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Ethiek voor insecten en veld entomologie : een duik in praktijken binnen de veld entomologie in de context van gevoelens en achteruitgang van insecten
Get PDFAs severe insect declines receive increasing attention from academic and societal corners alike, a call for more research has emerged. Simultaneously, indications of insect declines and insect sentience have given rise to conversations surrounding the topic of insect ethics. Knowledge gaps occur in the stance of the entomological community in these conversations and in the influence these conversations have on practices of field entomology, and by extension on ethical treatment of insects.
To explore this knowledge gap, this study analyses how practices of field entomology interact with conversations on insect ethics. The research problem is approached and analysed through elemental social practice theory. This framework allows for a relatively detailed understanding about how insect ethics may be incorporated in practices of field entomology already, where avenues for change based on insect ethics may be identified and which obstacles to change occur.
The analysis suggests that some changes in practices of field entomology are already occurring through interactions with conversations on insect ethics. These mostly relate to active decisions about research goals, designs and materials to prevent insects being killed or suffering unnecessarily. However, such decision-making processes were found to differ per entomologist, which suggests potential avenues for changes in the form of more communication among entomologists and/or more institutionalization of guidelines for decision-making. The analysis also suggests two potential obstacles towards change in practices of field entomology, namely that when costs are involved, money may outweigh ethics and that certain confrontations with insect ethics, especially from the social sphere, are perceived as frustrating rather than constructive. Based on these findings, this study makes several suggestions to researchers, entomologists and those involved with conversations on insect ethics alike. It argues that implementation of changes to practices of field entomology as well as conversations on insect ethics based on the understandings provided by this study could lead to insects being thought about and treated differently, and ultimately to less insects being harmed
The impact of minerals on udder health
Get PDFMjölkkor har som huvudsyfte att producera mjölk. Av den anledningen är juverhälsan viktig, för att tillgodose djurens välfärd samt att mejeriprodukterna håller den hygieniska standard som krävs för humankonsumtion. Det finns flera faktorer som påverkar juverhälsan och dess immunförsvar, såsom genetik, miljö, hygien, mjölkningsrutiner samt nutrition. Mineralutfodringen är en liten, men viktig del av utfodringen till mjölkkor. En god balans i mineralutfodringen är positivt för djurens välfärd samt hälsa. Mineraler såsom selen, koppar samt zink är frekvent förekommande i studier kring mineralfodrets påverkan på juvrets immunförsvar, men även kalcium, fosfor, magnesium och mangan har en viss inverkan. Det diskuteras kring mineralernas direkta samt indirekta påverkan på immunförsvaret. Selen, zink samt koppar påverkar immunförsvaret samt juvervävnaden på ett annat sätt än kalcium, fosfor, mangan samt magnesium. I vilken form mineralerna ges i har betydelse för dess effekt samt påverkan på immunförsvaret. Organiska mineralföreningar tar längre tid att absorberas av kroppen, men har en bättre och längre effekt än icke organiska mineralföreningar.Dairy cows are mainly used in milk production. The udder health is thereby important, because it can be used as a way to measure the animal welfare as well as the hygienic standard of the produce for human consumption. There are multiple factors that affect udder health and the immune system, such as genetics, environment, hygiene, milking routines and nutrition. The mineral feeding is a small, but particularly important, part of the nutrition for dairy cows. A well-balanced mineral feed will result in better animal welfare and bovine health. Minerals such as selenium, copper and zink are frequently mentioned in studies regarding udder health and immune system. Other minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and manganese, have a certain effect on the immune system as well. This study discusses the direct and indirect effects on the immune system by the minerals. Selenium, zink and copper affect the immune system and the udder tissue in a different way than calcium, phosphorus, manganese and magnesium. The form in which the minerals are given has an impact on their effect and the impact on the immune system. Organic trace minerals take longer to be absorbed by the body but has a better and longer effect than inorganic trace minerals
Inverkan av stärkelsens egenskaper på brödkvalitet : utbyte av stärkelsefas mellan vetemjöl av hög och låg kvalitet
Get PDFThe quality of wheat bread depends on the molecular and structural composition of the utilized wheat flour, which is significantly impacted by the surrounding conditions during the cultivation of wheat grains. Thus, given the global warming, the quality of flours is altered. This thesis aimed to gather knowledge whether the quality of starch differ between two flours of low versus high quality, and whether any such differences impact the final bread quality. The examined flours were initially fractionated by kneading a wheat flour dough in excess water, with the obtained liquid starch phase being spray dried and the wet gluten phase freeze dried. The fractionation process was however not optimal, as the gluten phases still contained a large proportion starch. Analysis of the starch from quality wheat flour showed a slightly higher proportion of A-type granules, a significantly higher gelatinization temperature, and a significantly lower viscosity upon gelatinization.
