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Veterinary Sciences
Special Issues
Animal Welfare and Healthy Farming: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
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Animal Welfare and Healthy Farming: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1532

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jianzhu Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, China
Interests: clinical microbiology; animal nutritional metabolic diseases and poisoning diseases; small animal diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will showcase cutting-edge research, comprehensive reviews, and insightful perspectives that address the integral link between animal welfare and sustainable, productive farming systems. We will highlight innovative strategies to enhance animal health, well-being, and productivity while considering ethical, economic, and environmental sustainability.

The interdependence of animal welfare and farm health is a cornerstone of modern veterinary science and ethical food production. High welfare standards are not only an ethical imperative but also fundamentally contribute to disease prevention, optimal productivity, and food safety. This Special Issue will explore the multifaceted approaches required to advance this field, from fundamental science to practical on-farm implementation.

We invite submissions of original research articles, reviews, case reports, and short communications that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Assessment and Monitoring of Welfare: Development and validation of animal-based welfare indicators (behavioral, physiological, health-related); use of sensor technologies, precision livestock farming (PLF), and AI for real-time welfare assessment;
  • Management Practices and Housing Systems: Innovations in housing, space, enrichment, and handling that promote positive welfare states across species (livestock, poultry, aquaculture);
  • Nutrition and Welfare: The role of nutrition in supporting immune function, stress resilience, and overall well-being;
  • Health and Welfare Nexus: Strategies for preventive health care, pain management, disease mitigation, and the impact of welfare on disease resistance and resilience, with an emphasis on reducing antimicrobial use through improved welfare;
  • Behavioral Needs and Mental Well-Being: Research on natural behavior expression, cognitive enrichment, and the prevention of negative affective states;
  • Ethical, Economic, and Societal Dimensions: Analysis of cost–benefit paradigms, consumer perceptions, regulatory frameworks, and certification schemes promoting higher welfare;
  • Climate Change and Welfare: Adaptation strategies for protecting animal welfare under changing environmental conditions and extreme weather events;
  • One Welfare Perspectives: Exploring the interconnections between animal welfare, human well-being, and environmental sustainability.

Prof. Dr. Jianzhu Liu
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. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2100 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

  • ethology
  • microbiology
  • infectious diseases
  • toxicology
  • genetics

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 293 KB  
Article
Animal Welfare, Carcass-Processing Practices and Post-Mortem Lesions in Nigerian Municipal Slaughterhouses: Implications for Meat Quality and Public Health Security
by Emmanuel O. Njoga, Jameslove I. Kperegbeyi, Onyinye S. Onwumere-Idolor, Uzezi G. Imonikebe, Chidiebere O. Anyaoha, Lynda O. Majesty-Alukagberie, Joel C. Ugwunwarua, Nnaedozie E. Onah and James W. Oguttu
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(5), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13050439 - 30 Apr 2026
Viewed by 681
Abstract
This five-month epidemiological investigation evaluated pre-slaughter welfare, carcass-processing practices, and post-mortem lesion prevalence in 1012 cattle and 413 pigs slaughtered in Enugu State, Nigeria. Direct observations and post-mortem inspections were conducted following OIE standards. Animal welfare was markedly compromised. Cattle were dragged from [...] Read more.
This five-month epidemiological investigation evaluated pre-slaughter welfare, carcass-processing practices, and post-mortem lesion prevalence in 1012 cattle and 413 pigs slaughtered in Enugu State, Nigeria. Direct observations and post-mortem inspections were conducted following OIE standards. Animal welfare was markedly compromised. Cattle were dragged from the lairage to kill floor, restrained in lateral recumbency for over 30 min before bleeding, and slaughtered without stunning. Pigs were transported tied to motorcycles and processed on unsanitary floors. The lairages lacked roofing, clean water, and adequate drainage. Carcass handling was unhygienic, with meat processed near maggot-infested drains and transported in open vans or motorized tricycles used to commute passengers and cement. Of all cattle examined, 45.3% (458/1012) exhibited gross lesions attributable to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP, 15.5%), fasciolosis (18%), liver abscessation (6.6%), ascariasis (4.6%), and bovine tuberculosis (0.5%). No lesions were detected in pigs. Lesion occurrence differed significantly (p < 0.05) by sex (males = 44.1%, females = 66.7%), age (<4 years = 54.1%, ≥4 years = 45.4%), breed (White Fulani = 45.5%, others = 36.7%), slaughterhouse location, and season (rainy = 45.2%, dry = 45.5%). Temporal analysis showed the highest lesion rate in April (68.3%), declining to 37.7% in May. Lesions of CBPP and fasciolosis were significantly more frequent in young cattle and during the rainy months (p < 0.05). These findings reveal systemic welfare violations and disease endemicity within the municipal abattoirs surveyed. The combination of poor pre-slaughter welfare, unhygienic meat handling, and high prevalence of zoonotic and economically important livestock disease lesions highlights urgent public health concerns. Strengthening abattoir infrastructure, enforcing pre-slaughter animal welfare and hygiene regulations, mechanizing slaughter processes, and instituting continuous surveillance within the One Health framework are essential for ensuring meat safety and public health security in Nigeria and beyond. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Healthy Farming: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives)
16 pages, 1872 KB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Abattoir-Based Measures and On-Farm Pig Welfare Indicators in Italian Fattening Heavy Pigs
by Lucia Scuri, Matteo Recchia, Federico Scali, Claudia Romeo, Antonio Marco Maisano, Giovanni Santucci, Camilla Allegri, Marta Masserdotti, Miriam Tenuzzo, Adriana Ianieri, Sergio Ghidini and Giovanni Loris Alborali
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(4), 361; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13040361 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 495
Abstract
Animal welfare monitoring is essential in pig production. On-farm animal welfare (AW) assessments may provide a comprehensive overview but are resource-intensive. Abattoir-based assessments allow pigs from multiple farms to be inspected in a single facility. However, data on the relationship between these assessments [...] Read more.
Animal welfare monitoring is essential in pig production. On-farm animal welfare (AW) assessments may provide a comprehensive overview but are resource-intensive. Abattoir-based assessments allow pigs from multiple farms to be inspected in a single facility. However, data on the relationship between these assessments remain limited, especially for heavy pigs (160–170 kg). This study investigates these associations in Italian heavy pig production. At the abattoir, 18,333 pig carcasses from 185 batches across 86 farms were scored for tail, skin (cranial and caudal) and ear lesions. On-farm AW assessments (management, structures and animal-based measures) were obtained from the national surveillance system (ClassyFarm). Tail lesion scores were higher in pigs with intact tails, whereas ear scores showed the opposite trend, suggesting a substitution effect between tail and ear biting. This indicates that tail docking is insufficient to fully prevent abnormal behaviours. Higher skin and ear scores were associated with suboptimal management, but tail scores were not, likely due to the multifactorial nature of tail biting. Herd size had no significant effect on welfare indicators. These results highlight the complexity of assessing AW and the importance of combining abattoir and farm data to obtain a more integrated monitoring system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Healthy Farming: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives)
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