Discipline: Genetics

Welfare issues and potential solutions for laying hens in free range and organic production systems: A review based on literature and interviews

Claire Bonnefous, Anne Collin, Laurence A. Guilloteau, Vanessa Guesdon, Christine Filliat, Sophie Réhault-Godbert, T. Bas Rodenburg, Frank A. M. Tuyttens, Laura Warin, Sanna Steenfeldt, Lisa Baldinger, Martina Re, Raffaella Ponzio, Anna Zuliani, Pietro Venezia, Minna Väre, Patricia Parrott, Keith Walley, Jarkko K. Niemi, Christine Leterrier

Published in 2022

Scientific review identifying an increased risk to free-range hens of microbial and parasitic infections, heat stress and predation. They do, however, have better bone quality and show less evidence of pecking behaviors. The review sets out existing preventive strategies and identifies missed opportunities to use genetics and prenatal and nutritional factors to prevent these welfare issues in free-range systems.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Resilience, Robustness, Stress, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Improving heat stress resilience should be priority for swine industry

Ann Hess

Published in 2022

Summary of a webinar hosted by the USDA on how to mitigate the impacts of heat stress on the health and welfare of pigs in factory farming. It presents research findings to improve heat stress resilience in pigs through a three-part approach, that looks at management, nutrition and genetics.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Risk management, Living environment, Resilience, Robustness, Stress

Go to document

Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes

Kathleen Morrill, Jessica Hekman, Xue Li, Jesse McClure, Brittney Logan, Linda Goodman, Mingshi Gao, Yinan Dong, Marjie Alonso, Elena Carmichael, Noah Snyder-Mackler, Jacob Alonso, Hyun Ji Noh, Jeremy Johnson, Michele Koltookian, Charlie Lieu, Kate Megquier, Ross Swofford, Jason Turner-Maier White, Zhiping Weng, Andrés Colubri, Diane P. Genereux , Kathryn A. Lord, Elinor K. Karlsson

Published in 2022

A scientific paper proving that human selection for dog breeds has fixed their morphological characteristics but that, contrary to the generally accepted view, there are no breed-specific behavioural characteristics.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords : Human-animal relationships

Go to document

EU Broiler Chicken Welfare

Better Chicken Commitment

Published in 2020

White paper compiling the published scientific evidence on violations of broiler-chicken welfare in intensive farming in the EU and the UK.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Societal issues, Stress, Livestock farming system

Go to document

The Genetics of Thermoregulation in Pigs: A Review

Jean-Luc Gourdine, Wendy Mercedes Rauw, Hélène Gilbert, Nausicaa Poullet

Published in 2021

Scientific review of the physiological reasons for the sensitivity of pigs to heat stress, current knowledge concerning genetics and the variability between pig breeds in terms of thermoregulation, phenotypes for use in genetic studies, and the needs of future research to improve heat tolerance in pigs.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Resilience, Robustness, Stress, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Le rôle de l’État dans l’encadrement de la génétique des carnivores domestiques : propositions d’évolution

Francis Geiger, Marylène Nau

Published in 2015

Expert report proposing that the State should concentrate on legal requirements and outlining a partnership project where all stakeholders would shape the canine and feline sectors' use of genetics, putting science at the heart of selection policies.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Societal issues, Risk management, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Psychiatric disorders

In pursuit of a better broiler: growth, efficiency, and mortality of 16 strains of broiler chickens

Stephanie Torrey, Mohsen Mohammadigheisar, Midian Nascimento dos Santos, Daniel Rothschild, Lauren C. Dawson, Zhenzhen Liu, Elijah G. Kiarie, A. Michelle Edwards, Ira Mandell, Niel Karrow, Dan Tulpan, Tina M. Widowski

Published in 2021

Scientific paper comparing the production indicators of several strains of broilers, with a view to finding strains with sufficient growth to be profitable and presenting fewer risks to animal welfare than do fast-growing conventional strains.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Carcass quality, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Global Animal Partnership Releases Initial List of Eligible Broiler Breeds for Animal Welfare Certification

Robin Chwatko

Published in 2021

News item presenting the results of scientific work commissioned by the Global Animal Partnership to understand and measure the welfare levels of broiler chickens. This work has resulted in a list of breeds that have high genetic welfare levels and are therefore recommended for welfare-friendly breeding.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Stress, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Genome editing and farmed animals

Pete Mills

Published in 2021

Report describing genome editing techniques, and critically analysing their potential use for livestock. It makes recommendations, in particular the need for a full scientific review of the literature before changing the UK regulations in this area and for a dialogue between scientists and the public on these issues.

Document Types: Opinions

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Resilience, Robustness, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Enhancing the Selection and Performance of Working Dogs

Emily E. Bray, Cynthia M. Otto, Monique A. R. Udell, Nathaniel J. Hal5, Angie M. Johnston, Evan L. MacLean

Published in 2021

Scientific review of the various factors involved in selecting working dogs in light of the nature of their intended work to achieve the best match and improve their welfare. The process should include selection tests based on discriminatory criteria and measures to improve the breeding, reproduction and training of dogs.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Learning, training, Herding dogs, Welfare indicators, Psychiatric disorder

Go to document