Discipline: Veterinary

The Future of Farming in the EU

Eurogroup for Animals

Published in 2023

Report presenting Eurogroup for Animals's vision for the future of agriculture by 2050. It includes the reversal of the plant/animal protein ratio in human food; a net decrease in the number of farm animals; a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the food industry; improved public health; and greater consideration for the feelings of animals.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Biodiversity, Societal issues, Environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Human-animal relationships, Livestock farming system

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Welfare considerations for farming black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): a model for the insects as food and feed industry

M. Barrett, S.Y. Chia , B. Fischer, J.K. Tomberlin

Published in 2023

Scientific review of factors that may influence the welfare of black soldier flies in commercial farming. It identifies the major issues and the farming conditions that cause them, suggesting areas for research to improve our understanding of the welfare of black soldier flies and, more generally, of farmed insects.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords: Livestock farming system, Stress,Welfare indicators

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Ending routine farm antibiotic use in Europe. Achieving responsible farm antibiotic use through improving animal health and welfare in pig and poultry production.

Cóilín Nunan

Published in 2023

Report showing that European countries with the lowest antibiotic use are also those with the highest minimum legal standards for animal welfare, reducing the routine systematic use of antibiotics to a minimum, with 90% of antibiotics administered on an individual basis. It makes recommendations for policy, reduction targets, and animal husbandry practices  that can reduce antibiotic use in pig and poultry production.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Societal issues, One Welfare, Livestock farming system

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Monitoring animal welfare standards

World Organisation for Animal Health

Published in 2023

Presentation of the section of the annual report of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) dedicated to adoption levels  of its animal welfare standards in its member countries. These standards address the welfare of land and aquatic animals on the farm, during transport, at slaughter, in research and on specific topics such as the management of stray dogs.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:All subjects

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French National Assembly: written answer to Question no. 4180: Broyage et gazage des poussins 

Question: Nicolas Thierry (Ecologist - Nupes - Gironde) Answer: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2023

Written answer to a question concerning exemptions to the law prohibiting the culling  of male chicks. These relate to chicks intended for animal feed, and permit an alternative to the use of ovosexing for white eggs intended for processing. Additionally, female ducklings are exempted from the law.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Abuse

Rethinking EU Aquaculture for people, planet and animals

CIWF

Published in 2023

CIWF report promoting greater consideration of farmed fish welfare and sustainable production of aquatic species at the bottom of the food chain in extensive systems to ensure the sustainability of European aquaculture.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories:Molluscs, Fish

Keywords:Biodiversity, Societal issues, Environment, Population management, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Resilience

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Assessing welfare risks in unowned unsocialised domestic cats in Denmark based on associations with low body condition score

Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Ida Sofie Thuesen, Helena Mejer, Jørgen Steen Agerholm, Stine Thorsø Nielsen, Pikka Jokelainen, Stig Milan Thamsborg, Peter Sandøe

Published in 2023

Scientific paper showing that there is a co-occurrence of a low body condition score (BCS) and health factors in unsocialized, ownerless domestic cats in Denmark. These factors include the presence of skin and ear ectoparasites, gastrointestinal disorders, dental lesions, and a positive FIV test. The authors conclude that a low CCN may indicate more than the stage of emaciation,also indicating less visible welfare impairments.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Felines

Keywords:Abandonment, Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adoption, Societal issues, Population management

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Improving animal welfare status and meat quality through assessment of stress biomarkers: A critical review

Pavan Kumar, Muideen Adewale Ahmed, Abubakar Ahmed Abubakar, Muhammad Nizam Hayat, Ubedullah Kaka, Mokrish Ajat, Yong Meng Goh, Awis Qurni Sazili

Published in 2022

Scientific review of the various stress biomarkers most commonly used in animal husbandry and the factors that influence their expression. The focus is on the use of meat biomarkers, which would allow the non-invasive prediction of meat quality, but also on animal stress before slaughter.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Carcass quality, Welfare indicators

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Revision of animal transport legislation - an essential part of the food production - Information from the Portuguese delegation on behalf of the French, Greek, Irish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish delegations

General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union

Published in 2023

Information note from eight European Union countries, including France, opposing the ban on the transport of live animals from member countries. The reasons given are 1. that this would favour imports from third countries with less stringent animal welfare standards, and 2. the difficulty of maintaining the cold chain when transporting meat. The eight countries recommend that enforcement of EU legislation should be strengthened and EU expertise should be shared with third countries to improve animal welfare during transport.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Stress, Transport

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Developing a tool to assess the health-related quality of life in calves with respiratory disease: content validation

D.J. Bell, B. Vigors, C.-A. Duthie, D.J. Bartram, A. Hancock, I. Odeyemi, C. Penny, M.J. Haskell

Published in 2022

Scientific article on the validation of the contents of a tool to measure health-related quality of life in calves with respiratory disease. Using a survey and focus groups, the authors evaluated the usefulness of 23 indicators with stakeholders. The following indicators were selected: nasal discharge, coughing, respiratory effort, eye appearance (discharge and brightness), body and head posture and ear position; movement towards feed, responsiveness, spatial proximity, volume of feed intake, motivation to feed and vitality.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators

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