Discipline: Zootechnics

A Retrospective Literature Evaluation of the Integration of Stress Physiology Indices, Animal Welfare and Climate Change Assessment of Livestock

Edward Narayan, Michelle Barreto, Georgia-Constantina Hantzopoulou, Alan Tilbrook

Published in 2021

Scientific review of articles dealing with 4 topics, both alone and in combination: animal welfare, the physiology of stress, impacts on climate change, and production in livestock farming. It concludes that, although all these areas are strongly represented in the literature, there is a lack of studies examining their interactions and their impacts on livestock production.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords: Environment,Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Stress

Go to document

A Systematic Review on Validated Precision Livestock Farming Technologies for Pig Production and Its Potential to Assess Animal Welfare

Yaneth Gómez, Anna H. Stygar, Iris J. M. M. Boumans, Eddie A. M. Bokkers, Lene J. Pedersen, Jarkko K. Niemi, Matti Pastell, Xavier Manteca, Pol Llonch

Published in 2021

A systematic review of the scientific literature on precision breeding technologies that can be used in pig production to assess welfare. It identifies numerous types of system  but many of these have yet still to be approved and none has the capacity to assess an animal's emotional state. 

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Livestock farming system

Go to document

COVID-19 impacts equine welfare: Policy implications for laminitis and obesity

Ashley B. Ward, Kate Stephen,Caroline McGregor Argo, Patricia A. Harris, Christine A. Watson, Madalina Neacsu, Wendy Russell, Dai H. Grove-White, Philippa K. Morrison

Published in 2021

Scientific paper highlighting the negative effects of Covid-19 lockdown  policies on the management and welfare of horses and ponies at risk of laminitis or obesity and recommending the development of specific guidelines for future lockdowns.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Housing, Welfare indicators

Go to document

Fewer, bigger, more intensive: EU vows to stem drastic loss of small farms

Fiona Harvey

Published in 2021

Article presenting the measures to be included in the new EU Common Agricultural Policy to support small farms and ensure better animal welfare.

Document types: Technical Paper

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

Keywords: Societal issues, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Graduate Student Literature Review: The effect of housing systems on movement opportunity of dairy cows and the implications on cow health and comfort

E. Shepley, E. Vasseur

Published in 2021

Scientific review of those indoor housing systems that best facilitate cow movement and improve cow welfare in the areas of limb and hoof health and reproduction.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Housing, Livestock buildings, Livestock farming system, Welfare indicators

Go to document

The development of the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for donkeys

Emanuela Dalla Costa; Francesca Dai, Leigh Margaret Anne Murray, Simona Cannas, Elisabetta Canali, Adroaldo José Zanella, Michela Minero

Published in 2021

Scientific paper presenting the development and on-farm testing of a prototype version of the AWIN protocol for donkeys

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords: Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators

Go to document

Nest acceptance, clutch, and oviposition traits are promising selection criteria to improve egg production in cage-free system

Lorry Becot, Nicolas Bedere ,Thierry Burlot, Jenna Coton, Pascale Le Roy

Published in 2021

Scientific paper investigating criteria for genetic selection of nesting behaviours suitable for cage-free systems for two laying hen bloodlines. It suggests that two effective potential criteria would be number of eggs laid and laying characteristics.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Enrichment, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Le bien-être des animaux d’élevage – Évaluer le bien-être animal

Luc Mounier, Alain Boissy, Alice de Boyer des Roches, Christine Duvaux-Ponter, Raphaël Guattéo, Marie-Christine Meunier-Salaün, Pierre Mormède

Published in 2021

The second volume of a series of three reference books from the "Farm Animal Welfare" MOOC developed by French teacher-researchers and animal welfare specialists. This volume is devoted to the assessment of farm animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords: Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators

Virtual fencing technology to intensively graze lactating dairy cattle. II: Effects on cow welfare and behavior

Megan Verdon, Adam Langworthy, Richard Rawnsley

Published in 2021

Scientific paper comparing the behaviour and stress parameters of dairy cows on pasture with either an electric fence or a virtual fence. No difference was found in the first days, but the cows with virtual fencing displayed less activity and higher cortisol levels in milk after a few days.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Learning, training, Pain, Welfare indicators, Stress, Livestock farming system

Go to document

The importance of observation in cattle handling

The Beef Site

Published in 2021

This article reminds us that good human-animal relationships require a good knowledge of and respect for the animal's needs and behaviour. A summary for cattle is provided of these, as defined by Temple Grandin, an internationally renowned behaviourist.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Animal-based measurements,Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships