Discipline: Ethology

Positive impacts of a covered veranda on broiler chicken welfare

F. Mocz, J-P. Moysan, L. Warin, A. Keita, V. Michel, M. Guinebretière

Published in 2025

Study showing that access to a covered veranda promotes active behavior and reduces the prevalence of hock burns in broilers, without affecting zootechnical performance. Such structures improve welfare by enriching the environment without compromising either health or productivity.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

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Shelter use in horses: Time spent indoors and factors of variation - Results from a one-year longitudinal study

Léa Lansade, Julie Lemarchand, Alice Ruet

Published in 2025

Study showing that, when horses are free to go indoors or outdoors, they choose to spend an average of 3 hours a day in their stalls, but there is considerable individual and seasonal variability in their choices. These results stress the importance of allowing horses freedom of movement so that their needs and welfare can be better catered to. 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

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Deck height did not affect behavioural measures of 'natural movements' and 'adequate ventilation' during 8 h and 23 h transport of weaner pigs

Cecilie Kobek-Kjeldager, Line D. Jensen, Leslie Foldager, Marianne Kaiser, Karen Thodberg, Mette S. Herskin

Published in 2025

Study evaluating the effect of different bridge heights on the behavior of weaned pigs transported over 8 to 23 hour trips. The results showed no significant impact of height on behavior, unlike other variables such as microclimatic conditions, vehicle speed or journey time, highlighting the complexity of interactions affecting welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

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Cow comfort, behavior and welfare with specific reference to dairy cattle: A review

Damodaran Sreekumar & Veerasamy Sejian

Published in 2024

Review on optimizing dairy cow comfort

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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A systematic review and meta-analysis of physical environmental enrichment to improve animal welfare-related outcomes in indoor cattle

Unsal G, Johnson KF, Stergiadis S, Bennett R, Barker ZE.

Published in 2025

Systematic study showing that enrichment of the physical environment significantly improves the welfare and certain behaviors of calves and heifers in indoor housing, particularly play and growth.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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Decoding vocal indicators of stress in laying hens: A CNN-MFCC deep learning framework

S. Neethirajan

Published in 2025

Study showing that artificial intelligence, making use of a CNN model combined with MFCC coefficients, can identify vocal responses to stress in laying hens exposed to realistic stimuli with 94% accuracy. Younger birds were found to be more vocally reactive, highlighting the importance of age as a factor in emotional reactivity.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

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A critical review on the welfare of Japanese quail in cage-free housing: Current knowledge and future perspectives

Jansson DS, Hedman FL, Yngvesson J, Keeling L, Henriksen R

Published in 2025

Scientific synthesis highlighting the lack of knowledge and regulations on cage-free systems for Japanese quail. It reviews the essential behavioral needs of the species and identifies gaps in group management, equipment design and dealing with agonistic behaviors. Integration of AI and genomic selection is proposed to support an efficient and ethical transition to alternative breeding systems.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

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Exploring the induction and measurement of positive affective state in equines through a personality-centred lens

Loftus, L., Newman, A., Leach, M., Asher, L.

Published in 2025

Article highlighting the importance of taking the individual animal's personality into account when measuring positive affect in equines.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

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Attenuation of Stress Responses to Human Handling Through Habituation in Goats

Erukulla, T. T., Batchu, P., Gurrapu, P., Shaik, A., Terrill, T. H., & Kannan, G

Published in 2025

Study showing the importance of habituation in reducing the stress generated by human handling in goats.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Caprines

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Measuring minds: Understanding the mental states of dairy cattle in different management conditions

Heather W. Neave

Published in 2025

Review of a symposium on the  assessment of how the mental states of dairy cattle (positive emotions and cognitive functions in particular) are affected by management practices. It highlights the behavioral, physiological and cognitive indicators available and the potential of emerging automated on-farm monitoring technologies.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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