Animal category: Cattle

Electrophysiologic evidence of loss of consciousness in cattle during slaughter with and without stunning: a systematic review and methodological overview

Haut SR, Parmentier T, Fisher RS, and Khalil NM

Published in 2026

A systematic review based on electrophysiological data concluded that in cattle slaughtered without stunning, loss of consciousness generally occurs rapidly, between approximately 4 and 13 seconds after the incision.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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Financing the Transition to Cage-Free Farming in the EU

Godfroy, A., Muro, M., Nadeu, E., Wedl, I., Jadzisnka, J.

Published in 2026

Report providing a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the financing options for the transition to cage-free livestock farming systems at EU level, drawing on scientific data, an analysis of European policies, national case studies, and interviews with industry experts.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories:Cattle, Pigs, Poultry

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Managing Trade-offs Between Economic, Environmental, and Animal Welfare Performance in French Suckler Cattle Farms Through Feeding Practices

Larissa Mysko, Claire Mosnier, Patrick Veysset, Isabelle Veissier, Jean-Joseph Minviel

Published in 2026

Scientific article setting out to identify conflicting economic, environmental and animal welfare objectives on suckler cow farms and to develop ways of arriving at compromise solutions that manage these conflicts.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

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Évaluation de l’impact du PSN sur le bien-être animal-rapport final

EY

Published in 2026

Evaluation of the National Strategic Plan (PSN) from the perspective of animal welfare (BEA), covering the years 2023 and 2024—the first two full years of implementation of the CAP National Strategic Plan (PSN). Analysis of the contribution of CAP interventions to animal welfare, as well as their consistency and complementarity with other relevant measures.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

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Research on Cattle Feeding and Nutrition in Relation to Animal Welfare: A Bibliometric Analysis

Ana María Herrera, Emilia Ponce, Robert Emilio Mora-Luna

Published in 2026

Bibliometric analysis of 424 publications (2009–2025) highlighting a strong growth in research on the links between nutrition and cattle welfare, with a shift towards approaches that also incorporate stress, health, and productivity

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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Comparing the performance of deep learning video-based models and trained veterinarians in cattle pain assessment

Feighelstein M, Tomacheuski RM, Elias G, Shashoua N, van der Linden D, Luna SPL, Zamansky A

Published in 2026

Study showing that artificial intelligence models can recognize pain in cattle with an accuracy comparable to that of experienced veterinarians analysing video footage.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

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Review: Free-stall Bedding Management for Enhanced Dairy Cow Health and Welfare

N. Siachos, R.F. Smith, J.M. Neary

Published in 2026

A scientific review of the main properties, benefits, risks, and best management practices associated with bedding materials commonly used in free-stall dairy operations. It concludes that choosing a type of bedding involves balancing the benefits to cow health, farm profitability, and management requirements in order to make an informed decision.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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Animal Board Invited Review: Intrinsic hedonic value, complexity, and possibility for action as essential characteristics of a welfare-friendly environment for animals

I. Veissier, C. Terlouw, R. Botreau, V. Deiss, S. Cowie

Published in 2026

Study examining how the hedonic value of the environment determines animal welfare. Welfare depends on a balance between positive emotions, environmental complexity and opportunities for behavioral expression: these factors must be optimized (rather than maximized), since an excess or a deficiency of any one of them can be harmful to welfare, with the optimal level varying by individual.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

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Review: Understanding cattle social behavior in modern penned production systems with AI technology: Are we tracking welfare indicators?

A. Fuentes, S. Han, J. Liu, J. Park, S. Yoon, D.S. Park

Published in 2026

Review stressing the limitations of AI in automatically monitoring cattle behaviors, currently limited to describing actions independent of context. The authors propose an AI framework based on the principles of multimodal data integration, context-aware behavioral modeling, shared behavioral ontologies, human-in-the-loop system design, and explainable AI to improve assessment of animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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The use of Diathermic Syncope® for stunning cattle – EFSA Opinion

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW), Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Anette Boklund, Sabine Dippel, Fernanda Dorea, Jordi Figuerola, Mette S. Herskin, Miguel Angel Miranda Chueca, Eleonora Nannoni, Romolo Nonno, Anja B. Riber, Karl Stahl, Jan Arend Stegeman, Hans-Hermann Thulke, Frank Tuyttens, Virginie Michel, Christoph Winckler, Mohan Raj, Antonio Velarde, Alexei Vyssotski, Yves Van der Stede, Aikaterini Manakidou

Published in 2026

New EFSA opinion concluding that the Diathermic Syncope® (DTS) method for stunning cattle does not guarantee a level of welfare equivalent to that of methods that are currently permitted.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Bovines

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