Document type : Technical paper

Scientific opinion identifying the most common farming systems in the European Union for each species and category of animal. It describes and assesses the welfare consequences for each species of the following factors: restriction of movement, injury, group stress, inability to adopt comfort behavior, inability to adopt exploratory or foraging behavior and inability to express maternal behavior. It provides recommendations on how to predict negative welfare consequences using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Technical article listing and explaining the dietary factors that impact tail biting in pigs: instestinal microbiota, diet composition, protein and amino acid imbalances.

Technical article outlining the risk factors for tail biting, their impact on the pig industry, current knowledge concerning the relationship between different tail postures and the emotional states of pigs, and methods to prevent tail biting.

Technical article summarizing existing knowledge on the needs and behaviors of cows on pasture and outlining good practices for the best use of pasture by the animals.

Summary of a webinar hosted by the USDA on how to mitigate the impacts of heat stress on the health and welfare of pigs in factory farming. It presents research findings to improve heat stress resilience in pigs through a three-part approach, that looks at management, nutrition and genetics.

Dossier describing the German voluntary welfare initiative in pig farming, "Initiative Tierwohl", containing interviews with farmers who have signed up to it, along with half their fellow farmers. Although the initiative is appreciated by consumers, the public is still concerned over meat prices, a fact that restricts farmers' room for manoeuver in working to to improve animal welfare.

Article describing the farming practices that can reduce stress in pigs in two particularly stressful circumstances for both animals and humans: grouping sows and moving finishing pigs.

Announcement of updates to the FAQ aiming to provide ongoing clarifications on the regulations, agreed between the Government and the Profession, so that its application in the field can be harmonised.  It is national in scope and has no regulatory value

News item containing the statistics for herd sizes in EU member countries in 2021: 142 million pigs, 76 million cattle, 60 million sheep and 11 million goats. French herds accounted for 9% of pigs, 23% of cattle, 12% of sheep and 12% of goats in the EU.

Article setting out the benefits and limitations of smart farming for the improvement of the living conditions of farm animals. While it makes the farmer's work easier, it is less clear that it has a positive impact on animal welfare.