Keywords: Weaning

Scientific study measuring the effectiveness of a Calf Grimace Scale (CGS) for assessing pain and stress. VGS scores increase after castration, but also under the effect of external factors such as separation from the mother. The VGS can therefore identify acute pain and also detect stress in calves.

Meta-analysis identifying practices such as ad libitum feeding, early intake of solid feed, housing in social groups and appropriate pain management as conducive to the welfare of veal calves, using a five-domain model approach.

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.

Scientific article demonstrating that early social enrichment encourages socialization with unfamiliar conspecifics during post-weaning, while object enrichment (burlap) allows pigs to divert their attention and limits aggressive behavior and the biting of conspecifics. Both types of enrichment can improve pig behavior and welfare after weaning.

Analysis of a survey carried out in the US to gain an understanding of dairy calf farmers' perceptions of the practice of allowing prolonged contact between mother and calf. The survey concludes that the foster cow system was the preferred alternative to conventional early separation, followed by restricted suckling systems. The lowest-ranked alternative system was free contact between calf and mother.

Scientific review of alternative piglet management strategies to reduce weaning stress. These include the pre-weaning grouping of piglets from different litters and intermittent suckling. Their effects on post-weaning pig behavior, performance, mortality, gastrointestinal function and immunocompetence are described.

Review of the natural behaviors of young stock from the three major dairy breeds, and of farming practices currently employed for these young animals. It lists alternative practices that can meet the expectations of the public and consumers in terms of animal welfare, as well as those of farmers on improving their profession's public image and the way their products are sold.

Scientific paper to examine the effects of the complete elimination of painful procedures and of reducing weaning stressors in the living conditions of piglets on a commercial farm. This form of management resulted in improved innate immunity at weaning, fewer and less severe body lesions but more tail lesions than in the control pigs.

Translation in French of Chapter 4 of the book Husbandry interventions in suckling piglets, painful consequences and mitigation

Systematic review of the literature showing that the indicators relating to housing that are used to measure the welfare of sows in the post-weaning and early gestation periods are mainly physiological and health-related. There is a lack of studies on the effects of housing on the mental welfare of sows during this period of their reproductive cycle.