Subject: Food

Welfare of calves

Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gortazar Schmidt, Mette Herskin, Virginie Michel, Miguel Ángel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Paolo Pasquali, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop and Christoph Winckler

Published in 2023

EFSA opinion identifying fifteen highly relevant negative welfare consequences, the most common being respiratory disorders, inability to engage in exploratory or foraging behavior, gastroenteric disorders and group stress. It recommends a space provision of at least 3m2 per calf, keeping the calf with its mother for a minimum of 24 hours, after which calves should be kept in stable groups and soft bedding should be provided.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal adaptation, Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Livestock farming system, Societal issues

Welfare implications on management strategies for rearing dairy calves: A systematic review. Part 1-feeding management

Patricia Carulla, Arantxa Villagrá, Fernando Estellés, Isabel Blanco-Penedo

Published in 2023

Systematic review of the literature identifying feed replacement, colostrum and weaning as the main issues in  managing dairy calves that impact health and welfare. They play a role in a calf's physiology and health, emotional state and cognitive judgment.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock farming system

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Dietary fiber and its role in performance, welfare, and health of pigs

: Ł. Grześkowiak , E.-M. Saliu , B. Martínez-Vallespín , J. R. Aschenbach , G. A. Brockmann, M. Fulde , S. Hartmann , B. Kuhla , R. Lucius , C. C. Metges , H. J. Rothkötter , W. Vahjen , A. G. Wessels, J. Zentek

Published in 2023

Scientific review on the use of dietary fiber for sows, piglets and fattening pigs, and its positive aspect on health and welfare if ration concentrations are respected and if their fermentability is taken into account. Little is known about their effects on intestinal function and gut microbiota.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment

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Welfare considerations for farming black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): a model for the insects as food and feed industry

M. Barrett, S.Y. Chia , B. Fischer, J.K. Tomberlin

Published in 2023

Scientific review of factors that may influence the welfare of black soldier flies in commercial farming. It identifies the major issues and the farming conditions that cause them, suggesting areas for research to improve our understanding of the welfare of black soldier flies and, more generally, of farmed insects.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords: Livestock farming system, Stress,Welfare indicators

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Feeding time in horses provided roughage in different combinations of haynets and on the stable floor

Hanna Lundqvist, Cecilia Elisabeth Müller

Published in 2022

Scientific article testing different feeding methods for horses in order to increase the time spent seeking food and feeding. It finds that the addition of straw to the feed, regardless of the feeding method, will achieve this goal.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords: Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment

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Does diet affect tail biting in pigs?

Samaneh Azarpajouh

Published in 2022

Technical article listing and explaining the dietary factors that impact tail biting in pigs: instestinal microbiota, diet composition, protein and amino acid imbalances.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Pain, Enrichment, Societal issues, Mutilation

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Area and Resource Utilization of Group-Housed Horses in an Active Stable

Frederik Hildebrandt, Kathrin Büttner, Jennifer Salau, Joachim Krieter Irena Czycholl

Published in 2022

Scientific article on the use of different areas of an active stable by group-housed horses. The extent to which different areas are used depends mainly on the individual, and some areas are used more, such as the feeding stalls. The study shows preferences for certain types of bedding.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment

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The Importance of Natural Feeding Behaviour for Horse (Equus caballus) Welfare

Sandra Brolin

Published in 2022

Academic paper stating that welfare levels in horses on pasture are better than in those kept in stables, particularly because of the opportunity pasture provides to express  their natural feeding behaviours. Alternative methods of feeding or feed distribution are suggested that could improve the welfare of stabled animals.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords: Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment

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Review: Assessment of dairy cow welfare at pasture: measures available, gaps to address, and pathways to development of ad-hoc protocols

L. Aubé, M.M. Mialon, E. Mollaret, L. Mounier, I. Veissier, A. de Boyer des Roches

Published in 2022

Scientific review of the benefits and risks of grazing for dairy cows, measures that can be used to assess the welfare of cows on pasture, and the knowledge gaps that need to be filled to develop specific welfare indicators.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Robustness, Stress

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Practices and issues of moulting programs for laying hens: a review

R. Mishra, B. Mishra, Y. S. Kim, R. Jha 

Published in 2022

Scientific review on the methods used on laying hen farms to trigger and end moulting, along with the animal welfare problems they cause.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Stress, Livestock farming system

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