Animal category: Cattle

Defining common criteria for harmonizing life cycle assessments of livestock systems

Pietro Goglio, Marie Trydeman Knudsen, Klara Van Mierlo, Nina Röhrig, Maxime Fossey, Alberto Maresca, Fatemeh Hashemi, Muhammad Ahmed Waqas, Jenny Yngvesson, Gilles Nassy, Roline Broekema, Simon Moakes, Catherine Pfeifer, Robert Borek, David Yanez-Ruiz, Monica Quevedo Cascante, Alina Syp, Tomasz Zylowsky, Manuel Romero-Huelva, Laurence G. Smith

Published in 2023

Article presenting the results of a participatory harmonization approach to the provision of an evaluation framework for life cycle assessments of current and future livestock systems. It integrates animal welfare and Adaptation of the animal to the environment into the measurement of the environmental impacts of livestock systems and products.

Document Types: Scientific paper

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

Keywords:Biodiversity, Environment, Modelling, One Welfare, Living environment, Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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A method for calculating the external costs of farm animal welfare based on the Welfare Quality® Protocol

Luuk S. M. Vissers, Coen P. A. van Wagenberg, Willy H. M. Baltussen

Published in 2023

This article presents a method to estimate the external costs of farm animal welfare and thereby help decision-making for the development and adoption of more welfare-friendly production systems. It includes  a calculation for the relationship between animal welfare scores and the costs of animal welfare measures on farms. It has been tested and validated on a dairy cattle farm, a pig farm and a poultry farm.

Document Types: Scientific paper

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

Keywords: Modelling, One Welfare,Societal issues

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Welfare of dairy cows

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (AHAW) : Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gort ́azar Schmidt, Mette Herskin, Virginie Michel, Miguel ́Angel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop, Alice De Boyer des Roches, Margit Bak Jensen, John Mee, Martin Green, Hans-Hermann Thulke, Elea Bailly-Caumette, Denise Candiani, Eliana Lima,Yves Van der Stede and Christoph Winckler

Published in 2023

EFSA opinion identifying the main types of housing for dairy cows in Europe and, for each, the main strengths, weaknesses and risks likely to reduce animal welfare. It examines five specific negative welfare consequences: locomotor disorders, mastitis, restricted movement and resting problems, inability to adopt comfort behavior and metabolic disorders. It also analyzes a set of farm characteristics that could be used to classify the level of welfare on farms.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements,Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Consciousness, Pain, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment, Mutilation, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Livestock farming system

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Réduire le rayonnement du soleil en bâtiment pour maintenir le confort thermique des troupeaux laitiers en période chaude

Bertrand Fagoo, Dominique Lagel, Pierrick Eouzan, Tanguy Morel, Florence Fargier, Jean Charef

Published in 2023

Technical dossier published by Cniel and Idele on ways to combat solar radiation and ensure thermal comfort for dairy cows in summer.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock buildings, Housing, Living environment

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Prevalence of lameness in dairy cows: A literature review

Peter T. Thomsen, Jan K. Shearer, Hans Houe

Published in 2023

Scientific review on global levels of lameness in dairy cows from 1989 to 2020, which it calculates to be 22.8%, with a median of 22.0%, a range between studies of 5.1% to 45%, and a range within the herd of 0% to 88%. It notes that levels have changed very little over time.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Pain, Livestock farming system

European Parliament: Written answer to question E-000948/23: Malnourished calves in Europe

Question: Sarah Wiener (Greens/EFA). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2023

Answer to a question concerning the failure by member states to transpose Directive 2008/119/EC with regard to standards for the protection of calves, in particular as regards the monitoring of their hemoglobin blood levels, their feeding and their transport.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Carcass quality, Transport,Societal issues

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Devenir des jeunes ruminants laitiers : comment concilier élevage et attentes sociétales 

Dominique Pomiès, Caroline Constancis, Julien Jurquet, Isabelle Veissier, Hugues Caillat, Gilles Lagriffoul, Marie Drouet, Clément Fossaert, Yannick Le Cozler

Published in 2023

Review of the natural behaviors of young stock from the three major dairy breeds, and of farming practices currently employed for these young animals. It lists alternative practices that can meet the expectations of the public and consumers in terms of animal welfare, as well as those of farmers on improving their profession's public image and the way their products are sold.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines

Keywords: Enrichment, Human-animal relationships, Lactation, Living environment, One Welfare, Weaning, Stress, Livestock farming system,Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Improved cattle behaviour monitoring by combining Ultra-Wideband location and accelerometer data

S. Benaissa, F.A.M. Tuyttens, D. Plets, L. Martens, L. Vandaele, W. Joseph, B. Sonck

Published in 2023

Scientific paper presenting an effective method to integrate in-building ultra-wideband (UWB) location and accelerometer data, thereby improving cattle behavior monitoring systems.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Microbiota, Welfare indicators

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Revue Innovation Agronomiques - volume 87 - Bien-être Animal 

Luc Mounier, Philippe Prévost, Alain Boissy, Agathe Gignoux, Yannick Ramonet, Mathilde Stomp, Christelle Demont, Isabelle Veissier, Mickaël Benoît, Rabah Bellahsene, Séverine Fontaine, Patrice Charron, Elsa Delanoue, Aude-Solveig Epstein, Christèle Couzy, Xavier Boivin, Romain Piovan, Clémence Bitu, Morgane Leroux, Justine Robin, Christine Roguet

Published in 2023

Publication of the papers given at the Agronomic Innovation Forum "Bien-être animal : faire se rencontrer attentes sociétales et professionnelles" (encounter between societal and professional expectations) held on May 5, 2022 at the VetAgro Sup veterinary campus in Lyon.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Societal issues, One WelfareWelfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Influences of human contact following milk-feeding on nonnutritive oral behavior and rest of individual and pair-housed dairy calves during weaning

S.B. Doyle, E.K. Miller-Cushon

Published in 2023

Scientific article investigating the interactive effects of shared housing and human contact after the feeding of milk to weaning calves. It shows that human contact reduced pen-directed sucking in individually housed calves, highlighting the role of restrictive environments in the expression of these behaviors in conventionally housed dairy calves.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationships,Societal issues

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