Discipline: Physiology (metabolism, molecular and cellular biologies, etc.)

Animal welfare of embryos and newly hatched chicks: A review

Itallo C. S. Arraujo, Tainá S. B. Lopes, Leonardo J. C. Lara, Bruno T. A. Costa

Published in 2023

Scientific review identifying egg storage, in ovo nutrition and the slaughter of 1-day-old male chicks as the main welfare problems in hatcheries, and describing practical avenues for improvements that can meet societal expectations.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Prenatal issues, Human-animal relationships,  Livestock farming system

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A review of thermal stress in cattle

R W Shephard, S K Maloney

Published in 2023

Scientific review summarizing the behavioral and physiological controls used by cattle to manage heat exchange by radiation, convection, conduction and evaporation between the body and the environment, and thus regulate their temperature in hot conditions.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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

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Impact of heat stress on dairy cattle and selection strategies for thermotolerance: a review

Shannon L. Cartwright, Julie Schmied, Niel Karrow, Bonnie A. Mallard

Published in 2023

Scientific review of the impacts of heat stress on the production, fertility, health and mortality of dairy cows, and of the advantages and disadvantages of the various strategies that have been proposed for the selction of heat-tolerant cows.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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

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Zoo Animal Welfare Assessment: Where Do We Stand?

Oriol Tallo-Parra, Marina Salas, Xavier Manteca

Published in 2023

Scientific review providing a critical analysis of the main approaches to zoo animal welfare assessment and describing the most relevant animal-based welfare indicators for zoo animals, with a particular focus on behavioral and physiological indicators.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Stress

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Reducing Weaning Stress in Piglets by Pre-Weaning Socialization and Gradual Separation from the Sow: A Review

Céline Van Kerschaver, Diana Turpin, Joris Michiels, John Pluske

Published in 2023

Scientific review of alternative piglet management strategies to reduce weaning stress. These include the pre-weaning grouping of piglets from different litters and intermittent suckling. Their effects on post-weaning pig behavior, performance, mortality, gastrointestinal function and immunocompetence are described.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressivity, Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Housing, Weaning, Stress

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Chapter Three - Can insects feel pain? A review of the neural and behavioural evidence

Matilda Gibbons, Andrew Crump, Meghan Barrett, Sajedeh Sarlak, Jonathan Birch, Lars Chittka

Published in 2023

Systematic literature review using 8 previously validated animal sentience criteria to assess whether 6 insect orders are capable of feeling pain. Adult Diptera and Blattodea meet 6 of the 8 criteria, constituting "strong evidence for pain", while the adults and some juveniles from the other orders tested meet 3-4 criteria, constituting "substantial evidence for pain".

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Brain integration, Pain, Welfare indicators, Stress

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Is it time for insect researchers to consider their subjects' welfare?

Andrew Crump, Matilda Gibbons, Meghan Barrett, Jonathan Birch, Lars Chittka

Published in 2023

Scientific article defining pain, differentiating it from nociception, and recalling work that has led to the conclusion that most of the 6 largest insect orders are very likely capable of feeling pain. It concludes that this fact should be taken into account by entomologists, and suggests extending the 3Rs rule (replace, reduce, refine) to insect research.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Brain integration, Pain, Welfare indicators, Stress

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Welfare of Decapod Crustaceans with Special Emphasis on Stress Physiology

Sven Wuertz, David Bierbach, Mirko Bögner

Published in 2023

Scientific review of current knowledge on sentience in decapod crustaceans. It presents scientific evidence for nociception and pain perception in these animals, and highlights the lack of markers for chronic stress detection that could be used in the routine work of aquaculture businesses.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Crustaceans

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Brain integration, Pain, Welfare indicators, Stress

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European Parliament: Written answer to question E-000948/23: Malnourished calves in Europe

Question: Sarah Wiener (Greens/EFA). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2023

Answer to a question concerning the failure by member states to transpose Directive 2008/119/EC with regard to standards for the protection of calves, in particular as regards the monitoring of their hemoglobin blood levels, their feeding and their transport.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Carcass quality, Transport,Societal issues

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Physical and occupational enrichment in ruminants and equines

Raphaëlle Botreau, Valentin Brunet, Clémence Lesimple

Published in 2023

Scientific review examining the specific needs of ruminants and equines, the enrichments studied in the scientific literature and their impact on welfare, knowledge gaps and recommendations for inspections.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Equines, Ruminants

Keywords:Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Livestock farming system

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