Keywords : Housing

Summary article describing environmental stress and its negative impacts on rabbit welfare and productivity, causing disease and problem behavior. Environmental enrichment helps reduce this stress by meeting the natural behavioral needs of rabbits, thereby improving their welfare and performance.

Technical summary outlining the challenges involved in meeting public expectations and private sector specifications when installing winter gardens on standard broiler farms. These areas, recommended by the EFSA to improve animal welfare, offer advantages but also pose technical, economic and management challenges, particularly in terms of ventilation and investment costs.

Case study on how Norwegian producer Norsk Kylling has adapted its chicken production to comply with the European Chicken Commitment (ECC) criteria, combining  profitability, animal welfare and sustainability. The measures described include lower stocking densities, slower-growing breeds and more humane slaughter methods.

Study showing that sows housed in a maternity ring (MR) have better welfare than those in farrowing crates, with fewer frustration-related behaviors and injuries and less medication required for piglets. Assessment using the five-domain framework reveals a more positive emotional state for sows housed in MR.

Book chapter describing rabbit farming as a sustainable solution to meeting demand for meat while having a low environmental impact, thanks to the feed conversion efficiency and low land and resource requirements of rabbits. However, challenges include the need to ensure adequate space to avoid stress and health problems and to guarantee animal welfare.

Study evaluating a tail-biting risk assessment program on 27 pig farms. Results showed little correlation between management practices and tail-biting risk, despite identifying areas for improvement such as stocking density, enrichment provision and incidence of tail docking. The study underscores the need to improve the training of assessors. 

Scientific overview exploring environmental enrichment, designed to improve the welfare and cognitive abilities of animals in captivity. Enrichment provides animals with the means to acquire information by interacting with their environment, thereby promoting adaptation. This approach suggests that complex and varied environments are more enriching than simply prolonging exposure to stimuli, even if the former are neutral or slightly negative.

Study showing that young horses benefiting from daily social interaction during breaking-in show less abnormal behavior and stress than those isolated in individual stalls. The routine integration of social contact improves the welfare and relaxation of horses during training, suggesting that this feature could be beneficial in equestrian centers.

Study demonstrating that it is possible to reconcile the needs of economic, environmental and animal welfare performance on suckler cattle farms by synchronizing the animals' nutritional requirements with grass availability. Optimized farming practices, such as the choice of calving season and management of body reserves, are crucial to achieving this "multi-performance".

Study evaluating the impact of different LED light colors on the welfare of Muscovy ducks. Blue light proved particularly beneficial, reducing feather pecking, tonic immobility time, and cortisol levels, while it improved feather condition without affecting growth.