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Animals
Special Issues
Livestock Welfare in Extensive Production System
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Livestock Welfare in Extensive Production System

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Welfare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 3913

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mario Baratta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
Interests: precision livestock farming; animals; technological and economic aspects in farming animals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will delve into innovative strategies to improve animal welfare across all livestock species reared in extensive systems, where ethical and sustainable practices are essential. The contributions emphasize how welfare improvements align with enhanced food quality, ensuring that responsible practices lead to superior products. Advanced technologies, such as biosensors and biomarkers, are explored as groundbreaking tools for monitoring and promoting animal well-being.

Addressing the broader ecological context, this Special Issue examines the critical role of biodiversity and the pressing challenges posed by climate change, highlighting the importance of resilient and adaptive farming systems. Furthermore, life cycle assessment methodologies offer a comprehensive framework to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of extensive livestock farming, supporting its sustainability.

By including all species of livestock commonly raised in extensive systems, this Special Issue provides a holistic perspective, fostering innovation at the intersection of animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and food production. It is a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to advancing sustainable agricultural practices.

Prof. Dr. Mario Baratta
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • animal welfare
  • food quality
  • extensive systems
  • biosensors
  • biomarkers
  • biodiversity
  • climate change
  • life cycle assessment

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1150 KB  
Article
Differential Expression of Hypothalamic Genes in Laying Hens Housed in Caged and Cage-Free Systems Under Commercial Conditions in the Tropics
by Roy Rodriguez-Hernández, María Paula Herrera-Sánchez, Rafael Suárez-Mesa, Edgar Oviedo-Rondón and Iang Schroniltgen Rondón-Barragán
Animals 2026, 16(4), 671; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16040671 - 20 Feb 2026
Viewed by 475
Abstract
Global consumers have ongoing concerns about the effects of animal production systems on animal welfare and their effects on quality attributes of food products from intensive production systems [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livestock Welfare in Extensive Production System)
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16 pages, 2755 KB  
Article
Outdoor Rearing and Behavioural Patterns in Diverse Rabbit Breeds: An Exploratory Study
by Luigia Bosa, Gloria Bernabucci, Francesca Di Federico, Lorenzo Nompleggio, Marta Vispi, Laura Menchetti, Alessandro Dal Bosco, Simona Mattioli, Riccardo Primi, Pedro Girotti and Cesare Castellini
Animals 2025, 15(24), 3562; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15243562 - 11 Dec 2025
Viewed by 766
Abstract
EU regulations on organic rabbit farming are relatively recent, and scientific evidence on key technical aspects remains limited. Outdoor systems may improve health and welfare by allowing natural behaviours, but their effectiveness depends on management practices, environmental conditions, and breed. The objective of [...] Read more.
EU regulations on organic rabbit farming are relatively recent, and scientific evidence on key technical aspects remains limited. Outdoor systems may improve health and welfare by allowing natural behaviours, but their effectiveness depends on management practices, environmental conditions, and breed. The objective of this study was to explore breed-related differences in rabbit behaviour under outdoor rearing conditions. A total of 15 Leprino di Viterbo (LV) and 15 New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were weaned at 29 days of age and reared under outdoor conditions until 84 days of age, during October and November. All animals had ad libitum access to a commercial pelleted diet and pasture, and the intake of both was measured weekly. Animal behaviour was monitored by video recording, and eight one-minute sample intervals per day were analysed using focal sampling and continuous recording methods. Grass intake and estimated digestible energy (DE) were assessed on a weekly basis. Data were analysed using Generalized Estimating Equations to evaluate the effects of time, time of day, and breed. Behavioural patterns varied depending on genetic strain and time of day. Notably, LV rabbits exhibited a higher frequency of grazing and active behaviours compared to NZW rabbits, whereas NZW rabbits showed a higher frequency of resting behaviours and social contact. Breed-related differences in other behaviors and in grass intake patterns were not statistically robust. In conclusion, LV rabbits appear to be better adapted to outdoor conditions, exhibiting a greater pasture utilization, but further studies are recommended to confirm these findings and to evaluate their robustness across different seasonal and environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livestock Welfare in Extensive Production System)
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18 pages, 1279 KB  
Article
Integrative Multivariate Analysis of Milk Biomarkers, Productive Performance, and Animal Welfare Indicators in Dairy Cows
by Daniela Elena Babiciu, Florin Ioan Beteg, Mihai Cenariu, Anamaria Blaga Petrean, Sorin Marian Mârza, Eva Andrea Lazar and Silvana Popescu
Animals 2025, 15(21), 3202; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15213202 - 3 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1045
Abstract
Animal welfare is increasingly recognised as a core component of sustainable dairy production, yet objective assessment at the herd level remains challenging. This study evaluated whether milk biomarkers can serve as non-invasive indicators of cow welfare. Thirty-seven dairy farms were assessed using the [...] Read more.
Animal welfare is increasingly recognised as a core component of sustainable dairy production, yet objective assessment at the herd level remains challenging. This study evaluated whether milk biomarkers can serve as non-invasive indicators of cow welfare. Thirty-seven dairy farms were assessed using the Welfare Quality® protocol and various milk analysis parameters. As a first line of results, Spearman correlations revealed strong associations between milk biomarkers and welfare indicators. For example, a higher fat-to-protein ratio was linked to better feeding, lower prevalence of hunger, and improved human–animal relationships. In contrast, elevated somatic cell count and differential somatic cell count were associated with mastitis, lameness, dirtiness, and reduced emotional well-being. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), three dimensions were identified, health–hygiene, socio-behavioural, and metabolic stress, explaining 44.7% of variance. K-means clustering distinguished three herd profiles: feeding–metabolic balance, behavioural–comfort, and clinical–hygiene risk. These findings demonstrated that routine milk biomarkers provide integrated, non-invasive information on herd health, behaviour and, comfort. Incorporating routine milk analysis into welfare assessments can support the early detection of issues, facilitate evidence-based decision-making, and promote sustainable dairy management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livestock Welfare in Extensive Production System)
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Review

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22 pages, 1753 KB  
Review
Climate Change and Livestock Welfare in the Alps: A Comprehensive Review
by Paolo Cornale, Roberto Senatore, Luca Maria Battaglini and Mario Baratta
Animals 2025, 15(24), 3578; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15243578 - 12 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1056
Abstract
Extensive livestock production systems are characterised by low-input, high-nature-value farming practices, which are particularly significant for maintaining biodiversity, sustaining rural livelihoods, and preserving cultural heritage [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livestock Welfare in Extensive Production System)
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