Keywords : Housing

Environmental Enrichment in Rabbit Husbandry: Comparative Impacts on Performance and Welfare

El-Sabrout K., Sherasiya A.; Ahmad S., Aggag S., Nannoni E., Cavallini D., Buonaiuto G.

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Monogastric

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

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Jardin d’hiver en élevages de poulets de chair : Etat des lieux des contraintes et solutions pour sa construction et gestion

Félicie AULANIER (Chambre d'Agriculture de Bretagne), Gwenn GUILLOU (Chambre d'Agriculture de Bretagne), Laure WARIN (ITAVI)

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Societal issues, Livestock farming system

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Etude de cas – Norsk Kylling pionniers du bien-être animal et d’une production de poulets durable

CIWF Food

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Good practice guide

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock buildings, Societal issues, Environment, Housing, Living environment, One Welfare, Carcass quality, livestock farming systemTransport

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A five-domains assessment of sow welfare in a novel free farrowing system

Kate Plush, David Lines, Lauren Staveley, Darryl D'Souza, Robert van Barneveld

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock buildings, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternity, Fear, Behavioural disorders

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One Health Approach to Rabbit Farming: Balancing Act between Environmental Impact, Farmers Livelihood, and Animal Welfare

Ibikunle Funso Olaleru, Ibukun Oluwatobi Busari and Olorunfunmi Isimioluwa Solana

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific work

Animal categories:Monogastric

Keywords: Environment, Housing, One Welfare, Pollution,Societal issues, livestock farming system

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Evaluation of a scheme to identify risks for tail biting in pigs

D'Alessio RM, Mc Aloon CG, Correia-Gomes C, Hanlon A, O'Driscoll K

Published in 2024

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. 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Aggression, Aggressivity, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Housing, Mutilation, Carcass quality, Behavioural disorders

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Review: Rethinking environmental enrichment as providing opportunities to acquire information

I. Veissier, C. Lesimple, V. Brunet, L. Aubé, R. Botreau

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Learning, training, Living environment

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How to concurrently achieve economic, environmental, and animal welfare performances in French suckler cattle farms

Larissa Mysko, Jean-Joseph Minviel, Patrick Veysset, Isabelle Veissier

Published in 2024

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".

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Environment, Lactation, Housing, Living environment, One Welfare, Pollution, livestock farming system

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Neigh-bours: Why every young horse needs good friends. A pilot study during the breaking-in period

Anna Flamand, Cheyenne Zellenka, Juliette Mos, Audrey Starczan, Aurélien Polak, Odile Petit

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Animalhousing, Animal mediation, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Socialization, Stress, Behavioural disorders, Working animals

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Effect of different LED light colors on welfare, performance, some behavioral patterns, and blood parameters of Muscovy ducks

Eman Hefnawy, Eman Elgazzar, Ahmed Sabek, Saeed El-laithy, Souad Ahmed

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Housing, Behavioural disorders

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