Keywords: Welfare indicators

Study of the CAP measures and instruments promoting animal welfare and the reduction of antimicrobial use

Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Published in 2022

Study assessing the overall positive impact of the CAP on improving animal welfare and reducing the use of antimicrobials in livestock production. It notes, however, the lack of performance indicators and recommends that more widespread measures should be implemented, with a common European methodology, that indicators adequate to the task should be developed and that mandatory labelling should be extended to more livestock sectors.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Environment, Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Lesson learned in big data for dairy cattle: advanced analytics for heat stress detection

Stefano Benni, Marco Bovo, Miki Agrusti, Mattia Ceccarelli, Alberto Barbaresi, Daniele Torreggiani, Patrizia Tassinari

Published in 2022

Publication on the use of big data to improve sustainability and animal welfare in addition to productivity, in dairy farming. If the data is properly managed, it can be used to model early diagnosis and prevention strategies.  This modelling technique has been developed and tested for the assessment of the impact of heat stress.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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

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Is Smart Farming Making Life Worse for Farmed Animals?

Karen Asp

Published in 2022

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.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

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

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European Institute for Animal Law and Policy

Maria Rodrigues da Costa, Alessia Diana

Published in 2022

Scientific review showing that, in farm animals, a high level of animal welfare often leads to lower use of antimicrobials (UAM) and that a low level of welfare was associated with higher UAMs. In organic systems, restrictions on UAMs may however prevent animals from receiving treatment when needed.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords: Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Final report of an audit of Spain carried out from 20 September 2021 to 01 October 2021 in order to evaluate the protection of the welfare of laying hens at all stages of production

DG SANTE

Published in 2022

DG SANTE report concluding that the Spanish administrative and legal framework is generally sufficient to ensure effective official controls on animal welfare. It points out minor differences in some of the procedures of the autonomous States and suggests how they could be remedied. 

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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The Relationships between Damaging Behaviours and Health in Laying Hens

Virginie Michel, Jutta Berk, Nadya Bozakova, Jerine van der Eijk, Inma Estevez, Teodora Mircheva, Renata Relic, T. Bas Rodenburg, Evangelia N. Sossidou, Maryse Guinebretière

Published in 2022

Scientific review of the detrimental behaviours and health risks that can result from sub-optimal housing and/or rearing conditions in systems offering an alternative to cages for laying hens. Due to the increased social interaction, the risk of harmful behaviours and infectious diseases is increased. Preventive monitoring of the behaviour and health of hens is therefore needed.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Positive Effects of Elevated Platforms and Straw Bales on the Welfare of Fast-Growing Broiler Chickens Reared at Two Different Stocking Densities

Frédérique Mocz, Virginie Michel, Mathilde Janvrot, Jean-Philippe Moysan, Alassane Keita, Anja B. Riber, Maryse Guinebretière

Published in 2022

Scientific paper to evaluate the welfare benefits of raised beds and straw bales for fast-growing broilers as a function of stocking density. It confirms that environmental enrichment improves welfare at all stocking densities, and that reducing stocking density is a powerful lever for improving welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Risk factors associated with the welfare of grazing dairy cows in spring-calving, hybrid pasture-based systems

R.E. Crossley, E.A.M. Bokkers, N. Browne, K. Sugrue, E. Kennedy, B. Engel, M. Conneely

Published in 2022

Scientific paper identifying 14 risk factors associated with one or more welfare indicators during the grazing season on hybrid dairy farms. Many of the risk factors were related to the period spent indoors, suggesting that the potential effects of housing management on welfare persist into the grazing period.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

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

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Study on animal welfare labelling

DG (SANTE)

Published in 2022

Report presenting the findings of the study conducted by the Commission's (DG SANTE) on consumer awareness of animal-welfare standards and the demand for additional information. It also describes existing animal-welfare labelling schemes in the EU and assesses their design and impact.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Poultry

Keywords:Societal issues, Livestock farming system, Welfare indicators

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Editorial: Grazing Behavior and Welfare of Ruminants

Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho, Pablo Gregorini

Published in 2022

Scientific editorial reminding readers of our ethical and social duty to ensure the welfare of animals in general, and of grazing animals in particular. It recalls how cattle have evolved on grasslands and have adapted to grazing conditions. It identifies the stressors for grazing animals and proposes ways to mitigate their effects on the animals.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Living environment, Stress, Welfare indicators

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