Subsequently, to assess the impact of starch on final bread quality, six flours were analysed: two native flours of higher and lower quality, two reconstituted flours aimed to be identical with the native flours, one reconstituted flour made of gluten derived from high-quality flour and starch from low-quality flour, and the final flour reconstituted of gluten from low-quality flour and starch from high-quality flour. Breads made with the latter flour exhibited a significantly larger volume, darker crust, greater average crumb pore area, softer crumb texture, and less strong crust compared to the breads baked with the high-quality gluten and low-quality starch flour. These results could however not be predicted by viscoelastic measurements of doughs made of identical flours.
Regardless, the results indicates that the quality of starch indeed has a major impact on bread quality, and that flours of lower quality can be boosted by adding starch of higher quality. However, analysis of the reconstituted flours aimed to be identical with the native samples indicates that the starch separated from low-quality flour might be negatively affected by the fractionation process. Therefore, the results of this study may stem from quality differences obtained during the fractioning and reconstitution procedure. Still, the knowledge gathered is necessary for selection of wheat cultivars that can yield flours of high quality, regardless of global warming. Moreover, this offers a suggestion on how to improve the quality of already existing flours
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive : lärdomar från lagstiftning om tillbörlig aktsamhet inom modeindustrin
Get PDFThis thesis explores the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directives (CSDDD) capacity in driving companies to implement effective and meaningful due diligence processes. It draws upon learnings from the implementation of the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG) and the Norwegian Transparency Act (NTA) in the textile and fashion sectors, analysing how these legislations have influenced company Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) practices. The thesis also sheds light on the potential effects of the Omnibus proposal. Eight companies in the textile and fashion industry have been included in the study.
Two main data collection techniques have been used: a qualitative content analysis and an interview study. The content analysis served as the primary source of data collection, assessing the companies HRDD practices by reviewing sustainability reports and other publicly available information describing their HRDD processes. The thesis compares how the companies reported on HRDD processes in 2021 and 2023 to answer the following questions: (1) what has changed, (2) how closely do the companies align with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (OECD) and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and (3) what gaps remain. The years were selected because neither the NTA nor the LkSG had entered into force in 2021, whereas both had by 2023. To complement the content analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with sustainability professionals (referred to as Key informants in this thesis). The interviews had two main focuses: validating the findings from the content analysis and contributing to insights on the Omnibus proposal.
The theoretical framework draws on New Institutional Theory and Lauren Edelman’s Legal Endogeneity Theory. It assumes that various factors influence how companies respond to legal requirements, ranging from the law itself to societal and stakeholder expectations, and peer behaviour. The framework explains corporate responses to regulation through three key dimensions: the regulatory dimension, the normative and mimetic dimension, and the legal endogeneity dimension. The latter one emphasises that law is not solely an external force shaping organisational behaviour (i.e., laws are exogenous to organisation), but that the meaning of law and compliance is actively co-constructed by the organisational practices (i.e., laws are endogenous to organisations). For the CSDDD, this suggests that how companies interpret and implement the Directive will not solely depend on its formal legal text, but also on how its provisions are translated, shaped, and legitimised within corporate practices.
While the thesis suggests that the companies have improved their HRDD processes between 2021 and 2023, gaps against the OECD and UNGPs remain. This highlight potential risks of shortcomings in the future effectiveness of the CSDDD. For the CSDDD to have the desired outcomes, the thesis argues that it will be critical to provide guidance on how the HRDD should be implemented and set clear expectations on companies. In addition, enforcement mechanism (i.e., sanctions and civil liabilities) should be ensured and effectively implemented in national legislation. In short, the goal should be to keep the law exogenous to companies at its early stages of implementation, rather than its meaning being shaped by the companies’ own interpretations. The Omnibus creates additional risk to effective implementation of the Directive. Importantly, the fact that gaps remain even in the relatively advanced textile and fashion industry suggest that even bigger challenges may lie ahead in less advances sectors, raising important questions about how well the Directive can drive real change that creates meaningful improvement for workers and communities along global value chains.Denna uppsats undersöker Direktiv om tillbörlig aktsamhet för företag i fråga om hållbarhet (EN: Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence-direktivets, CSDDD) kapacitet att driva företag att implementera effektiva och meningsfulla processer för tillbörlig aktsamhet. Uppsatsen bygger på lärdomar från implementeringen av den tyska Lieferkettengesetz (LkSG) och den norska Åpenhetsloven (NTA) inom textil- och modebranschen, och analyserar hur dessa lagstiftningar har påverkat företagens arbete med tillbörlig aktsamhet för mänskliga rättigheter (EN: Human Rights Due Diligence, HRDD). Uppsatsen belyser även de potentiella effekterna av Omnibus-förslaget. Åtta företag inom textil- och modeindustrin har inkluderat i studien.
