Subject: Parasitism

Behavioural adaptations of livestock to environmental stressors: implications for welfare and productivity

Oke OE, Eletu TA, Akosile OA, Fasasi LO, Adeniji OE, Ojedokun MZ, Oni AI

Published in 2025

Synthetic article analyzing behavioral adaptations associated with environmental stressors in livestock and emphasizing the importance of assessment tools and targeted management strategies for the improvement of animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

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Review - Restricted access to pasture and inadequate grazing in ruminants and equines

Brunet Valentin, Fusi Francesca, Bernardo Tiziano, Canali Elisabetta, Ruet Alice, Faye Bernard, Aubé Lydiane

Published in 2025

Synthesis from EURCAW Ruminants & Equines on the provision of access to pasture, which encourages the expression of natural behaviors and improves the health and well-being of ruminants and equines, notably through enhanced locomotion, enriched social interactions and good quality feed. However, it is not without some risks (animals can suffer from nutritional deficiencies, thermal stress, and locomotory and health disorders such as parasitism), calling for the appropriate management of resources, the environment and animal health.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep, Ruminants

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Machine Vision Applications for Welfare Monitoring in Aquaculture: Challenges and Opportunities

Fitzgerald, A., Ioannou, C.C., Consuegra, S., Dowsey, A. and Garcia de Leaniz, C.

Published in 2025

Review article examining the practical applications of AI for monitoring animal welfare in aquaculture. Detection of diseases, parasites and stress-related behaviors remains limited, not least because of the practical difficulties of observations on commercial farms. Algorithmic advances such as YOLO could improve the accuracy and adaptability of these systems.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Precision farmingIdentification, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Stress, Behavioural disorders

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Farmed yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor; Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) welfare: species-specific recommendations for a global industry

Barrett, M., Godfrey, R.K., Schnell, A., & Fischer, B.

Published in 2024

Review examining the factors influencing the welfare of yellow mealworms in farming, such as abiotic conditions, nutrition, intra/interspecific interactions and slaughter methods. Practical recommendations and research directions are suggested that would improve and anticipate welfare issues in this rapidly expanding sector.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Euthanasia, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Stress

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The carbon cost of impaired welfare on sheep farms

L. Lanzoni, M.C. Reeves, K. Waxenberg, R. Ramsey, A.S. Atzori, J. Bell, R.M. Rees, G. Vignola, C.M. Dwyer

Published in 2025

Study analyzing the impact of animal welfare on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on sheep farms in the UK. Degraded welfare scenarios (lameness, parasites, inadequate feed, insufficient shelter) are shown to increase emissions intensity (kg CO2eq/kg liveweight) by reducing production efficiency. The results show that targeted interventions to improve animal welfare can reduce GHGs while optimizing farm performance.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Ovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Environment, Living environment, livestock farming system

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Farmed cricket (Acheta domesticus, Gryllus assimilis, and Gryllodes sigillatus; Orthoptera) welfare considerations: recommendations for improving global practice

Rowe, E., Robles López, K.Y., Robinson, K.M., Baudier, K.M., & Barrett, M.

Published in 2024

Article on a study evaluating various factors affecting the welfare of the three main species of cricket bred for animal and human consumption. The article makes recommendations for improving the conditions under which they are farmed 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Euthanasia, Euthanasia, Abuse, Living environment, Pain, Education, Stress, Transportation

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Influence of deep-litter bedding materials on environmental and welfare-related factors in boar studs

Anine Riedel, Laura Pieper, Matthias Lautner, Claus Leiding, Markus Jung, Martin Schulze

Published in 2024

Scientific article describing the variations in temperature, pen cleanliness (in winter), and fly load (in summer) between different bedding materials supplied to breeding boars. The authors recommend the use of wooden materials as deep litter due to their lesser heat build-up and to avoid litter replacement during summer.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

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

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L’élevage porcin en systèmes alternatifs : atouts et défis en termes de bien-être animal, biosécurité, santé animale et sécurité sanitaire

Maxime Delsart, Françoise Pol, Barbara Dufour, Nicolas Rose, Christelle Fablet

Published in 2023

Article presenting the advantages and disadvantages of alternative pig farming systems in terms of animal welfare, biosecurity, animal health and public health challenges.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Environment, Living environment, One Welfare, Resilience, Robustness, Livestock farming system, Pathogen transfer

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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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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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