dr. Malcolm Mitchell Dr. Francoise Wemelsfelder Dr. Victoria Sandilands

Head of Animal Behaviour and Welfare Team

Welfare Interest: › Implication of

stereotypic behavior

› Impact of intensive farming on welfare

Research Interests:› Animal motivation, cognition and learning› Use of behavioral temperament to assess

welfare on farms Recent Projects:

› Effect of continuous housing on cow health and behavior

› Welfare of organic vs. non-organic dairy cows› Effects of dairy cattle breeding patterns on

cow temperament› Feed-barrier design and dairy cow behavior

Research Interests:› Maternal behavior› Off-spring development

Recent Projects:› Consequences of a difficult birth for the

health and welfare of cattle and sheep› Impact of early nutrition on behavioral

development and stress in sheep› Potential of selectively breeding for

improved lamb vigor

Research Interests:› Animal stress › Transportation

Helped define ranges and limits for common stressors experienced during transportation and day to day life

Advises Defra and others on concerns related to animal transportation

Interested in animals as “sentient beings”

Developed Qualitative Behavior Assessment (QBA) for study of subjective experience in animals

Also involved in social science research

Research Interests:› Poultry welfare and

production› Housing and

management of poultry in a manner sensitive to birds yet sustainable in UK agriculture

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs

Scottish Government European Union

Offers consulting services in:› Farm business› Veterinary› Environmental› Diversification › Much, much more

>375 consultants, technicians, and support staff

24 offices 8 veterinary disease surveillance centers >12,000 customers worldwide

BBSRC:bioscience for the future. Web. 2 April 2010. <http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/home/home.aspx>

  Defra:Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Web. 2 April 2010.

<http://www.defra.gov.uk>   Dollars 2 Pounds. 4 April 2010. Web. 4 April 2010.

<http://www.dollars2pounds.com>  “Francoise Wemelsfelder.” Schumacher College. Web. 2 April 2010.

<http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/teachers/francoise-wemelsfelder>  “Hectares to Acres Conversion.” Metric-Conversions.org. 3 Feb. 2010. Web. 4 April

2010. <http://www.metric-conversions.org/area/hectares-to-acres.htm?arg=220>  Scottish Agricultural College, 21 Sept. 2009. Web 2 Apr. 2010 <http://www.sac.ac.uk

>

Wigwam Holidays®. www.WigwamHolidays.org. Web. 2 April 2010. <http://www.wigwamholidays.com/Strathfillan_Wigwam_Village>