Två huvudsakliga datainsamlingstekniker har använts: en kvalitativ innehållsanalys och en intervjustudie. Innehållsanalysen utgjorde den primära datakällan. Den granskade företags HRDD-processer genom att analysera hållbarhetsrapporter och annan offentligt tillgänglig information som beskriver företags arbete med HRDD. Uppsatsen jämför hur företagen rapporterade HRDD-processer mellan 2021 och 2023 för att besvara följande frågor: (1) vad har förändrats, (2) hur väl följer företagens OECD:s riktlinjer för multinationella företag (OECD) och FN:s vägledande principer för företag och mänskliga rättigheter (UNGPs), samt (3) vilka gap återstår. Årtalet 2021 och 2023 valdes eftersom varken NTA eller LkSG hade trätt i kraft år 2021, dock var lagstiftningarna implementerade år 2023. Innehållsanalysen kompletterades med semistrukturerade intervjuer med hållbarhetsexperter (benämnda nyckelinformanter i denna uppsats). Intervjuerna hade två huvudsakliga syften: att validera resultaten från innehållsanalysen och bidra med insikter om Omnibus-förslaget.
Det teoretiska ramverket bygger på ny-institutionell teori samt Lauren Edelmans teori om rättslig endogenitet (EN: Legal Endogeneity). Det utgår från att företags reaktioner på lagkrav påverkas av olika faktorer – lagens utformning och samhälleliga förväntningar till intressenters krav samt rådande normer och beteenden inom branschen. Företags respons på lagar förklaras genom tre centrala dimensioner: den regulatoriska dimensionen, den normativa och mimetiska dimensionen samt dimensionen för rättslig endogenitet. Den sistnämnda belyser att lagen inte enbart verkar som en extern kraft som styr organisatoriskt beteende (det vill säga att lagen är exogen i förhållande till organisationen), utan att innebörden av lag och regelefterlevnad även medproduceras genom organisationers egna praktiker (det vill säga att lagen blir endogen i relation till organisationen). I kontexten av CSDDD innebär detta att företagens tolkning och tillämpning av Direktivet inte enbart kommer att bero på dess formella juridiska innehåll, utan även på hur dess bestämmelser översätts, formas och legitimeras inom företagens verksamhet.
Även om studien har visat att företagen har förbättrat sina HRDD-processer mellan 2021 och 2023 kvarstår gap mot OECD: riktlinjer och UNGP. Detta indikerar på potentiella brister i CSDDD:s framtida effektivitet. För att Direktivet ska nå sitt syfte argumenterar uppsatsen att det är viktigt att tillhandahålla vägledning och att formulera tydliga förväntningar på företag. Vidare bör effektiva tillsyns- och verkställighetsmekanismer, såsom sanktioner och civilrättsligt ansvar, säkerställas och integreras i nationell lagstiftning. I Direktivets inledande fas är det viktigt att lagen fungerar som en exogen drivkraft för förändring, snarare än att dess innebörd formas av företagens egna tolkningar. Omnibus-förslaget utgör en ytterligare risk för Direktivets effektiva genomförande. Det faktum att brister kvarstår även inom den relativt avancerade textil- och modeindustrin tyder dessutom på att ännu större utmaningar kan ligga framför oss i mindre avancerade sektorer, vilket väcker centrala frågor om hur väl Direktivet kan driva verklig förändring som skapar meningsfulla förbättringar för arbetstagare och samhällen längs globala värdekedjor
Alternaria in Swedish Cereal : infection rate, morphologic classification of section, and toxic analysis of infected grain samples
