Subject: Health /Diseases

Observational study: effect of varying transport durations and feed withdrawal on the physiological status and health of dairy calves

van Dijk, Luca L., Siegmann, Susanne, Field, Niamh L., Sugrue, Katie, van Reenen, Cornelis G., Bokkers, Eddie A. M., Conneely, Muireann, Sayers, Gearoid

Published in 2025

Study evaluating the impact of transport and fasting on the physiology and health of unweaned calves. The results show that the physiological changes observed on arrival were related more closely to the duration of feed deprivation rather than that of transport, although muscle fatigue was more marked in calves that had travelled the longest.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Transport

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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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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002402/24: New evidence of breaches of EU law during transport of Irish calves

Question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Answer from the European Commission to a report from an MEP of serious breaches of the rules governing the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to Europe, including falsified documents and unsuitable conditions. The Commission, which is concerned by these practices, is following up the case, and the Irish authorities have launched an investigation into the animal collection center involved.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal trade, Pain, Euthanasia, Abuse, Transport

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-002112/24: Serious concerns regarding animal cruelty during animal transport in Austria

Question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mr Varhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Answer to a qiuestion from an  MEP on two recent cases of animal cruelty during transport in Austria. The Commission points out that it is for Member States to apply EU rules, and that new, stricter rules governing exports are currently under discussion.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Animal trade, Pain, Education, Abuse, Mutilation, Transport

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Lighting quality evaluation on growth performance and feather pecking behavior of broilers

Chenghao Pan, Rong Xiang, Jinming Pan

Published in 2025

Study examining the effect of light color on the pecking behavior and growth of Youhuang broilers. Although light did not influence growth, the cold white light group showed more severe plumage damage and lower serotonin levels than the warm white or red light groups. Warm white light is recommended, as it is more user-friendly and limits pecking.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Aggression, Aggressiveness, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Behavioural disorders

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Modèles comportementaux conduisant à la caudophagie

G. Gambarini

Published in 2025

Article on the behavioral variations that characterize tail-biting episodes in pigs.  Two-stage, sudden-violent, and obsessive patterns of behavior each require specific interventions. Early detection, environmental enrichment and reduced competition for resources are essential factors in preventing and managing this behavior.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Pain, Enrichment, Risk management, Housing, Behavioural disorders

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Q2E on nutrition and tail biting - EURCAW-Pigs

EURCAW-Pigs

Published in 2025

Answer to a question put to EURCAW-Pigs concerning the relationship between nutrition and tail biting in pigs. The European Reference Centre considers that access to sufficient water and feed (rich in fiber) is essential to prevent this behavior.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Pain, Enrichment, Risk management, Housing, 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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Measuring on-farm welfare in rabbits: a review with emphasis on animal-based indicators

Trocino A, Tolini C.

Published in 2024

Study proposing a roadmap for the assessment of rabbit welfare by integrating multi-dimensional indicators, particularly those for positive and negative affective states.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Monogastric

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

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Effects of space allowance on behaviour during lairage, stress physiology, skin lesion scores, and meat quality of market pigs transported in an actively ventilated vehicle in the winter

Vanessa Pasquale, Luigi Faucitano, Nicolas Devillers, Sabine Conte, Renée Bergeron

Published in 2024

Study evaluating the impact of winter transport on pig pwelfare and meat quality. The results show that the location of pigs in the vehicle (upper vs. lower deck) has a greater effect than the space available, influencing their behavior, meat quality and certain blood parameters. Pigs transported in the upper deck are exposed to colder temperatures, affecting muscle brightness and behavior.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Carcass quality, Stress, Transport, Behavioural disorders

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