Subject: Health /Diseases

Bien-être : la France bon élève en poulet, selon le Better Chicken Commitment

Sheila Kolani

Published in 2024

ChickenTrack 2023 has assessed the commitment of 85 companies to animal welfare on chicken farms, showing an encouraging increase from 39% to 65% of European companies who publicly reported on their work for transition under the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) in 2023. In France, of the 34 companies assessed, 68% published information on their progress.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Identification, Housing, Societal issues

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Trade-offs in the externalities of pig production are not inevitable

Bartlett H, Zanella M, Kaori B, Sabei L, Araujo MS, de Paula TM, Zanella AJ, Holmes MA, Wood JLN, Balmford A

Published in 2024

Scientific study examining the trade-offs between environmental costs (land use, GHG emissions and use of antimicrobials) and animal welfare costs in pig farming systems. Despite the common view that trade-offs are unavoidable, the study suggests that a focus on reducing impacts within existing systems rather than changing farming type offers the best way to avoid these trade-offs and mitigate externality costs.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Antibiotic resistance, Livestock buildings, Societal issues, Environment, Risk management, Living environment, Pollution, Livestock farming system

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Ad libitum feeding systems for lactating sows: effects on productivity and welfare of sows and piglets

Sarah C. Gorr, Christine Leeb, Werner Zollitsch, Christoph Winckler, Thomas D. Parsons

Published in 2024

Scientific article evaluating the effects of three ad libitum feeding systems on the productivity and welfare of suckling sows. Results show that sows fed ad libitum convert feed more efficiently for better piglet growth without additional weight loss. With these systems, sows spend more time feeding, which would meet the pigs' behavioral need to forage.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

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

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n°10089 : Garantir une transition pour un élevage sans cage

Question: Mrs Sandra Regol (Ecologist - NUPES - Bas-Rhin). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2024

Response from the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty to an MP's question on the EU's commitment to ban cage farming.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock buildings, Housing, Restraint equipment

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The behavior and welfare of neglected species: some examples from fish and mammals

Bukhari SSUH, Parkes RSV, Sneddon LU, McElligott AG

Published in 2024

Synthesis of concepts and methods for assessing animal welfare through the study of behavior, illustrated by work on certain "neglected" species (buffalo, camels, donkeys, mules and lumpfish). The authors conclude that there is an extreme lack of balance in the species generally studied in research on animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Camelids, Equines, Fish, Ruminants

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Working animals, Welfare indicators, Animal mediation, Behavioural disorders

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What We (Don't) Know about Parrot Welfare: A Systematic Literature Review

Andrea Piseddu, Yvonne van Zeeland, and Jean-Loup Rault

Published in 2024

Synthesis of the scientific literature examining potential welfare indicators applicable to pet parrots. The study identifies indicators such as behavioral changes (activity level, social interactions, exploration), body measurements (weight, plumage condition) and abnormal behaviors. These results serve as a starting point for work on a species that is rarely studied. 

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal Categories:Birds (excluding poultry)

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressiveness, Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators, Behavioural disorders

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The Human-Animal Bond: The shared health benefits and existing barriers

Zoetis, FECAVA and HABRI

Published in 2024

Report describing the bond between humans and companion animals and the two-way benefits brought by the relationship. The report examines the wider implications of improved pet-friendly policies.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, One Welfare, Human-animal relationships, Socialization

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Research Note: Welfare and stress responses of broiler chickens raised in conventional and animal welfare-certified broiler farms

Kwon Byung-Yeon, Lee Hyun-Gwan, Jeon Yong-Sung, Song Ju-Yong, Kim Sang-Ho, Kim Dong-Wook, Kim Chan-Ho, Lee Kyung-Woo

Published in 2024

Study comparing the welfare of broilers reared on conventional and welfare-certified farms. Chickens on the certified farm scored lower hock burn and feather dirtiness and had better gait scores, although corticosterone levels in feathers were higher, warranting further study.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Welfare indicators, Housing, Carcass quality, Robustness, Behavioural disorders

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Audit report: Evaluate the effectiveness of official controls to protect the welfare of cattle kept for beef production in France

Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission

Published in 2024

Audit report assessing the effectiveness of official controls to protect the welfare of cattle in France. While the audit concludes overall that the system of animal welfare controls on cattle farms features competent staff, appropriate guidance and coordination, and effective implementation of comprehensive inspections, the implementation of risk-based planning is inadequate in some departmental directorates, as it fails to take account of relevant factors such as activities carried out by operators (dehorning, tethering). The absence of verification procedures prevents authorities from being able to demonstrate that controls are achieving their objectives. The report contains recommendations for the competent authorities.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Education, Restraint equipment, Mutilation, Livestock farming system

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