Discipline: Zootechnics

Perches as Cooling Devices for Reducing Heat Stress in Caged Laying Hens: A Review

Jiaying Hu, Yijie Xiong, Richard S. Gates, Heng-Wei Cheng

Published in 2021

Scientific review presenting the results of a multi-year study on the capacity of perches containing a cooling circuit to reduce heat stress in laying hens. It demonstrates the effectiveness of this cooling system when combined with an enrichment element in reducing body heat and heat stress in laying hens.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Enrichment, Housing, Livestock farming system

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How Housing Conditions Determine the Welfare of Pigs

Agnieszka Ludwiczak, Ewa Skrzypczak, Joanna Składanowska-Baryza, Marek Stanisz, Piotr Ślósarz, Przemysław Racewicz

Published in 2021

A scientific review examining the effects of housing systems on pig behaviour and performance. Free-range housing solves the behavioural problems encountered for pigs raised indoors, but is associated with a more frequent occurrence of injuries and of some elbow and hock lesions.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords: Housing, Livestock farming system,Welfare indicators

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Environmental enrichment increases aquatic animal welfare: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Zonghang Zhang, Lijia Gao, Xiumei Zhang

Published in 2021

Systematic review of the scientific literature showing that the effect on overall welfare of environmental enrichment for farmed fish depends mainly on the type of enrichment, the taxon of the fish, and the welfare category.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Enrichment, Living environment, Livestock farming system, Welfare indicators

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Data-Based Variables Used as Indicators of Dairy Cow Welfare at Farm Level: A Review

Barbara Lutz, Sibylle Zwygart, Christina Rufener, Joan-Bryce Burla, Beat Thomann, Dimitri Stucki

Published in 2021

A scientific review of the use of data-based variables to detect animal welfare violations on farms, highlighting the fact that some of these variables are related to animal-based welfare measures. It recommends that the variables should be harmonised in light of the data they use, and that preference should be given to those that reflect the multidimensional nature of animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Livestock farming system

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Reduced Stocking Density and Provision of Straw in a Rack Improve Pig Welfare on Commercial Fattening Farms

Katharina Schodl, Lisa Wiesauer, Christoph Winckler, Christine Leeb

Published in 2021

Scientific article demonstrating that it is possible to improve some welfare conditions of fattening pigs in conventional farming through simple measures such as reducing stocking density and providing straw or hay as enrichment material.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Enrichment, Living environment, Stress, Livestock farming system

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The use of animal-based measures at slaughter for assessing the welfare of pigs on farm: EFSA's AHAW Network exercise

EFSA

Published in 2021

Report on the EFSA Animal Health and Animal Welfare (AHAW) Network meeting on an exercise using  animal-based measures at slaughter to assess the welfare of pigs on farm. The goal was to evaluate these measures and their ease of use, and to identify which were to be preferred. It resulted in a list of recommended animal-based measures for use in abattoirs.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords: Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators

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Literature Review on the Pre-Slaughter Welfare of Italian Heavy Pigs

Marika Vitali, Luca Sardi, Giovanna Martelli, Eleonora Nannoni

Published in 2021

Scientific review of the state of knowledge relating specifically to the welfare conditions immediately before slaughter of Italian heavy pigs, which are used for AOP products and therefore kept longer than is the average in other countries, a practice that generates particular physiological and behavioural needs.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

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

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L’agriculture bio garantit-elle un meilleur « bien-être » des animaux d’élevage ?

Eugénie Duval, Benjamin Lecorps

Published in 2021

Article demonstrating that the French organic label guarantees higher animal welfare standards than conventional farming, providing access to outdoors, banning cage rearing and tethered systems, allowing only exceptional authorisation of non-medical surgical interventions, and requiring more frequent checks and compulsory stunning before slaughter. However, the legislation on transport and slaughter is still inadequate, even in the case of organic farming.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords: Housing, Living environment, Mutilation, Livestock farming system, Transport,Societal issues

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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

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Animal welfare: a shift from live to meat-and-carcass transport

Gediminas Vilkas

Published in 2021

Press release presenting the results of the European Parliament's Committee of Inquiry into the protection of animals during transport. The committee recognised that EU rules on the protection of animals during transport are not always respected and that the welfare needs of animals during transport are not always met. It recommends limiting and better monitoring the export of live animals, developing meat-and-carcass transport and banning the transport of very young animals.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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