No full textRisken för infektion av växtpatogena svampar kommer troligen att bli högre i Sverige i och med klimatförändringar som skapar en mer gynnsam miljö för infektion och tillväxt av svampar. Alternaria är en vanligt förekommande växtpatogen världen över och kan orsaka sjukdomarna sotdagg och ”black point” i spannmål. Vid infektion produceras i vissa fall mykotoxiner som kan vara hälsofarligt vid konsumtion. Fält kraftigt drabbade av sotdagg observerades 2006 och åter igen 2023. För att undersöka vilka sektioner av Alternaria som är mest förekommande i Sverige samt undersöka halten av mykotoxiner samlades spannmålsprover in från infekterade spannmålspartier 2023. I detta arbete undersöktes kärnorna för bedömning av infektionsgrad, sektionsföredelning och toxinhalt. Resultatet visade att infektionsgraden varierade mellan 10–100% med en median på 90% och att den mest förekommande sektionen var Alternaria sektion Infectoriae. Toxinanalysen visade att fem av de mest förekommande Alternaria-toxinerna återfanns med varierande koncentrationer i majoriteten av proverna där Alternariol var den mest förekommande toxinet. Det visar på en ökad risk för Alternaria-toxiner i svensk spannmål.The risk of infection by plant pathogenic fungi is expected to increase in Sweden due to climate changes, which create more favourable conditions for fungi growth and infection. Alternaria is a globally prevalent plant pathogen that can cause the diseases sooty mould and black point in cereal. In infected grain, Alternaria sections may produce mycotoxins, which pose potential health risks upon consumption. Fields affected by sooty mould was observed in 2006 and again in 2023. To investigate which sections of Alternaria are most prevalent in Sweden and to determine the concentration of the associated mycotoxins, cereal samples were collected from infected grain lots in 2023. In this study, the kernels were analysed to assess extent of infection, distribution of sections, and toxin concentration. The result show that the extent of infection ranged from 10% to 100% of kernels with a median of 90%, and that the most dominant Alternaria section was Alternaria section Infectoriae. The toxin analyses revealed the presence of five Alternaria toxins in most of the samples, with Alternariol being the most abundant. This indicates an increasing risk of mycotoxins in Swedish cereals
Designing for risky play
Get PDFBarns möjlighet till riskfylld lek är idag begränsad. Riskfylld lek är lek som utmanar barn att ta risker för att utvecklas. Att ägna sig åt riskfylld lek ger barn mer positiva hälsoeffekter än om barn inte ägnar sig åt riskfylld lek. Riskfylld lek är bra för barns hälsa, motoriska färdigheter, självständighet, sociala förmågor och motiverar barn att vara mer aktiva när de leker.
Syftet med denna uppsats är att överbrygga gapet mellan forskning om riskfylld lek och utformning av lekmiljöer. Uppsatsen går ut på att undersöka den riskfyllda lekens begränsningar, hur gestaltning kan främja riskfylld lek för barn och att ta fram ett utformingsförslag som gynnar den riskfyllda leken. För att uppnå syftet svarar uppsatsen på tre frågeställningar: (1) Vad begränsar barns möjligheter till riskfylld lek idag? (2) Vilka gestaltningsaspekter för lekmiljöer främjar riskfylld lek? (3) Hur kan dessa gestaltningsaspekter implementeras på en befintlig lekmiljö för att främja riskfylld lek?
Metoden för arbetet är en litteraturstudie följt av ett utformningsförslag med tillhörande platsanalys. Litteraturstudien tar fram den riskfyllda lekens begränsningar och forskning kring den riskfyllda leken kopplat till gestaltning. Det visar sig att de lagar och regelverk som reglerar lekmiljöer och vuxnas involvering i leken är de två främsta faktorer som begränsar barns möjligheter till riskfylld lek. Litteraturstudien föreslår metoden Risk benefit assessment (RBA) som en metod som kan minska dessa begränsningar. Vidare analys av litteraturstudien resluterar i gestaltningsaspekter som främjar riskfylld lek. Dessa gestaltnings-aspekter implementeras, i kombination med metoden RBA, på en speicifik lekmiljö med syfte att öka platsens miljöerbjudanden för riskfylld lek. De aspekter för gestaltning som studien resulterar i är: rik på naturinslag, varierad rumslighet, sociala rum, fasta utmanande lekredskap, lösa utmanande element, varierande terräng samt tillgänglig rik omgivning.
