Subject: Interspecies relationships

Dairy vs beef production - expert views on welfare of cattle in common food production systems

Roi Mandel, Marc B.M. Brackec, Christine J. Nicold, John A. Webster, Lorenz Gygax

Published in 2022

Scientific paper in which 70 experts estimated and compared levels of welfare in the most common cow meat and milk production systems in their countries. The experts estimated that the overall probability of a state of positive welfare was higher for animals from suckler herds than from dairy herds.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Livestock farming system

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Heterospecific Fear and Avoidance Behaviour in Domestic Horses (Equus caballus)

Anna Wiśniewska, Iwona Janczarek, Izabela Wilk, Ewelina Tkaczyk, Martyna Mierzicka, Christina R. Stanley, Aleksandra Górecka-Bruzda

Published in 2022

Scientific paper showing that the avoidance response of horses to cows was similar to or greater than that to a new moving object, suggesting that neophobia and heterospecific communication play a role in this response.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measures, Stress

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Horses' attentional characteristics differ according to the type of work

Céline Rochais, Mathilde Stomp, Mélissa Sébilleau, Mathilde Houdebine, Séverine Henry, Martine Hausberger

Published in 2022

Scientific article testing the influence of work type, age, sex and breed of horses on their attentional characteristics. It shows that attentional characteristics are strongly related to the type of work the horses are trained for. Horses from equestrian centres had longer and less fragmented attention spans, the sporting activities of eventing horses were correlated to the fragmentation of attention.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Learning, training, Cognitive processes

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A "Good Life" for Dairy Cattle: Developing and Piloting a Framework for Assessing Positive Welfare Opportunities Based on Scientific Evidence and Farmer Expertise

Jessica E. Stokes , Elizabeth Rowe, Siobhan Mullan, Joy C. Pritchard, Rachel Horler, Marie J. Haskell, Cathy M. Dwyer, David C. J. Main

Published in 2022

Scientific paper on the development of a framework for assessing positive welfare in dairy cows, based on science and tested by British farmers. The test revealed that farmers value the positive welfare of their cows and would support a positive welfare assessment.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Human-animal relationships, Welfare indicators

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Our industry, our standards - Principles Of Animal Welfare In Ireland's Horse Racing Industry

Horse Racing Ireland

Published in 2022

A booklet developed by all those involved in Irish horse racing to get the latest scientific knowledge put into practice to ensure good welfare levels in racehorses.

Document Types: Good practice guide

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords: Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships

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Preliminary validation of a novel tool to assess dog welfare: The Animal Welfare Assessment Grid

Rachel Malkani, Sharmini Paramasivam, Sarah Wolfensohn

Published in 2022

Scientific paper to adapt the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG), a welfare assessment method previously validated for other species, to dogs, suggesting how  this tool could be hosted on an accessible and easy-to-use online platform

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Human-animal relationships, Welfare indicators

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Multiple handlers, several owner changes and short relationship lengths affect horses' responses to novel object tests

Océane Liehrmann, Alisa Viitanen, Veera Riihonen, Emmi Alander, Sonja E. Koski, Virp iLummaa, Léa Lansade

Published in 2022

Scientific paper showing that the parameters for a horse's previous and current interactions with humans (number of owners, regular handlers, familiarity and duration of relationship with handler) affect its distrust of new objects or situations

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Anxiety, Enrichment, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Bien-être animal… parlons plutôt du bien-être des animaux

Pierre Mormède, Alain Boissy, Pierre Le Neindre

Published in 2022

Article reviewing the history of animal welfare definitions since the 1960s, and supporting the idea that it relates to individuals and is based on an animal's feelings and experiences.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords: Animal-based measurements, Adaptation of the environment to the animal , Pain, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Livestock farming system

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Welfare of domestic birds and rabbits transported in containers

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

Published in 2022

EFSA scientific opinion on the protection of domestic birds and rabbits during transport. The main welfare consequences during loading and unloading are handling stress, injury, restriction of movement and sensory hyperstimulation; those while travelling and on arrival are injury, restriction of movement, sensory hyperstimulation, movement stress, heat, cold, prolonged hunger and prolonged thirst. These welfare consequences and the indicators measured on the animals are described. The hazards that cause them, and recommendations on how to avoid such hazards and to correct or mitigate their effects on welfare  are presented.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Pain, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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Welfare of pigs during transport

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

Published in 2022

EFSA scientific opinion on the protection of pigs during transport. Ten main welfare consequences were identified: group stress, stress during handling, heat stress, injuries, stress from movement, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, restriction of movement, problems resting and sensory hyper-stimulation. These welfare consequences and Animal-based measurements for them are described. The hazards that lead to these consequences and recommendations to prevent such hazards and to correct or mitigate their welfare consequences are presented.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Pain, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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