Discipline: Ethology

How do domestic chickens perceive humans—and why does it matter?

Ferreira, V. H. B., Lansade, L., Calandreau, L.

Published in 2025

Scientific review showing that chickens have developed socio-cognitive capabilities that enable them to perceive human attentional states, distinguish between individual humans, and interpret human social cues, with direct implications for their welfare and farming practices.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

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Play in Fattening Pigs: Prevalence and Potential as an Indicator of Positive Welfare

Puttkammer N., Czycholl I.

Published in 2025

Scientific study showing that play behaviors increase in pigs at the end of the fattening period, but that certain types of play, particularly play with objects, are difficult to interpret, leading to the recommendation that locomotor play should be considered a more reliable and usable welfare indicator.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

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Foie gras – A delicacy at the cost of suffering

Sophie Hild and Nikita Bachelard (2nd edition) based on J.-C. Nouët and T. Auffret Van Der Kemp (1st edition, 2006)

Published in 2019

Report condemning the production of foie gras based on force-feeding. Despite its commercial success and cultural roots in France, this practice is scientifically recognized as a source of illness and significant suffering, has no natural biological grounds, and is banned in several countries.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Poultry

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Review of the evidence of sentience in cephalopod mollusks and decapod crustaceans

Jonathan Birch, Heather Browning, Charlotte Burn, Alexandra K. Schnell, Andrew Crump

Published in 2021

Scientific report describing the cognitive and emotional abilities of invertebrates (insects, cephalopod molluscs, decapod crustaceans, etc.)

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Welfare Indicators for Aquaculture Research: Toolkits for Five Farmed European Fish Species

Chris Noble, Wout Abbink, René Alvestad, László Ardó, Marie-Laure Bégout, Nina Bloecher, Erik Burgerhout, Josep Calduch-Giner, Mauro Chivite-Alcalde, Petr Císař, Evan Durland, Åsa M. Espmark, Lynne Falconer, Martin Føre, Dimitra G. Georgopoulou, Karsten Heia, Gaute A. N. Helberg, David Izquierdo Gomez, Lill-Heidi Johansen, Gunhild Seljehaug Johansson, Kristbjörg Edda Jónsdóttir, Jelena Kolarevic, Aleksei Krasnov, Santhosh K. Kumaran, Bjarne Kvæstad, Thomas Larsson, Carlo C. Lazado, Angelico Madaro, Federico Moroni, Ingrid Måge, Jonatan Nilsson, Samuel Ortega, Nikos Papandroulakis, Jaume Pérez-Sánchez, Pamela M. Prentice, Sonia Rey Planellas, Bjørn Roth, Adrian Smith, Lars Erik Solberg, Orestis Stavrakidis-Zachou, Lars Helge Stien, Anja Striberny, Ragnhild Aven Svalheim, Bjørn-Steinar Sæther, Gerrit Timmerhaus, Hilde Toften, Linda Tschirren, Hans van de Vis, Elisabeth Ytteborg, Lucas A. Zena, Tone-Kari Knutsdatter Østbye

Published in 2026

Scientific summary highlighting the need to improve and harmonize fish welfare indicators in aquaculture research, taking into account species and life stages, in order to ensure animal protection, scientific quality, reliable results and reproducibility. The authors propose updated toolboxes of welfare indicators for five major species, incorporating euthanasia, sampling, data digitization, and European regulatory requirements into their review.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

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Welfare and productivity in Muscovy ducks: Impact of swimming pond availability

Lukáš Zita, Ondřej Krunt, Jitka Edrová, Jakub Vorel, Eva Chmelíková, Antonella Dalle Zotte

Published in 2025

Scientific article showing that access to a pond significantly improves hygiene, health, and natural behaviors in Muscovy ducks, while also promoting growth and carcass quality that is at least equivalent, if not superior.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

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Review on environmental enrichments for farmed rabbits

Moles Xenia, Abdelli Nedra, Tolini Clara

Published in 2025

Summary of the different types of environmental enrichment used for domestic rabbits.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Monogastric

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A systematic review of the effect of individual characteristics and management practices on equine cognition

Ricci-Bonot, C., Brosche, K., Baragli, P., Nicol C.

Published in 2025

Review summarizing current knowledge on equine cognition, stressing  the broad range of cognitive abilities investigated and the strong influence of contextual factors (breed, age, sex and management conditions) on performance.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

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The exploration of consciousness in insects

Chittka Lars, Skeels Sarah, Dyakova Olga, and Janbon Maxime

Published in 2025

Scientific summary compiling evidence that supports the likelihood that insects possess some form of subjective experience.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

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Study of the effects of on-farm hatching on the welfare and performance of fast-growing chickens

Moysan Jean-Philippe, Moro Angélique, Oizel Jean-Michel, Caro Joël, Robert Jean-François, Poulnais Ewen, Szypula Christophe, Belhomme Louis-Jean, Keita Alassane

Published in 2024

Scientific study on hatching on the farm. This strategy appears to improve chick start-up (higher initial weight, less aggressive pecking) without significantly altering performance, mortality, or overall welfare compared to hatchery hatching.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

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