Animal category: Cattle

Advancing the quantitative characterization of farm animal welfare

Harriet Bartlett, Andrew Balmford, Mark A. Holmes, James L. N. Wood

Published in 2023

Paper developing welfare indicators for use in life cycle assessment (LCA) and different ways of aggregating them, then testing them on British pig farms. It shows that farms in the same LCA class have the same types of quality labels, and that the details of the way in which LCA welfare measures are established have little impact on the classification of farms based on their welfare levels.

Document Types: Scientific paper

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Environment, Welfare indicators, Living environment

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Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/372 of 17 February 2023 laying down rules on the recording, storing and sharing of written records of official controls performed on livestock vessels, on contingency plans for livestock vessels in the event of emergencies, on the approval of livestock vessels and on minimum requirements applicable to exit points (Text with EEA relevance)

EU Commission

Published in 2023

Implementing regulation laying down the necessary necessary for carrying out inspections on vessels carrying livestock. It creates a Europe-wide electronic database so that all data required for inspections is centralised.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep, Pigs

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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Obtaining an animal welfare status in Norwegian dairy herds-A mountain to climb

Conor Barry, Kristian Ellingsen-Dalskau, Randi Therese Garmo, Stine Grønmo Kischel, Christoph Winckler, Camilla Kielland

Published in 2023

Scientific paper to determine the animal welfare status in Norwegian free-stall dairy herds as assessed using the Welfare Quality® assessment protocol. It shows that in most herds, animals have a positive relationship with humans but have difficulty lying down and a high prevalence of integumentary lesions.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Housing, Human-animal relationships, Welfare indicators

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Final report of an audit of Spain carried out from 22 March to 26 July 2022 in order to evaluate animal welfare controls during transport by livestock vessel to non-EU countries

EU Commission

Published in 2023

DG SANTE audit report concluding that Spain has significantly improved its system of official controls since the previous Commission audit. However, veterinary inspectors do not always have sufficient knowledge or support to carry out controls properly and ports do not have facilities to allow animals to wait in good conditions if they are delayed.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep, Pigs

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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Final report of an audit of Italy carried out from 7 February to 2 May 2022 in order to evaluate the protection of unweaned calves during long journeys

EU Commission

Published in 2023

DG SANTE audit report concluding that Italy has invested significant resources in official controls concerning the welfare of calves during transport, but that there are inconsistencies in these official controls that have not been corrected.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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Final report of an audit of Portugal carried out from 14 March to 4 July 2022 in order to evaluate animal welfare controls during transport by livestock vessel to non-EU countries

EU Commission

Published in 2023

DG SANTE audit report concluding that the official controls carried out by Portugal on sea carriers and livestock vessels prior to loading are adequate and effective in minimising the risk of injury or undue suffering for animals during transport by livestock vessels to third countries.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep, Pigs

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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The Future of Farming in the EU

Eurogroup for Animals

Published in 2023

Report presenting Eurogroup for Animals's vision for the future of agriculture by 2050. It includes the reversal of the plant/animal protein ratio in human food; a net decrease in the number of farm animals; a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the food industry; improved public health; and greater consideration for the feelings of animals.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Biodiversity, Societal issues, Environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Human-animal relationships, Livestock farming system

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Ending routine farm antibiotic use in Europe. Achieving responsible farm antibiotic use through improving animal health and welfare in pig and poultry production.

Cóilín Nunan

Published in 2023

Report showing that European countries with the lowest antibiotic use are also those with the highest minimum legal standards for animal welfare, reducing the routine systematic use of antibiotics to a minimum, with 90% of antibiotics administered on an individual basis. It makes recommendations for policy, reduction targets, and animal husbandry practices  that can reduce antibiotic use in pig and poultry production.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Societal issues, One Welfare, Livestock farming system

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Cognitive Enrichment and Welfare: Current Approaches and Future Directions

Fay E. Clark

Published in 2017

Scientific review of the different forms of cognitive enrichment that have been tested for laboratory, farm and zoo animals. It identifies research needs and proposes new indicators for testing.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Wild animals, Sheep, Pigs, Rodents, Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Living environment

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Effect of Heat Stress on the Behavior of Lactating Cows Housed in Compost Barns: A Systematic Review

Authors: Karen Dal' Magro Frigeri, Matheus Deniz, Flávio Alves Damasceno, Matteo Barbari, Piotr Herbut, Frederico Márcio Corrêa Vieira

Published in 2023

Scientific review of the effect of heat stress on the behavior of lactating cows housed in composted bedding barns. It revealed that the most commonly used indicator of thermal comfort is the temperature and humidity index; that thermal stress increases drinking, moving, agonistic behaviors and dyspnea, and decreases feeding behaviors and lying time.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Housing, Stress

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