Kenneth Rutherford

Dr. Kenneth Rutherford is a Senior Lecturer in Animal Welfare at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), specializing in the assessment of animal stress, pain, and emotional states in farm animals. His work focuses on developing behavioral tests and measurements to assess negative experiences in animals resulting from farming practices. He is actively involved in multiple research projects related to animal welfare improvement and has strong collaborations with the University of Edinburgh.

His educational background isn't explicitly stated in the provided text, but his extensive research supervision of PhD students with Edinburgh University suggests a strong academic foundation in animal science or veterinary medicine.

Rutherford's research primarily centers on animal welfare assessment methodologies, with special emphasis on pigs and other livestock species. His work investigates the impact of prenatal stress on animal welfare outcomes, develops behavioral tests for pain assessment, and explores technological solutions like facial recognition for emotion detection in pigs. He examines how stress and suboptimal nutrition affect production and welfare across various livestock species under commercial farming conditions in the UK.

His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated welfare assessment methods, combining behavioral observation with technological innovation. His work spans from fundamental research on stress physiology to applied interventions that directly impact farming practices. The research shows strong interdisciplinary connections between animal behavior, veterinary science, and agricultural technology.

• Principal Investigator for Evaluation of procaine HCL local anaesthetic for pain control in lambs (2022-2023)
• Co-Investigator for RESAS Strategic Research Programme on improved husbandry (2022-2027)
• Co-Investigator for EU Exit Challenges and Opportunities for Animal Welfare project (2022-2027)
• Principal Investigator for body condition scoring skills project (2018-2022)
• Co-Investigator for EmotiPig emotion detection project (2018-2022)

Dr. Rutherford actively supervises PhD students, primarily in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, focusing on critical welfare issues including pain mitigation, prenatal stress effects, and castration alternatives. His research has significant practical implications for farming practices, with several projects directly translating scientific findings into on-farm solutions. He maintains strong connections with industry partners including Zoetis and participates in knowledge exchange through media appearances and webinars.