Keywords: Welfare indicators

Application of deep learning for livestock behaviour recognition: A systematic literature review

A. Bohan, M.S. Rafaq, M.J. Hasan, F. Asghar, A.K. Bashir, T. Dottorini

Published in 2024

Systematic literature review listing and describing deep learning systems already in use to recognise farm animal behaviors, covering the behaviors involved, their descriptions in the studies, estimates of their accuracy and precision, and their limitations.

Document Types: Scientific review

Category of animals: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines

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

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Review: Exploring the use of Precision Livestock Farming for small ruminant welfare management

C. Morgan-Davies, G. Tesnière, J.M. Gautier, G.H.M. Jørgensen, E. González-García, S.I. Patsios, E.N. Sossidou, T.W.J. Keady, B. McClearn, F. Kenyon, G. Caja, L. Grøva, M. Decandia, L. Cziszter, I. Halachmi, C.M. Dwyer

Published in 2024

Scientific review identifying the main welfare problems of small ruminants and the associated indicators, along with 24 precision farming technologies that could measure these indicators, of which 12 are sensors measuring data derived from animal-based indicators.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Goats, Sheep

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

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Welfare of sheep and goats during killing for purposes other than slaughter

EFSA Panel of Animal Health and Welfare

Published in 2024

EFSA opinion assessing the risks and welfare implications associated with on-farm slaughtering of sheep and goats. It proposes animal-based measures to assess these risks, and preventive and corrective measures to mitigate them.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Goats, Sheep

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Euthanasia, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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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

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Effects of single- or pair-housing on the welfare of shelter dogs: Behavioral and physiological indicators

Hecker G, Martineau K, Scheskie M, Hammerslough R, Feuerbacher EN

Published in 2024

Scientific article reporting that dogs housed in pairs in shelters, even for a short time, exhibit fewer stress-related behaviors (lip licking, whining, and ears back) than dogs housed individually. In addition, the urinary cortisol:creatinine levels in non-isolated dogs were lower.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords: Adoption, Animal-based measurements,Abandonment, Behavioural disorders, Housing, Socialization, Stress, Welfare indicators

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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

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Consumers across five European countries prioritise animal welfare above environmental sustainability when buying meat and dairy products

Jeanine Ammann, Gabriele Mack, Nadja El Benni, Shan Jin, Paul Newell-Price, Sophie Tindale, Erik Hunter, Victoria Vicario-Modroño, Rosa Gallardo-Cobos, Pedro Sánchez-Zamora, Simona Miškolci, Lynn J. Frewer

Published in 2024

Analysis of a survey among meat and dairy consumers in five European countries showing that freshness, quality/taste and animal welfare are the characteristics considered to be most important. Environmental factors such as food miles, carbon footprints and organic production appear to bew less important, even if they are perceived as useful.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Bovines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Education, Carcass quality, Environment, Carcass quality, Pollution, Livestock farming system, Welfare indicators, Processing, Societal issues

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Quantification of play behaviour in calves using automated ultra-wideband location data and its association with age, weaning and health status

J. A. Vázquez-Diosdado, C. Doidge, E. V. Bushby, F. Occhiuto and J. Kaler

Published in 2024

Article describing a quantification method that can automatically detect play behavior in rearing calves using location data from ultra-wideband sensors. The occurrence and duration of play behavior decreases with age, disease and increasing temperature, while play behavior increases during and after weaning. Play behavior is potentially a positive welfare indicator.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Weaning

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A field approach to observing changes in behavioural welfare indicators over 2 years in stabled horses

A. Ruet, J. Lemarchand, C. Briant, C. Arnould, L. Lansade

Published in 2024

Article describing behavioral variations in stabled horses at 2-year intervals. Among the welfare indicators observed at the individual level, aggressive behaviour towards humans increased, while resting postures decreased. Other observed behaviours (stereotypies, withdrawal, alert and observation postures) did not change significantly over time.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Aggression, Aggressiveness, Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators, Housing, Personality, Human-animal relationships, Behavioural disorders

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Accelerometers Contribution to the Knowledge of Domestic Cats' (Felis catus) Behavior: A Comprehensive Review

Serena Prigent Garcia, Alia Chebly

Published in 2024

Scientific review of the potential value of bio-loggers to analyze activity patterns and biological rhythms in domestic cats.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Felines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Behavioural disorders

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