There is an increasing trend toward broiler production systems with higher welfare requirements. Breed and stocking density are considered key factors for broiler welfare that are often specified as criteria for such higher welfare systems. However, it remains unknown how slower-growing broilers...

Factors that have been shown to impact the welfare of group-housed sows are discussed in this review. Floor space allowance markedly affects sow welfare. In addition to quantity of floor space, the quality of space is important: spatial separation between sows can be provided with visual or...

The physiological consequences of overstocking require more investigation, and no research has explored whether dietary supplements could mitigate the anticipated negative physiological effects. OmniGen AF (OG, Phibro Animal Health Corporation, Teaneck, NJ, USA) is a nutritional supplement that has ...

The aim of this work was the assessment of feeding and housing of dairy cows in two housing systems. The study was accomplished in 15 dairy farms with tie-stall system and in 12 farms with free stalls, in Transylvania, in the period when the cows were housed. The feeding and housing assessment was...

The aim of the current study was to determine individual animal variability in rumination, activity, and lying behavior during the periparturient period within the context of dairy cattle nutrition, social, and physical environment. Holstein animals (nulliparous = 77, parous = 219) from one...

Damaging behaviours, such as tail biting, are common problems in pig production, compromising animal welfare and causing economic losses. Detailed studies are impeded by laborious direct observations. Tail biting is a broader phenomenon that begins long before lesions manifest, and behavioural...

Increasing space allowance and enhancing environmental enrichment are two approved solutions to improve pig welfare in modern housing systems, while limited research regarding their interactions could be found. To determine the proper stocking density for growing pigs under China's production...

Relative performance of stocking densities and types of artificial shelters in the nursery production of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii in net cages was assessed. For the effects of stocking density, giant freshwater prawn juveniles (mean= 0.2 g ±0.001) were cultured in 12...

In a context of evolving concern over housing conditions of farmed rabbits, we developed a housing system that allows access to an outdoor area. The aim was to study the health status, growth and behaviour of rabbits raised at two stocking densities with access to a paddock, or not. We distributed...

The EU directive from 1999 banned cage housing for laying hens. Therefore farmers changed their system to alternatives e.g. floor pens. But within a short time period severe misbehaviour like feather pecking up to cannibalism has been found to be a major problem of such kind of housing. This study...