Uppsatsens resultat bygger vidare på den forskning som finns kring riskfylld lek och utvecklar tidigare teorier och kunskap till gestaltningsaspekter.Children’s opportunities for risky play are currently limited. Risky play is play that challenges children to take risks to develop. Engaging in risky play has more positive health effects for children than not engaging in risky play. Risky play is good for children’s health, motor skills, independence, social skills and motivates children to be more active when playing.
The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap between research on risky play and the design of play environments. The paper aims to investigate the limitations of risky play, how design can promote risky play for children and to develop a design proposal that favours risky play. To achieve the purpose, the paper answers three questions: (1) What limits children’s opportunities for risky play today? (2) What design aspects of play environments promote risky play? (3) How can these design aspects be implemented at Strömsdalen playground to promote risky play?
The method for the work is a literature study followed by a design proposal with associated site analysis. The literature study highlights the limitations of risky play and research on risky play linked to design. It appears that the laws and regulations governing play environments and the involvement of adult in play are the two main factors that limit children’s opportunities for risky play. The literature review suggests the Risk Benefit Assessment (RBA) method as a method that can reduce these limitations. Further analysis of the literature study results in design aspects that promote risky play. These design aspects are implemented, in combination with the RBA method, on a specific play environment with the aim of increasing the site’s environmental affordances for risky play. The design aspects resulting from the study are: rich in natural elements, varied spatiality, social spaces, fixed challenging play equipment, loose challenging elements, varying terrain and accessible rich surroundings.
The results of the thesis build on existing research on risky play and develop previous theories and knowledge into design approaches
To Be or Not to Be on Reduced Working Hours, That Is the Question : a case study of ABF in Uppsala and Västerås
No full textSyftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur olika arbetstidsmodeller påverkar medarbetares upplevda motivation, samt identifiera organisatoriska möjligheter och utmaningar i samband med ett införande av arbetstidsförkortning. Studien är en kvalitativ och komparativ fallstudie som grundar sig i semistrukturerade intervjuer från medarbetare på ett studieförbund på två olika orter: ABF i Uppsala och Västerås. Där Uppsala har infört arbetstidsförkortning medan Västerås inte gjort det.
Resultatet visar att anställda vid ABF Uppsala upplever minskad stress, ökat återhämtning och bättre arbetlivsbalans. Även om dessa faktorer inte direkt kan klassas som motivationsfaktorer enligt Herzbergs tvåfaktorteori kan de fortfarande bidra till ökad motivation genom att skapa utrymme för aktiviteter som skapar inre motivation.
Slutsatsen är att arbetstidsförkortning kan ha positiva effekter på motivation och arbetslivbalans men framgången beror på organisatoriska förutsättningar såsom ledarskap, arbetsstruktur och kultur. Det verkar vara fördelaktigt att först se till organisationens egen situation innan en arbetstidsförkortning tillämpas. En flexibel struktur och ett relationsorienterat ledarskap kan underlätta en sådan förändring.The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how different working time models affect employees' perceived motivation, as well as to identify organizational opportunities and challenges associated with the implementation of reduced working hours. The study is a qualitative case study based on semi-structured interviews with employees from one educational association at two different locations: ABF in Uppsala and Västerås. Uppsala has implemented reduced working hours, whereas Västerås has not.
The results show that employees at ABF Uppsala experience reduced stress, increased recovery, and improved work-life balance. Although these factors cannot be directly classified as motivators according to Herzberg’s two-factor theory, they can still contribute to increased motivation by creating space for intrinsically motivating activities.
The conclusion is that reduced working hours can have positive effects on motivation and work-life balance, but success depends on organizational conditions such as leadership, work structure, and culture. It seems beneficial to first consider the organization’s specific context before implementing a reduction in working hours. A flexible structure and relationship-oriented leadership can facilitate such a change
Investigating the role of UV-light in volatile pheromone production of Drosophila melanogaster
Get PDFInsects produce an epicuticle comprised of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and closely related
chemical compounds, originally evolved as a mechanism to prevent desiccation but which
developed an additional role as a form of chemical fingerprint unique to the species in question. This
is useful as both intra- and interspecific communication, however the low volatility of these
hydrocarbons permits only short-range communication. One cuticular hydrocarbon produced by
Drosophila melanogaster females is (Z,Z)-7,11-heptacosadiene, may be spontaneously oxidized at
its double bonds. One possible oxidation product is (Z)-4-undecenal, which has recently been shown
to function as a long-range pheromone owing to its higher volatility as compared to its hydrocarbon
precursor. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects on (Z)-4-undecenal production by
ultraviolet light.
