scholarly journals Animal Welfare Management in a Digital World

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Buller ◽  
Harry Blokhuis ◽  
Kees Lokhorst ◽  
Mathieu Silberberg ◽  
Isabelle Veissier
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
Daily Monitoring ◽  
Multiple Sensors ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Wide Range

Although there now exists a wide range of policies, instruments and regulations, in Europe and increasingly beyond, to improve and safeguard the welfare of farmed animals, there remain persistent and significant welfare issues in virtually all types of animal production systems ranging from high prevalence of lameness to limited possibilities to express natural behaviours. Protocols and indicators, such as those provided by Welfare Quality, mean that animal welfare can nowadays be regularly measured and surveyed at the farm level. However, the digital revolution in agriculture opens possibilities to quantify animal welfare using multiple sensors and data analytics. This allows daily monitoring of animal welfare at the group and individual animal level, for example, by measuring changes in behaviour patterns or physiological parameters. The present paper explores the potential for developing innovations in digital technologies to improve the management of animal welfare at the farm, during transport or at slaughter. We conclude that the innovations in Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) offer significant opportunities for a more holistic, evidence-based approach to the monitoring and surveillance of farmed animal welfare. To date, the emphasis in much PLF technologies has been on animal health and productivity. This paper argues that this emphasis should not come to define welfare. What is now needed is a coming together of industry, scientists, food chain actors, policy-makers and NGOs to develop and use the promise of PLF for the creative and effective improvement of farmed animal welfare.

Farm animal welfare: the future.

2020 ◽  
pp. 173-190
Author(s):  
Alistair Stott ◽  
Bouda Vosough Ahmadi
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
The Future ◽  
Animal Welfare Science

Abstract Science can help us understand what animals want and economics can provide the understanding of human motivation needed to deliver such wants. In our view, what needs further development in future is for economics and information/communication science and technology to channel awareness into appropriate action. This chapter elaborates on this idea by providing some illustrative examples. Focusing on animal health and welfare, it argues that there is much scope for improvement in profit and welfare on commercial farms simply by adopting the best disease management approach available. We also emphasize the importance of systems modelling and operations research (OR) in the future to ensure that animal welfare taps into the growing opportunities that developments in these methods are likely to bring. The chapter also argues that OR can provide a bridge between animal welfare science, economics and business to deliver improvements in animal welfare through food markets. The importance of big data and precision livestock farming in livestock production/reproduction, animal health and welfare, and the environmental impact of livestock production are also discussed. New genetic approaches to optimize livestock resilience and efficiency are highlighted. We argue that tackling difficult problems, such as sustainability (that encompasses animal welfare alongside environment and climate change), efficiency and resilience in farm animal production systems, is and will remain a vital focus of research in the agri-food sector. Research methods and governance still need to change to properly reflect this. It is envisaged that animal welfare will be affected by these developments and should, wherever appropriate, be explicitly considered.

Invited review: Importance of animal health and welfare for the stability of the three pillars of sustainability of livestock systems

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-214
Author(s):  
P. Chemineau
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Strong Interactions ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Livestock Systems

The future livestock systems at the world level will have to produce more in the perspective of the population increase in the next 30 years, whereas reducing their environmental footprint and addressing societal concerns. In that perspective, we may wonder if animal health and animal welfare, which are two essential components of production systems, may play an important role in the stability of the three pillars of sustainability of the livestock systems. We already know that objectives driven by economy, environment and society may modify animal welfare and animal health, but is the reverse true? The answer is yes and in 11 cases out of 12 of the matrix health-welfare×3 pillars of sustainability×positive or negative change, we have many examples indicating that animal health and animal welfare are able to modify, positively or negatively, the three pillars of sustainability. Moreover, we also have good examples of strong interactions between health and welfare. These elements play in favour of an holistic approach at the farm level and of a multicriterial definition of what could be the sustainable systems of animal production in the future which will respect animal welfare and maintain a good animal health.

The ethical basis of intensive livestock production systems

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 266-266
Author(s):  
G. Gatward
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Animal Rights Movement ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
The Impact

Many of the ethical issues regarding the livestock production systems of the late twentieth century have concentrated on the process of intensification. The extent of public disquiet at the welfare and ethical implications of intensification has been reflected in the burgeoning membership of animal welfare and animal rights organisations. The reasons for this increase as well as the impact that it has had on the livestock industry can be traced back to the 1960s, to factors such as the growing urbanisation of the population and especially the emergence of the animal rights movement which focused attention on a wide range of issues including the human exploitation of other animal species. This in turn led to a demarcation between those who supported the animal welfare cause and those who argued for animal rights.

