Discipline: Neurobiology

Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations to Improve Animal Well-Being

Suresh Neethirajan

Published in 2026

Review article describing the welfare challenges associated with the intensification of poultry farming and the innovative solutions (behavioral, sensor-based, AI) that have been developed to address them, while emphasizing the need to validate and standardize such novel tools and to develop a sustainable interdisciplinary production pathway. 

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

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Stereotypical behaviors across species: From neurobiological mechanisms to farm animal welfare

Chenyang Li, Jie Gao, Hang Shu, Guangyong Zhao, Xianhong Gu

Published in 2026

A review describing stereotypical behaviors—indicators of distress—that are based on neurobiological mechanisms that have yet to be fully studied in farm animals. The authors highlight current gaps in knowledge and discuss prospects for better understanding these behaviors and improving animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

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Applying the five domains to the welfare of farmed black soldier flies, house flies, and yellow mealworms

Samuel Olutunde Durosaro, Meghan Barrett

Published in 2025

A study examining the current state of knowledge regarding the welfare of three insects raised for human and animal consumption (black soldier flies, houseflies, and yellow mealworms) based on the five-domain framework (nutrition, physical health, environment, behavior, and mental state).

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Do Insects Feel Pain? How Insect Nervous Systems Reveal Hidden Suffering

Renz Soliman

Published in 2026

Summary of recent research showing that some insects have neural mechanisms that enable them to experience pain, including chronic pain. These findings call into question their treatment in research, farming and wider pest control.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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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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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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Rapid loss of consciousness in cattle following nonstun slaughter: evidence from a systematic review

Hascalovici JR, Schipper HM, Regenstein JM, Rosen SD, Zivotofsky A, St-Jean G, Freilich S, Morrison TJ, Rabkin SW, Haut S.

Published in 2025

Systematic review analyzing 15 studies on slaughter without stunning in cattle. According to four studies considered to be of good quality, cattle generally lose consciousness in less than 10 seconds, provided that slaughter without stunning is carried out correctly and under optimal conditions.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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Review: Exploring correctness, usefulness, and feasibility of potential physiological operational welfare indicators for farmed insects to establish research priorities

M.G. Johnson, M. Barrett

Published in 2025

Study evaluating the correctness, usefulness and feasibility of physiological and somatic indicators currently used to assess welfare in vertebrates for the assessment of insect welfare, taking into account their particular biological characteristics. It proposes a priority list of indicators for validation in insect welfare research, allowing the welfare of farmed insects to be assessed in a reliable, useful and feasible  way.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

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The neurobiological basis of emotions and their connection to facial expressions in non-human mammals: insights in nonverbal communication

Daniel Mota-Rojas, Alexandra L. Whittaker, Cécile Bienboire-Frosini, Jhon Buenhombre, Patricia Mora-Medina, Adriana Domínguez-Oliva, Julio Martínez-Burnes, Ismael Hernández-Avalos, Adriana Olmos-Hernández, Antonio Verduzco-Mendoza, Alejandro Casas-Alvarado, Karina Lezama-García, Temple Grandin

Published in 2025

Scientific synthesis exploring the emotional sensitivity of non-human mammals, manifested in particular by facial expressions associated with limbic system activity. The AnimalFACS tool, adapted from the human Facial Action Coding System, makes the scientific analysis of these facial movements possible for several animal species. This approach helps to improve the understanding and interpretation of animal emotions, facilitating more accurate non-verbal communication between humans and animals.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Mammals

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Evaluating animal consciousness: An emerging field shows how animal feelings can be studied scientifically

Kristin Andrews, Jonathan Birch, Jeff Sebo

Published in 2025

Article summarizing recent scientific findings on animal consciousness. Although studies on bees, cuttlefish and fish point to signs of consciousness, the latter's acceptance as evidence would have major implications for neuroscience and animal welfare. Meanwhile, the lack of a unified theory or precise definition of animal consciousness complicates its  assessment.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Cognitive processes

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