Subject: Health /Diseases

Final report of an audit of Italy carried out from 7 February to 2 May 2022 in order to evaluate the protection of unweaned calves during long journeys

EU Commission

Published in 2023

DG SANTE audit report concluding that Italy has invested significant resources in official controls concerning the welfare of calves during transport, but that there are inconsistencies in these official controls that have not been corrected.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

Go to document

Final report of an audit of Portugal carried out from 14 March to 4 July 2022 in order to evaluate animal welfare controls during transport by livestock vessel to non-EU countries

EU Commission

Published in 2023

DG SANTE audit report concluding that the official controls carried out by Portugal on sea carriers and livestock vessels prior to loading are adequate and effective in minimising the risk of injury or undue suffering for animals during transport by livestock vessels to third countries.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

Keywords:Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

Go to document

Visites sanitaires obligatoires dans la filière porcine : lancement de la campagne 2023-2024

French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2023

Technical Instruction giving details on the implementation  of the 2023-24 on-farm visit programme for pig welfare.  The visits are intended to check that farmers are familiar with the relevant regulations, to give them advice tailored to their farms, to make them aware of the risks involved in tail docking and to remind them of the regulations concerning tail docking, on-farm welfare advisors and the cessation of castration of piglets without anaesthetic.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords: Working animals, Animal mediation, Enrichment, Risk management, Mutilation, Human-animal relationships, Pain,, Stress, Welfare indicators

Go to document

The Future of Farming in the EU

Eurogroup for Animals

Published in 2023

Report presenting Eurogroup for Animals's vision for the future of agriculture by 2050. It includes the reversal of the plant/animal protein ratio in human food; a net decrease in the number of farm animals; a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the food industry; improved public health; and greater consideration for the feelings of animals.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Biodiversity, Societal issues, Environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Human-animal relationships, Livestock farming system

Go to document

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

Go to document

Ending routine farm antibiotic use in Europe. Achieving responsible farm antibiotic use through improving animal health and welfare in pig and poultry production.

Cóilín Nunan

Published in 2023

Report showing that European countries with the lowest antibiotic use are also those with the highest minimum legal standards for animal welfare, reducing the routine systematic use of antibiotics to a minimum, with 90% of antibiotics administered on an individual basis. It makes recommendations for policy, reduction targets, and animal husbandry practices  that can reduce antibiotic use in pig and poultry production.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Societal issues, One Welfare, Livestock farming system

Go to document

Glucocorticoids in relation to behavior, morphology, and physiology as proxy indicators for the assessment of animal welfare. A systematic mapping review

Inga Tiemann, Lisa B. Fijn, Marc Bagaria, Esther M. A. Langen, F. Josef van der Staa3, Saskia S. Arndt, Cathalijn Leenaars, Vivian C. Goerlich

Published in 2023

A systematic review of the literature to determine whether glucocorticoid levels are a relevant indicator of animal welfare. It found that interventions that supposedly affect glucocorticoid levels do not always do so, and when they do, the changes in level are not always accompanied by changes in the associated welfare endpoints of behavior, morphology and physiology.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators, Stress

Go to document

European Parliament: Written answer to question E-003889/2022: Online sale of dog and cat poisons

Question: Francesca Donato (NI). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2023

Written answer to a question on whether the European Commission is aware of online sales of poison baits for cats and dogs under the misleading term "repellents", asking what measures it intends to take to prevent them.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Societal issues, Abuse, Human-animal relationships

Go to document

Assessing welfare risks in unowned unsocialised domestic cats in Denmark based on associations with low body condition score

Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Ida Sofie Thuesen, Helena Mejer, Jørgen Steen Agerholm, Stine Thorsø Nielsen, Pikka Jokelainen, Stig Milan Thamsborg, Peter Sandøe

Published in 2023

Scientific paper showing that there is a co-occurrence of a low body condition score (BCS) and health factors in unsocialized, ownerless domestic cats in Denmark. These factors include the presence of skin and ear ectoparasites, gastrointestinal disorders, dental lesions, and a positive FIV test. The authors conclude that a low CCN may indicate more than the stage of emaciation,also indicating less visible welfare impairments.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Felines

Keywords:Abandonment, Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adoption, Societal issues, Population management

Go to document

Behavior of dairy cows managed outdoors in winter: Effects of weather and paddock soil conditions

Heather W. Neave, Karin E. Schütz, Dawn E. Dalley

Published in 2022

A scientific paper to determine the effects of weather and paddock soil conditions on the lying, feeding and rumination behavior of dairy cows kept in the open during winter. The authors show that in bad weather or muddy soil conditions, resting periods were shortened or even non-existent. They suggest that previous rainfall events and the presence of surface water should be used as indicators that resting times, and hence the welfare of outdoor dairy cows, may be negatively impacted.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Housing, Living environment, Resilience

Go to document