This involves investigating different sampling durations of (Z)-4-undecenal, as well as
irradiating both synthetic (Z,Z)-7,11-heptacosadiene and live D. melanogaster females. Headspace
collection is done through solid phase microextraction, and subsequent analysis with gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Due to the variability in the results, it was not possible to verify the hypothesis that ultraviolet
light increases production of (Z)-4-undecenal in D. melanogaster, however the study did provide
insights as to which experimental parameters could be modified in future research. Some suggestions
are provided
From 12 to 14 weeks : effects of later weaning on the mother cat from SVERAK breeder's perspective
Get PDFCats are the most common companion animal in Sweden and since the 20th century the interest for cat breeding has increased. Previous research has highlighted the importance of weaning age in kittens to prevent the development of unwanted behavior in their adult life. However, like in many other aspects of society, the female’s perspective have been overlooked.
Weaning is a changing point in every young mammal's life, and defines the time when the offspring is ready to leave its mother to live on its own. According to Swedish animal protection regulations the kittens have to stay with their mother until they are a minimum of 12 weeks of age. But recent research has found that kittens who stay with their mother until 14 weeks of age have a lower probability to show unwanted behaviours such as aggression and excessive grooming. As a result FIFe (Fédération Internationale Féline) introduced a new regulation in 2023 mandating that breeders keep their kittens until a minimum of 14 weeks of age. SVERAK (The Swedish Cat Association), a member of FIFe, therefore implemented this rule for Swedish breeders. However, no studies have looked at how the prolonged weeks affect the mother cat's well-being.
This study aimed to investigate how the mother cat is affected by having to live with her kittens for two weeks longer. A survey was therefore created in Netigate and distributed to Swedish breeders within SVERAK who had experience of breeding litters both before and after the new regulation was introduced. The purpose of the survey was to map the Swedish breeders' experiences of the new rule and how they felt it affected the mother cat. A few questions also targeted the breeders' attitudes towards the regulation and the effects on the kittens' welfare.
The data collected from the study offer insights into the impact of the 14-week weaning rule. It is clear that the rule has sparked debate and the Swedish breeders can be divided into those who expressed a preference for returning to selling their kittens when they are at least 12 weeks of age and those who appreciate and support the new regulation. Furthermore the result supports previous research suggesting that kittens may show less unwanted behavior when staying with their mother until 14 weeks of age. However, the results showed that the breeders experience that the mother cat is affected by the change as a notable number of breeders reported stress-related behaviors and aggression in the mother cat. The results also indicate differences in breeds and call for continued research into potential breed-specific differences in weaning. These findings highlight a need for further research about the optimal weaning time to keep developing a sustainable breeding model where not only the kittens but also the mother cat's welfare is taken into account
Pigeon keeping and pigeon racing in Sweden : common non-compliances in pigeon husbandry and risks during races
Get PDFRacing pigeons have been kept by pigeon fanciers for centuries and are currently kept primarily for hobby and racing purposes. However, public awareness and institutional knowledge regarding pigeons and pigeon racing remain limited. The primary objectives of this study was to identify the most prevalent deficiencies in pigeon keeping in Sweden, map out the risks during the races, and to assess the current risk classification of pigeon racing. Common management deficiencies were identified through the collection and analysis of summaries of the official inspection checklist for racing pigeons from Sweden’s County Administrative Boards. A literature review was conducted to evaluate the risks associated with pigeon racing. To assess the risk classification, findings from the literature review, the competition regulations of the Swedish pigeon racing federations, along with additional data obtained through direct communication with federation board members were compared against the risk classification criteria obtained from the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
The results indicate that the most frequently observed shortcomings in Swedish pigeon keeping include inadequate space, insufficient hygiene and sanitation practices, and the absence of appropriately sized gizzard stones. These shortcomings adversely affect animal welfare and may also lead to increased economic costs for pigeon keepers. The literature review further revealed that pigeons are exposed to multiple risk factors during races. Notable hazards include predation by raptors or terrestrial predators, exhaustion, disorientation, stress, and the spread of diseases. While such risks cannot be entirely eliminated due to the design of the sport, they may be mitigated through improved racing routines. The evaluation of the risk classification suggests that it should be reassessed and elevated to a high-risk category. An accurate and evidence-based classification is essential to ensure adequate animal welfare, uphold proper standards of animal protection during competitions, and promote the long-term sustainability of the sport