Document type : Scientific review / Synthesis

Animal board invited review: Improving animal health and welfare in the transition of livestock farming systems: Towards social acceptability and sustainability

C. Ducrot, M.B. Barrio, A. Boissy, F. Charrier, S. Even, P. Mormède, S. Petit, M.-H. Pinard-van der laan, F. Schelcher, F. Casabianca, A. Ducos, G. Foucras, R. Guatteo, J.-L. Peyraud, M. Vayssier-Taussat, P. Veysset, N.C. Friggens, X. Fernandez

Published in 2024

The shared views of a group of INRAE researchers on the interdisciplinary research needed to support the transition to sustainable livestock production systems. Animal health and welfare are at the heart of these issues.

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, Societal issues, Environment, Living environment, One Welfare, Human-animal relationship, Farming system

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Advancements in artificial intelligence technology for improving animal welfare: Current applications and research progress

Li Zhang, Wenqiang Guo, Chenrui Lv, Meng Guo, Mei Yang, Qiuyue Fu, Xiaomeng Liu

Published in 2024

Article summarizing the various technological advances in the field of artificial intelligence for animal health and welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Animal-based measurement, Precision breeding, Welfare indicators, Robustness, Behavioural disorders

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Pain Mitigation Strategies for Disbudding in Goat Kids

Preet Singh, Dinakaran Venkatachalam, Kavitha Kongara, Paul Chambers

Published in 2024

Scientific synthesis of pain-reduction strategies for kids during disbudding on the farm. The authors conclude that current best practice for reducing pain during disbudding would be sedation/analgesia with an alpha-2 agonist, placement of a two-point cornual nerve block, followed by an NSAID for postoperative pain.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Caprines

Keywords: Pain, Mutilation

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Review: Livestock transport of animals in a consumer society geared towards efficiency: efficiency, animal welfare or both?

Barbara Felde

Published in 2024

Article recalling the legal provisions set out in Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) justifying certain trade restrictions by virtue of respect for animal welfare. The authors point out that the procedures for transporting animals in large quantities do not comply with European legislation. As part of the current review of Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005 governing the transport of animals within and outside the EU, amendments should be considered to achieve effective animal welfare regulations.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Animal trade, Societal issues, Transportation

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Review: Animal husbandry and sustainable agriculture: is animal welfare (only) an issue of sustainability of agricultural production or a separate issue on its own?

Daniel Wawrzyniak

Published in 2024

Scientific article explaining the risks of conflating the concept of animal welfare with that of sustainable farming.Linking them can blur their differences and may result in misguided agricultural political decision-making.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords: Environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Farming system,Societal issues

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Review: Using animal welfare to frame discussion on dairy farm technology

Daniel M. Weary, Marina A.G. von Keyserlingk

Published in 2024

Review of scientific articles describing the advantages and disadvantages of the use of technology on dairy farms. Most articles report an improvement in animal welfare thanks to the technology studied, but the authors of the review are concerned over a possible lack of objectivity, suggesting that future studies should endeavor to address both potential advantages and disadvantages.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurement, Livestock building, Precision breeding, Welfare indicator, Lactation

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Application of Precision Technologies to Characterize Animal Behavior: A Review

Abdellah Hlimi, Samira El Otmani, Fouad Elame, Mouad Chentouf, Rachid El Halimi, Youssef Chebli

Published in 2024

Article summarising the benefits and potential of precision monitoring technologies (wearable sensors, video observation and smartphones) to increase production and improve welfare in livestock farming.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurement, Precision breeding

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Why do dogs wag their tails?

Silvia Leonetti, Giulia Cimarelli, Taylor A. Hersh, Andrea Ravignani

Published in 2024

Scientific review of the mechanism, ontogeny, function and evolution of tail-wagging behavior in dogs.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Evolutionary process, Human-animal relationship

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Fin de l’élimination des poussins mâles d’un jour : le choix du sexage in ovo

Sophie Rehault-Godbert, Marie Bourin, Joël Gautron, Maxime Quentin

Published in 2023

Scientific review that recaps the French decree banning the killing of male chicks from laying-hen lines, and sets out the three possible alternatives. Of these, in ovo sexing is the only route that is currently technically and economically viable, and this is presented in depth.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Euthanasia

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Advancing Animal Welfare in Zoos through Data Science: Scaling Up Continuous Improvement Efforts

Matyas Liptovszky

Published in 2024

Opinion piece arguing for the transformative potential of data science to advance animal welfare in zoos.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

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

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