Document type : Scientific review

Two Domains to Five: Advancing Veterinary Duty of Care to Fulfil Public Expectations of Animal Welfare Expertise

Katherine E. Littlewood, Ngaio J. Beausoleil

Published in 2021

A scientific review of the role of veterinarians in addressing animal welfare. While the veterinary profession initially considered welfare from the perspective of health and nutrition, it is now considering it in a more holistic way, taking into account the animal's feelings and perceptions of its environment. Much is expected of the veterinary profession, which is ideally placed to improve the consideration taken of animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Keywords: Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships

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Recognizing and Mitigating Canine Stress during Animal Assisted Interventions

Lisa Townsend, Nancy R. Gee

Published in 2021

A scientific review of the contextual factors (human behaviour and types of intervention), that may affect the welfare of dogs during animal-assisted therapies. It makes recommendations to better identify and rectify situations where the welfare of dogs is compromised during these interventions.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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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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Global Animal Partnership Releases Initial List of Eligible Broiler Breeds for Animal Welfare Certification

Robin Chwatko

Published in 2021

News item presenting the results of scientific work commissioned by the Global Animal Partnership to understand and measure the welfare levels of broiler chickens. This work has resulted in a list of breeds that have high genetic welfare levels and are therefore recommended for welfare-friendly breeding.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

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

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ChickenTrack - Rapport européen 2021

CIWF France

Published in 2021

The CIWF's first ChickenTrack 2021 report, an EggTrack-based tool to track the progress of major food companies that have signed up to the Better Chicken Commitment to improve broiler welfare in, for example, the reduction of stocking densities, environmental enrichment, and the raising of slower-growing strains.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationships, Societal issues

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The changing face and associated drivers of research on welfare of the gestating sow

Maria Costanza Galli, Flaviana Gottardo, Barbara Contiero, Annalisa Scollo, Laura Ann Boyle

Published in 2021

Scientific review noting a growing interest among scientists in Oceania, Latin America and Asia in the welfare issues for pregnant sows, as well as the emergence of new research topics in recent years, including group sow management and environmental enrichment.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords: Enrichment, Housing, Living environment,Societal issues

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EggTrack - Rapport 2021

CIWF France

Published in 2021

The CIWF's EggTrack 2021 report, tracking the progress made by major food companies in addressing the welfare of laying hens. It notes real progress towards cage-free rearing across the world, and the efforts made in France to provide access to the outdoors and to create winter gardens.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationships, Societal issues

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A review of factors affecting the welfare of dairy calves in pasture-based production systems

Megan Verdon

Published in 2021

A scientific review identifying the following risk factors for poor welfare in pasture-reared dairy calves (common to all rearing systems): perinatal mortality, poor passive transfer of immunity, poor pain management during disbudding and insufficient milk in the feed.  In addition, separation from the mother and the culling of male calves reduces the public acceptability of dairy farming. It makes recommendations for improving farming practices.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Maternity, Living environment, Livestock farming system, Societal issues

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Centennial Review: A revisiting of hen welfare and egg safety consequences of mandatory outdoor access for organic egg production

Peter S. Holt

Published in 2021

A scientific review comparing the welfare of laying hens and the sanitary quality of their eggs in free-range and indoor systems. It concludes that diseases are more frequent and severe and that there is a greater risk of Salmonella infections and the contamination of eggs by toxic industrial by-products in hens with access to the outdoors.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Societal issues, Risk management, Housing, Living environment, Livestock farming system, Pathogen transfer

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