Assessing and Improving Farm Animal Welfare
A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 149
Special Issue Editor
Interests: animal welfare; animal behavior; animal hygiene; farm animals; companion animals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
From its beginnings, the scope of animal welfare science has been to help humans evaluate and improve the welfare of farmed species. While welfare is an intrinsic attribute of each individual animal—something that cannot be directly provided by anyone—we, as humans, have the responsibility to create conditions that allow them to achieve the highest possible welfare quality. Although the initial focus of animal welfare assessments was on physical health, production parameters, and environmental conditions, we now recognize the importance of fulfilling the animals' psychological needs as well. This shift has led us to explore their emotions and feelings, using careful observation and interpretation of their behavior, providing additional parameters for welfare assessment protocols. Another important trend in animal welfare research is the understanding that good welfare is more than the absence of problems. Effective welfare improvement not only addresses issues but also promotes positive welfare elements. Thus, validating parameters of positive welfare is now a key area for future research. Even if we already have a solid knowledge base, ongoing scientific creativity is needed to advance our understanding of how to assess and improve farm animal welfare in practical settings.
We invite you to submit high-quality original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore protocols, methods, or techniques not only for investigating farm animal welfare but also for translating these assessments into actionable improvements. We look forward to receiving your contributions to advance the welfare of these species.
Prof. Dr. Silvana Popescu
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- animal welfare
- welfare assessment
- welfare-improving procedures
- positive welfare parameters
- welfare indicators
- farm animals
- management practices
- human–animal relationship
- transport
- productive performance
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