Animal category: Pigs

Consumers across five European countries prioritise animal welfare above environmental sustainability when buying meat and dairy products

Jeanine Ammann, Gabriele Mack, Nadja El Benni, Shan Jin, Paul Newell-Price, Sophie Tindale, Erik Hunter, Victoria Vicario-Modroño, Rosa Gallardo-Cobos, Pedro Sánchez-Zamora, Simona Miškolci, Lynn J. Frewer

Published in 2024

Analysis of a survey among meat and dairy consumers in five European countries showing that freshness, quality/taste and animal welfare are the characteristics considered to be most important. Environmental factors such as food miles, carbon footprints and organic production appear to bew less important, even if they are perceived as useful.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Bovines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Education, Carcass quality, Environment, Carcass quality, Pollution, Livestock farming system, Welfare indicators, Processing, Societal issues

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Immunocastrer les porcs, qu’en pensent les consommateurs ?

Leroux M, Hémonic A, Tallet C

Published in 2024

Survey results showing that the provision to consumers of information on the technique of  immunocastration for pigs (as an alternative to castration) counters any reluctance they feel to buy this type of product.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Castration, Pain, Education, Mutilation, Carcass quality, Sterilization, Processing

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Climate change, public health, and animal welfare: towards a One Health approach to reducing animal agriculture's climate footprint

Verkuijl Cleo, Smit Jessie, Green Jonathan M. H., Nordquist Rebecca E., Sebo Jeff, Hayek Matthew N., Hötzel Maria José

Published in 2024

Scientific summary article comparing the potential impacts on public health and animal welfare of three types of strategies often proposed in livestock farming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: (1) "sustainable intensification" methods, (2) "species shift" approaches, and (3) "systemic dietary change" approaches.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Environment, Risk management, Living environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Livestock farming system, Societal issues

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Impact of farrowing system and prepartum nest-building material on nest-building behaviour and farrowing in sows

V.M. Hukkinen, C. Munsterhjelm, M. Kurtti, N. Immonen, A. Valros

Published in 2024

Scientific article analyzing the impact of farrowing cages and a variety of materials provided to sows to express their nesting behavior (straw, newspaper, burlap). The article shows that free farrowing has positive effects on piglet growth, but negative effects on piglet survival in early lactation. The different nesting materials have varying effects depending on the type of farrowing system.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternity, Prenatal issues, Behavioural disorders

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A scoping review of the use of bioacoustics to assess various components of farm animal welfare

Mathilde Coutant, Avelyne S. Villain, Elodie F. Briefer

Published in 2024

Scientific summary article describing the AI bioacoustic tools that are currently available for the assessment and monitoring of the welfare of farm animals. The article does, however, stress that it is currently rare to see these methods used on the ground  to help farm management. 

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Vocalisation

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Brief research report: the evolution of animal welfare legislation for pigs in 13 EU member states, 1991-2020

Anna Wallenbeck, Anette Wichman, Lisa Höglind, Sigrid Agenäs, Helena Hansson, Shon Ferguson

Published in 2024

Report mapping the evolution of six key aspects of pig welfare legislation in 13 EU countries over the period 1991-2020, with the key aspects being selected according to their economic impact and international competitiveness in the pig production sector. National legislation in Member States has become more stringent, exceeding EU minimum levels in some countries.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords: Societal issues

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Influence of deep-litter bedding materials on environmental and welfare-related factors in boar studs

Anine Riedel, Laura Pieper, Matthias Lautner, Claus Leiding, Markus Jung, Martin Schulze

Published in 2024

Scientific article describing the variations in temperature, pen cleanliness (in winter), and fly load (in summer) between different bedding materials supplied to breeding boars. The authors recommend the use of wooden materials as deep litter due to their lesser heat build-up and to avoid litter replacement during summer.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment, Behavioural disorders

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Bien-être des animaux : quels critères scientifiques pour construire un étiquetage des produits alimentaires ? Rapport de l’Anses

Anses

Published in 2024

News item on an Anses report recommending a harmonized comprehensive food product labeling system using animal-based scientific welfare indicators and also take into account the living conditions of their parents.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Castration, Animal trade, Enrichment, Identification, Housing, Restraint equipment, Living environment, Mutilation, Prenatal issues, Sterilization, Stress, Livestock farming system, Transport, Behavioural disorders, Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Monetizing Animal Welfare Impacts for Benefit-Cost Analysis

Budolfson Mark, Espinosa Romain, Fischer Bob, Treich Nicolas

Published in 2024

Article proposing an analytical tool that sites the impacts of public policy on animal welfare within the same framework as impacts on human welfare, the environment and the economy. This would enable the advantages and disadvantages of public policies to be expressed both globally and more accurately, and would make it possible to compare different impacts. To this end, the authors propose a method for monetizing animal welfare that expresses the intrinsic value of impacts on animal welfare in monetary terms.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Biodiversity, Environment, Risk management, Population management, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Modelling, One Welfare,  Livestock farming system, Societal issues

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Burlap and buddies: the effects of social enrichment (preweaning mixing) and object enrichment (burlap) on piglet behavior and welfare in the postweaning environment

Ashlyn Scott, Arielle Le Heiget, Reyna Stefanson, Jamie Ahloy-Dallaire, Meagan King

Published in 2024

Scientific article demonstrating that early social enrichment encourages socialization with unfamiliar conspecifics during post-weaning, while object enrichment (burlap) allows pigs to divert their attention and limits aggressive behavior and the biting of conspecifics. Both types of enrichment can improve pig behavior and welfare after weaning.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords: Animal-based measurements, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Aggression, Enrichment, Housing, Weaning, Socialization, Behavioural disorders, Welfare indicators, Aggression

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