Perception of animal welfare, zootechnical procedures, and learning capacity in domestic animals

In order to evaluate the perception of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics students on animal welfare, zootechnical procedures in professional practice and the learning capacity of animals; A questionnaire was applied during the year 2020. A total of 508 enrolled students was considered, reaching a response of 60 % [men n = 141 and women n = 166]. The area with the highest labor preference was animal pro-duction (51 %), followed by the area of companion animals (26 %). Most of the students (86 %) agreed that animal welfare refers to the way they are treated, providing them with a better quality of life. The hierarchy importance of the students on animal welfare was feeding, health and protection > teaching of animal welfare > fear and stress > positive and negative emotions > pain > natural behavior. The cas- tration, tattoo marking, dehorning and de-fanning procedures were considered positive, while hot iron marking, force feeding, and food restriction were considered negative by the students. Students with an interest in animal production area indicated greater ignorance about the pain of animals, emotions and the learning capacity of animals, in contrast to students with an inclination to the area of animal medicine. The students considered that the learning and emotional capacity is present in the species ac-cording to the following hierarchy: dog > equine > cat > bovine > pig > ovi-goat > bird.