Keywords: Welfare indicators

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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The Importance of Evaluating Positive Welfare Characteristics and Temperament

Sharmaine L. Miller, James A. Serpell, Kathryn R. Dalton, Kaitlin B. Waite, Daniel O. Morris, Laurel E. Redding, Nancy A. Dreschel, Meghan F. Davis

Published in 2022

Scientific review of physiological and behavioural indicators of positive welfare that could be used to assess the welfare status of therapy dogs, recommending that the individual personalities of the dogs be taken into account.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Human-animal relationships, Welfare indicators

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The welfare of dogs and cats during transport in Europe: a literature review

Alessandra Tateo, Leonardo Nanni Costa, Barbara Padalino

Published in 2022

Scientific review summarising the European regulations on the welfare of dogs and cats during transport, documenting the negative effects of transport, and suggesting how to mitigate the latter using a scientific evidence base.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Stress, Transport

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Humans and Goats: Improving Knowledge for a Better Relationship

Stefania Celozzi, Monica Battini, Emanuela Prato-Previde, Silvana Mattiello

Published in 2022

Scientific review of human-goat relationships, discussing how they communicate, what factors affect their relationship, and what factors affect human-goat interactions.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Caprines

Keywords: Human-animal relationships, Stress,Welfare indicators

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Responsive approaches for improving inspection processes

EURCAW-Pigs

Published in 2022

Summary of approaches that veterinary inspectors can use to improve communication during livestock welfare inspections, including paired inspections, participatory group training, training on maintaining motivation, and in delivering bad news. 

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords: Welfare indicators

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Preslaughter handling and slaughter of meat animals

Luigi Faucitano

Published in 2022

Announcement of a book on the slaughter preparation and slaughter of animals for human consumption. After a general chapter on welfare assessment using animal-based indicators, individual chapters are devoted to different species: cattle, fish, horses, pigs, poultry, sheep and non-traditional slaughter species. The book ends with a chapter on mobile slaughter.

Document Types: Scientific work

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

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Restraint equipment, Human-animal relationships, Weaning, Transport

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