Resources
Books
Understanding, assessing and improving animal welfare
This book, published by CABI, is intended for students in agricultural and university programs, livestock professionals, as well as anyone interested in this important issue.
Chapter 1 :
Understanding Animal Welfare
A. BOISSY, A. DE BOYER DES ROCHES, C. DUVAUX-PONTER,
R. GUATTÉO, M.-C. MEUNIER-SALAÜN, P. MORMÈDE, L. MOUNIER, COORD.
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHAIR BIEN-ÊTRE ANIMAL / VETAGRO-SUP.
Animal welfare is now one of the key concerns in our society. Improving the living conditions of farm animals requires a shift in practices. However, these changes call for a harmonization of concepts among the various stakeholders involved.
This chapter summarizes current scientific knowledge on animal sensitivity and consciousness, while also outlining the philosophical and legal history of animal welfare considerations. All of this information provides a common reference point, creating a shared understanding of what animal welfare entails.
This publication is intended for students in agricultural and university programs, livestock professionals, as well as anyone interested in this important issue. This is the first in a series of three chapters dedicated to animal welfare. The next two cover the evaluation and improvement of farm animal welfare.
Chapter 2 :
Assessing Animal Welfare
A. BOISSY, A. DE BOYER DES ROCHES, C. DUVAUX-PONTER,
R. GUATTÉO, M.-C. MEUNIER-SALAÜN, P. MORMÈDE, L. MOUNIER, COORD.
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHAIR BIEN-ÊTRE ANIMAL / VETAGRO-SUP.
Improving the welfare of farm animals requires the ability to assess their well-being—or potential suffering—at both individual and group levels. This goal may stem from a farmer’s desire for self-assessment, but it is also tied to certification processes, such as welfare labeling on farms, designed to inform consumers and support more conscious purchasing decisions. Additionally, certain legally mandated animal needs may be subject to compliance checks. To ensure that animal welfare is assessed as objectively as possible, guidelines have been developed through collaboration among various stakeholders. These frameworks, which rely on indicators tailored to factors like species, production type, animal age, or farming systems, provide essential tools for adapting evaluations to practical situations.
This chapter explores welfare indicators, their measurement, and the processes used to provide reliable insights into the well-being of animals in farming systems.
This publication is intended for students in agricultural and university programs, livestock professionals, as well as anyone interested in this important issue. This is the second in a series of three chapters dedicated to animal welfare. The first one focused on understanding animal welfare (available for purchase here and for download here). The final one focuses on improving the welfare of farm animals.
Chapter 3 :
Improving Animal Welfare
A. BOISSY, A. DE BOYER DES ROCHES, C. DUVAUX-PONTER,
R. GUATTÉO, M.-C. MEUNIER-SALAÜN, P. MORMÈDE, L. MOUNIER, COORD.
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHAIR BIEN-ÊTRE ANIMAL / VETAGRO-SUP.
After the first two chapters, “Understanding” and “Assessing,” this final chapter presents ways of improving farm animal welfare, focusing on the physical and social environment of animals, the human-animal relationship, pain management, as well as positive treatment during transport and slaughter. Certain key areas for improvement are highlighted, such as fostering positive relationships based on a better understanding of animals, integrated health management, and promoting solutions to eliminate, replace, or alleviate painful practices.
The implementation of actions must, of course, be tailored to each farm and also respect the well-being of the farmer. This approach is part of the concept of One Welfare, where the benefits for the animal, the human, and the environment are closely interconnected.
This publication is intended for students in agricultural and university programs, livestock professionals, as well as anyone interested in this important issue.
This chapter is the last in a series of three chapters dedicated to animal welfare.