Keyword: Behavioral disorders

Animal welfare review: Sows are more vulnerable towards transport than most other pig categories

EU Reference Centre for Animal Welfare Pigs (EURCAW-Pigs)

Published in 2024

Article on a summary report published by EURCAW-Pigs showing that sows are the pig category most affected by transport. The three risks specific to sows are: sensitivity to heat stress, a lack of transport suitability that is strongly connected to the poor general health of a large proportion of cull sows compared with average finisher sows, and the tendency of sows to fight when mixed with unfamiliar conspecifics.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressiveness, Animal trade, End of life, Welfare indicator, Robustness, Stress, Transportation, Behavioral disorders, Aging

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Active walking in broiler chickens: a flagship for good welfare, a goal for smart farming and a practical starting point for automated welfare recognition

Marian Stamp Dawkins

Published in 2024

Scientific article suggesting that active walking in broiler chickens can be a reliable indicator of health and welfare. Its sustained and regular pattern of expression is detectable by automated systems.  This smart detection of active walking deficiencies can be carried out both on an individual chicken and on a group of chickens, even at high stocking densities.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

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

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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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Welfare issues resulting from feed restriction in pregnant sows

EU Reference Centre for Animal Welfare Pigs (EURCAW-Pigs)

Published in 2024

This article, intended for inspectors in EU Member States, describes the effects of feed restriction on the welfare of pregnant sows. Indicators of hunger-related aggression and stereotypies are described, along with measures to help sows feel satiated by increasing the fibre content of their diet, and to mitigate these behaviors by modifying various aspects of the living environment.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal adaptation to environment, Aggression, Aggressiveness, Enrichment, Welfare indicator, Housing, Behavioral disorders

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Loss of a grooming enrichment impacts physical, behavioural, and physiological measures of welfare in grazing beef cattle

Emily J. Dickson, Jessica E. Monk, Caroline Lee, Paul G. McDonald, Edward Narayan, Dana L. M. Campbell

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that the loss of an enrichment element (grooming brush) to which grazing cattle are accustomed can adversely affect welfare, measured here by indicators of cleanliness, growth and fecal cortisol.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal adaptation to environment, Enrichment, Well-being indicator, Living environment, Behavioral disorders

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Resource choice during ontogeny enhances both the short- and longer-term welfare of laying hen pullets

Regine Victoria Holt, Lena Skånberg, Linda J. Keeling, Inma Estevez, Ruth C. Newberry

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that offering chicks and juveniles a choice between different types of litter and perches has positive short- and long-term effects on the emotional state and physical condition of laying hens.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Livestock building, Enrichment, Housing, Behavioral disorders

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A Multidimensional Evaluation of the Factors in the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG) That Are Associated with, and Predictive of, Behaviour Disorders in Dogs

Rachel Malkani, Sharmini Paramasivam, Sarah Wolfensohn

Published in 2024

Scientific article to evaluate predictors for behavioral problems in dogs using the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG)to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence their welfare. The study shows that aggression towards the caregiver, and the frequency of fear and anxiety episodes are predictive factors for behavioral problems.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressiveness, Animal-based measurement, Anxiety, Pain, Well-being indicator, Personality, Human-animal relationship, Behavioural disorders

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European Parliament: written answer to question E-003444/2023: Mandatory licences for dangerous dog breeds

Question: Angelo Ciocca (ID). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

Answer to a parliamentary question on the need to draw up a common European plan to make dog training courses compulsory, with the issue of a possession permit for owners of the most aggressive dogs.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressivity, Education, Risk management, Human-animal relationship, Socialization, Behavioral disorders

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Gut Microbiome Characteristics Of Horses With History Of Cribbing Behavior: An Observational Study

Ana Margarita Arias-Esquivel, Kwang Cheol Jeong, Peixin Fan, Jill Lance, Sally DeNotta, Carissa Wickens

Published in 2023

Scientific article to assess whether the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota differs in horses receiving a gastric health support supplement or a placebo on the one hand, and between "cribbing" or "non-cribbing" horses on the other. No difference was observed, however, a link was established between cribbing and fecal microbiota composition.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Key words:Animal adaptation to the environment, Microbiota, Stress, Behavioral disorders

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Assessing human attention as a reinforcer for dog behavior

E. E. Chrysafis, S. W. Payne, A. Salazar

Published in 2023

Scientific article comparing two common procedures to evaluate human attention as a means of reinforcing dog behaviors.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Abandonment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Adoption, Animal-based measurements, Societal issues, Human-animal relationship, Stress, Behavioral disorders

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