Understanding, Assessing and Improving Farm Animal Welfare

Part 1: Understanding Animal Welfare

1. Societal Expectations – Consumer demand and institutional awareness.
2. Historical Development – Philosophical roots and key texts.
3. Regulations – European, national, and global frameworks.
4. Animal Sentience – Scientific basis for emotional and cognitive awareness.
5. Welfare Definitions – Harmony, adaptation, and the Five Freedoms.

Part 2: Assessing Animal Welfare

1. Assessment Indicators – Animal-based vs. environment-based indicators.
2. Animal-Based Indicators – Behavioral, physiological, and health markers.
3. Indicator Validation – Specificity, feasibility, and repeatability.
4. Integration Process – Herd-level and individual data scoring.
5. Protocols – Welfare Quality® and other assessment methods.
6. New Technologies – Tools and ethical concerns in welfare assessment.

Part 3: Improving Animal Welfare

1. Physical and Social Environments – Improving conditions with enrichment.
2. Animal-Human Interactions – Enhancing relational practices.
3. Health Management – Addressing risks through integrated management.
4. Pain Management – Detection and the “3S principle.”
5. Genetics – Using genetics to improve welfare.
6. Transport and Slaughter – Reducing stress and improving conditions.
7. Conclusion: ‘One Welfare’ – A unified approach to animal welfare.