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Animals
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Modern Livestock and Poultry Farming Technologies to Improve Comfort and...
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Modern Livestock and Poultry Farming Technologies to Improve Comfort and Animal Welfare Levels

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 4512

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zhonghong Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Intelligent Farming and Environmental Sciences, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Interests: animal husbandry environment engineering; environment and animal reproductive development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yao Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Intelligent Farming and Environmental Sciences, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Interests: environmental physiology of livestock; regulation of animal house environment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to our upcoming Special Issue, titled "Modern Livestock and Poultry Farming Technologies to Improve Comfort and Animal Welfare Levels".

Livestock welfare and husbandry practices are crucial to the agricultural industry, influencing animal productivity, health, and the economic sustainability of farming operations. Recently, there has been increased focus on improving animal welfare standards and optimizing husbandry techniques due to ethical considerations, as well as on their impact on production efficiency. Animal welfare includes various aspects of living conditions such as housing, feeding, healthcare, and handling practices. Advancements in husbandry, encompassing optimized feed formulations and innovative rearing equipment, contribute to better nutritional status and overall well-being. Reducing stress and pain in livestock enhances immune function, reduces disease incidence, and boosts growth rates.

This Special Issue aims to showcase and discuss the latest advancements and innovations in livestock welfare and husbandry research. By sharing cutting-edge studies and practical experiences, we seek to promote the dissemination and exchange of scientific knowledge, foster sustainable development in the livestock industry, improve animal welfare standards, and enhance breeding efficiency and economic benefits.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Animal Welfare: Measures to improve the living environment of livestock and poultry, reduce stress and pain, and study the impact of animal behavior on welfare.
  • Husbandry Management Techniques: Innovations in husbandry techniques, feed formulation optimization, nutritional supplements, and the development and application of rearing equipment.
  • Environmental Management: Optimization of livestock housing environments, waste treatment, and resource recycling.
  • Breeding and Reproduction: Methods to improve reproductive efficiency, the selection of superior breeds, and the application of gene editing and breeding technologies.
  • Behavior and Stress Research: Analysis of animal behavior, mechanisms of stress responses, and measures to alleviate stress.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Zhonghong Wu
Dr. Yao Guo
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • livestock welfare
  • husbandry techniques
  • environmental management
  • animal behavior
  • stress