scholarly journals Organic Livestock Production: A Bibliometric Review

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 618
Author(s):  
Carmen L. Manuelian ◽  
Mauro Penasa ◽  
Luciana da Costa ◽  
Sara Burbi ◽  
Federico Righi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Annual Growth Rate ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Bibliometric Review ◽  
Main Production ◽  
Organic Livestock Production

Due to the increasing interest in organic farming, an overview of this research area is provided through a bibliometric analysis conducted between April and May 2019. A total of 320 documents were published up until 2018 on organic livestock farming, with an annual growth rate of 9.33% and a clear increase since 2005; 268 documents have been published in 111 journals. Germany is the country with the largest number of published papers (56 documents). Authors’ top keywords (excluding keywords used for running the search) included: animal welfare (29 times), animal health (22 times), cattle (15 times), grazing (10 times), and sheep (10 times). This could indicate that more research has been done on cattle because of the importance of this species in Germany. Moreover, the prevalence of the terms ‘animal welfare’ and ‘animal health’ may indicate that the research on organic livestock production has been focused on these two areas. The bibliometric analysis indicates that: (i) countries focused the organic livestock production research on their main production, and (ii) more research in species other than cattle and sheep is needed.

The ethical basis of intensive livestock production systems

2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 245-245
Author(s):  
G. Gatward
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Animal Rights Movement ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
The Impact

Many of the ethical issues regarding the livestock production systems of the late twentieth century have concentrated on the process of intensification. The extent of public disquiet at the welfare and ethical implications of intensification has been reflected in the burgeoning membership of animal welfare and animal rights organisations. The reasons for this increase as well as the impact that it has had on the livestock industry can be traced back to the 1960s, to factors such as the growing urbanisation of the population and especially the emergence of the animal rights movement which focused attention on a wide range of issues including the human exploitation of other animal species. This in turn led to a demarcation between those who supported the animal welfare cause and those who argued for animal rights.

scholarly journals Livestock production systems in the marginal upland and lowland areas of Inopacan Leyte, Eastern Visayas, Philippines

2014 ◽  
pp. 199-219
Author(s):  
Warren Come ◽  
Philippine Dianne Zamora
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Plant Residues ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Vegetation Diversity ◽  
Feed Resources ◽  
Agricultural Income

The study was conducted to obtain a baseline data of different livestock production systems, vegetation survey and animal environment interactions in the marginal upland in Eastern Visayas. A total of 280 farmer respondents were interviewed using an interview questionnaire. Vegetation species were gathered and validated with its genus and species group. Animal environment interactions particularly with chicken were also assessed. Results showed that chickens were the dominant species present in the study sites compared to other species. But in terms of total livestock units (TLU), buffaloes have higher TLU compared to other species of animals. Farmer’s income is mostly from the agricultural income with less than 20% of agricultural income was obtained from livestock farming. Livestock only serves as buffer income incase crops will fail. Different husbandry systems are used by the farmers such as free range system for chicken, ducks and turkeys while pigs are raised in confinement or caged system. Ruminant productions are raised in a tethering system of production. Natural breeding practice is still practiced by farmers and traditional animal health practices are still evident in this marginal upland. Ruminants graze in different vegetation diversity in grasslands and under the coconut trees. Likewise, plant residues of banana, coconut and root crops are also used as feed resources of farmer respondents. Grass and herb species that are palatable to the animals are diverse also especially in grassland areas. Availability of feed resources in the area plays a crucial role also on how animals interact with the environment and may affect also with their feeding behavior when there are changes in the climatic conditions. Preliminary result of the study on animal environment interaction shows that chickens tend to change their feeding itineraries due to availability of feed resources, environmental temperature and rainfall.

Animal health and welfare in organic livestock production – a review of the current situation

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 238-238
Author(s):  
M. Hovi
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Conventional Systems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Organic Livestock Production ◽  
Organic Standards

According to the EC Regulation 1804/99, health and welfare of organic livestock should be promoted primarily by preventive measures using appropriate breeds, feeds and feeding practices and husbandry techniques for the species in question and by implementing stable social conditions for breeding animals (CEC, 1999). Whilst the EC Regulation on organic livestock production came into force fairly recently in August 2000 and has hardly had a chance to have an impact on existing organic production systems, there is a growing body of epidemiological evidence on the impact of organic management on the health and welfare of livestock. Furthermore, a three-year networking project, the Network for Animal Health and Welfare in Organic Agriculture (NAHWOA), between 17 institutes from 13 different EU countries has recently published their conclusions and recommendations on animal health and welfare in organic production systems (Anon, 2002). A recent review of literature (Hovi et al., in press) and the NAHWOA conclusions suggest that animal health situation in organic livestock systems is similar to that found in conventional systems. Some differences in the prevalence of different conditions exist. A typical example of higher dry period but lower lactation period levels of mastitis in organic than in conventional systems is presented in Figure 1. It has been suggested that the minimal organic standards and their implementation via certification procedure are likely to provide several preconditions for good living conditions for farm animals (Sundrum, 2001), and the NAHWOA concludes that the current evidence supports the claim that organic livestock production often provides better welfare than conventional production systems, particularly by providing more freedom for species-specific behaviour for livestock. It has, however, been suggested that the organic standards do not necessarily provide a balanced approach to animal welfare and that some conflicts between welfare aims and other organic farming objectives may exist (Anon, 2002). An example of how experts perceive the impact of organic standards on animal welfare is given in Figure 2.

