Keywords: Livestock buildings

Behaviour and welfare assessment of autochthonous slow-growing rabbits: The role of housing systems

Laura Ozella, Stefano Sartore, Elisabetta Macchi, Isabella Manenti, Silvia Mioletti, Barbara Miniscalco, Riccardo Crosetto, Patrizia Ponzio, Edoardo Fiorilla, Cecilia Mugnai

Published in 2024

Scientific article evaluating the effect of three housing systems (traditional single cages, group farming and a mixed system) on the welfare of slow-growing rabbits. Group-housed rabbits exhibited a wider range of behaviors, but were also associated with higher levels of salivary and hair corticosterone indicating stress. Younger rabbits were more active while mature rabbits displayed more agonistic behaviors.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Aggression, Aggressiveness, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Welfare indicators, Housing, Stress, Livestock farming system, Behavioural disorders

Go to document

Evaluation of candidate data-based welfare indicators for calves in Switzerland

Sibylle Zwygart, Barbara Lutz, Beat Thomann, Dimitri Stucki, Mireille Meylan, Jens Becker

Published in 2024

Article showing that the four principles of Welfare Quality that indicate good animal welfare, namely "good feed", "good housing", "good health" and "appropriate behavior", are not reflected in routinely available data on veal calf farms in Switzerland, even though data for health status assessment is available. If animal welfare is to be inferred from routine data, there is a need to adapt data collection strategies and animal identification methods.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Carcass quality, Livestock farming system, Behavioural disorders, Welfare indicators

Go to document

How is pig welfare assessed in studies on farrowing housing systems? A systematic review

Bianca Vandresen, Jen-Yun Chou, Maria José Hötzel

Published in 2024

Systematic review analyzing methods to assess the welfare of sows and piglets in different housing systems in the period around farrowing and lactation: it looks at conventional farrowing crates and alternative systems (loose farrowing pens, group housing, outdoor farrowing, hinged crates and ellipsoid crates).

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of th animal to environment, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternity, One Welfare, Stress, livestock farming system

Go to document

Final report of a fact-finding mission of Italy in order to collect information on the national system for the protection of turkey welfare on farm - European Commission

DG Health - European Commission

Published in 2024

European Commission report on the national legislation and systems put in place by Italy to protect the welfare of turkeys during production. Italy has transposed, implemented and, for certain parameters, further developed the EU legal framework. However, there is still room for improvement in areas such as stocking densities, mutilation and environmental enrichment.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keyword:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Livestock buildings, Mutilation

Go to document

Access to bedding and outdoor runs for growing-finishing pigs: is it possible to improve welfare without increasing environmental impacts?

A.K. Ruckli, S. Hörtenhuber, S. Dippel, P. Ferrari, M. Gebska, M. Heinonen, J. Helmerichs, C. Hubbard, H. Spoolder, A. Valros, C. Winckler, C. Leeb

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that the provision of bedding or access to an outdoor run to improve pig welfare can have an impact on the environment through changes in feed efficiency and manure management.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock buildings, Societal issues, Enrichment, Environment, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Housing, Pollution, livestock farming system

Go to document

European Parliament: written answer to Question E-001190/2024: Use of eggs in processed foods - a level playing field

Question: Tom Vandenkendelaere (PPE). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

Answer from the European Commission to an MEP's question on the provenance of eggs used in processed products and the tightening of regulations on the accurate labelling of these products.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Livestock buildings, Identification, Housing, Livestock farming system, Processing

Go to document

European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-001193/2024: Legislative proposals on harmonised animal welfare rules for turkeys

Question: Tom Vandenkendelaere (PPE). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

Answer from the European Commission to a parliamentary quetion on the timetable for the presentation of future legislative proposals following on from the EFSA's opinion on animal welfare and, more specifically, on turkey welfare.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Housing, Societal issues

Go to document

Gilts prefer an open pen to a stall

Ede, T., Ceribelli, M. & Parsons, T.D.

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that, when given a choice, gilts prefer to spend time in an open pen rather than in an individual stall. Intrinsic (personality) and extrinsic (time of day, experimental day) factors also influence gilts' housing preferences.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Housing, Restraint equipment, Personality, Fear

Go to document

Early human contact and housing for pigs - Part 1: responses to humans, novelty and isolation

M E Lucas, L M Hemsworth, K L Butler, R S Morrison, A J Tilbrook, J N Marchant, J-L Rault, R Y Galea, P H Hemsworth

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing the beneficial impact of early human contact on the subsequent emotional responses of piglets reared in a conventional farrowing cage or in a free-range farrowing pen.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternity, Fear, Human-animal relationships, Stress

Go to document

Impact of farrowing system and prepartum nest-building material on nest-building behaviour and farrowing in sows

V.M. Hukkinen, C. Munsterhjelm, M. Kurtti, N. Immonen, A. Valros

Published in 2024

Scientific article analyzing the impact of farrowing cages and a variety of materials provided to sows to express their nesting behavior (straw, newspaper, burlap). The article shows that free farrowing has positive effects on piglet growth, but negative effects on piglet survival in early lactation. The different nesting materials have varying effects depending on the type of farrowing system.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternity, Prenatal issues, Behavioural disorders

Go to document