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 13720 KiB  
Article
Mistimed Feeding Disrupts Metabolic Rhythm and Increases Lipid Accumulation of Growing Rabbits in Winter
by Ke-Hao Zhang, Shuai He, Quan-Gang Wang, Jun-Jiao Li, Chun-Yan Yao, Chun-Hua Shan, Lei Zhang, Zhong-Ying Liu, Peng Liu, Ming-Yong Li, Yao Guo and Zhong-Hong Wu
Animals 2025, 15(5), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15050692 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1481
Abstract
Maintaining the normal biological rhythms of livestock is of great significance for reflecting the environmental suitability and welfare level of animals. Mistimed feeding can interfere with the circadian rhythms of both humans and animals, resulting in disorders of lipid metabolism, obesity, and metabolic [...] Read more.
Maintaining the normal biological rhythms of livestock is of great significance for reflecting the environmental suitability and welfare level of animals. Mistimed feeding can interfere with the circadian rhythms of both humans and animals, resulting in disorders of lipid metabolism, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Low-temperature environment stimulates increased appetite and decreased physical activity, resulting in higher energy intake than consumption and thus facilitating fat deposition and even obesity. In this study, growing rabbits were randomly allocated to the daytime feeding (DF) group and nighttime restricted feeding (NRF) group. Our research demonstrated that, during winter, the DF regimen disrupted the behavioral rhythms of rabbits and accelerated weight gain without changing overall feed intake. The underlying reason was that DF disturbed the lipid metabolism rhythms, promoted hepatic lipid synthesis regulated by DGAT1 and lipid synthesis of adipose tissues regulated by GPAM, thus triggering fat deposition. In contrast, the NRF regimen enhanced thermogenesis regulated by T3 and elevated body temperature and facilitated ketogenesis mediated by HMGCS2, increasing energy consumption. However, it had no significant impact on the fat content within muscle. This study offers a theoretical foundation for the refinement of feeding management and healthy raising of rabbits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Livestock and Poultry Farming Technologies to Improve Comfort and Animal Welfare Levels)
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16 pages, 285 KiB  
Article
Impact of Automation Level of Dairy Farms in Northern and Central Germany on Dairy Cattle Welfare
by Lianne Lavrijsen-Kromwijk, Susanne Demba, Ute Müller and Sandra Rose
Animals 2024, 14(24), 3699; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14243699 - 21 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1735
Abstract
An increasing number of automation technologies for dairy cattle farming, including automatic milking, feeding, manure removal and bedding, are now commercially available. The effects of these technologies on individual aspects of animal welfare have already been explored to some extent. However, as of [...] Read more.
An increasing number of automation technologies for dairy cattle farming, including automatic milking, feeding, manure removal and bedding, are now commercially available. The effects of these technologies on individual aspects of animal welfare have already been explored to some extent. However, as of now, there are no studies that analyze the impact of increasing farm automation through various combinations of these technologies. The objective of this study was to examine potential correlations between welfare indicators from the Welfare Quality® Assessment protocol and dairy farms with varying degrees of automation. To achieve this, 32 trial farms in Northern and Central Germany were categorized into varying automation levels using a newly developed classification system. The Welfare Quality® Assessment protocol was used to conduct welfare assessments on all participating farms. Using analysis of variance (ANOVA), overall welfare scores and individual measures from the protocol were compared across farms with differing automation levels. No significant differences were observed in overall welfare scores, suggesting that the impact of automation does not exceed other farm-related factors influencing animal wellbeing, such as housing environment or management methods. However, significant effects of milking, feeding, and bedding systems on the appropriate behavior of cattle were observed. Higher levels of automation had a positive impact on the human–animal relationship and led to positive emotional states. Moreover, farms with higher automation levels had significantly lower scores for the prevalence of severe lameness and dirtiness of lower legs. It could be concluded that a higher degree of automation could help to improve animal welfare on dairy farms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Livestock and Poultry Farming Technologies to Improve Comfort and Animal Welfare Levels)

Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 827 KiB  
Review
Photoperiod Management in Farm Animal Husbandry: A Review
by Chenyang Li, Hang Shu and Xianhong Gu
Animals 2025, 15(4), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040591 - 18 Feb 2025
Viewed by 816
Abstract
This review aims to examine the effects of the photoperiod on farm animals and to provide insights into how lighting management can optimize production performance, reproduction, and welfare. The production performance of farm animals is influenced by a variety of factors, such as [...] Read more.
This review aims to examine the effects of the photoperiod on farm animals and to provide insights into how lighting management can optimize production performance, reproduction, and welfare. The production performance of farm animals is influenced by a variety of factors, such as diet, breed, and environment. Among these, lighting is a crucial component of the feeding environment. With the advancement of intensive farming, lighting measures are increasingly receiving attention. The photoperiod regulates the biological rhythms of animals and affects the secretion of hormones within the animal’s body, particularly melatonin. Melatonin regulates the secretion and release of several other hormones through various pathways, such as growth hormone, prolactin, and gonadotropins. Therefore, the environmental light cycle participates in a variety of physiological activities within animals. An appropriate photoperiod can enhance the production performance, reproduction performance, and welfare conditions of farm animals. Choosing the appropriate lighting duration based on different animals, physiological stages, and production purposes can enhance the economic benefits of farms. In this review, we summarized the recent findings on the impact of photoperiods in different farm animal feeding environments on animal husbandry, although research on the suitable photoperiod for some animals might be outdated and is also discussed in this article. For lactating dairy cows, calves, poultry, pigs (excluding boars), and rabbits, continuous light exposure exceeding 12 h per day can be implemented to enhance growth and production performance. In contrast, for boars and goats, daily light exposure should be limited to less than 10 h to optimize reproductive and productive efficiency. Overall, this review aimed to provide theoretical support for research on the optimal photoperiod for farm animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Livestock and Poultry Farming Technologies to Improve Comfort and Animal Welfare Levels)
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