scholarly journals Overcoming the Pandemic through Viral Poetry Games: The Phenomenon of Coronavirus-Inspired Digital Acrostic Poetry in South Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-71
Author(s):  
Christina Han
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Political Campaigns ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korea in winter 2019, acrostic poems on the three-syllable word “Corona” became viral on major search engines and social media platforms across the country. The composition of acrostic poems, particularly in three lines, has been a popular cultural phenomenon in Korea since the 1980s when it became a participatory literary exercise and game featured on television entertainment shows. The digital revolution in the 2000s allowed the writing and sharing of these short and whimsical poems to expand into various digital platforms. Since 2010, PC and mobile games have been developed to further enhance the ludic approach to acrostic poetry composition and contests. While facilitating individual creativity, and as an interactive and ludic way of community building and branding, acrostic poetry contests have also been used to promote social and political campaigns and consumer products. This paper will investigate poetry games and contests of acrostic poems on the Coronavirus featured on South Korean digital platforms. It will analyze the various games and contests organized by schools, communities, consumer product brands, and social media circles. The poems, composed by children and adults, display a wide range of messages involving self-reflection, social campaign, political criticism, and subversive wordplay. Together, these viral poems and contests promoted values of collaboration, competition, and social exchange during the pandemic. All in all, the paper explores the viral powers of language and language art in the digital world, as well as digital poetry’s connections to networked self, social mobilization, and online activism.

scholarly journals Pig Farming in Alternative Systems: Strengths and Challenges in Terms of Animal Welfare, Biosecurity, Animal Health and Pork Safety

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Delsart ◽  
Françoise Pol ◽  
Barbara Dufour ◽  
Nicolas Rose ◽  
Christelle Fablet
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Alternative Systems ◽  
Conventional Farms ◽  
Real Challenge

In pig production, the widespread conventional indoor system with a slatted floor currently dominates. However, this production system is becoming less socially acceptable. In addition to general environmental protection issues, animal welfare, the absence of suffering and distress, and the management of pain also constitute societal concerns. In this context, alternative production systems are gaining ground. Although they are popular with consumers and other citizens, these alternative systems have their critical points. Here, we reviewed the international scientific literature to establish the state of the art of current knowledge regarding welfare, biosecurity, animal health and pork safety in this type of farming system. In general, alternative farms give pigs the opportunity to express a broader range of behaviours than conventional farms. However, the management of feeding, watering, temperature and predators is often more complicated in these outdoor systems. In addition, biosecurity measures seem to be applied less strictly in alternative farms than in conventional farms, especially in free-range systems, where they are more difficult to implement. On the other hand, pigs kept in these farming systems seem to be less affected by respiratory diseases, but parasitism and piglet crushing (in farrowing units) both remain a real challenge. Furthermore, the higher prevalence of many zoonotic pathogens in these farms may represent a risk for human health.

scholarly journals Smart Products in Livestock Farming—An Empirical Study on the Attitudes of German Farmers

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1055
Author(s):  
Sirkka Schukat ◽  
Heinke Heise
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
General Trust ◽  
Smart Products ◽  
Smart Farming ◽  
Livestock Farmers

In recent years, the fourth industrial revolution has found its way into agriculture. Under the term smart farming, various so-called smart products are offered that may positively influence both the daily work of farmers and animal welfare. These smart products can collect data from the farm, extract important information, and in some cases even make decisions independently. Particularly in Germany, where intensive livestock farming is criticized by society, such smart products could make a significant contribution to improving animal welfare. However, an important prerequisite is the acceptance of the users, who are usually the livestock farmers themselves. So far, there is little knowledge about farmers’ attitudes towards smart products in livestock production. In this study, a factor analysis and a cluster analysis are conducted to evaluate the attitudes of German livestock farmers towards smart products. Based on the analysis of an online questionnaire in which German livestock farmers (n = 422) participated, four clusters could be derived. The main distinguishing characteristics of the clusters are the influence of the social environment, the expected effort for implementation, the general trust in smart products, and the technology readiness of the farms. As a result, this study provides valuable insights for technology providers of smart products for livestock farming as well as for policy makers.

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