Search Results (4,191)

Global greenhouse gas reduction targets are applied to many sectors in many countries, as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions mandated within the Paris Agreement (climate). However, industrialized animal farming is typically missed out or deprioritized. This is despite suggestions that excluding this sector would automatically result in global failure to meet 1.5 °C and potentially even 2 °C maximum temperature rise targets, even if fossil fuel use were to immediately cease. To foster further discussion and assessments about the need for such targets in relation to industrialized animal farming, this study collated and analyzed recent studies on the impacts of industrialized animal farming on the environment. Of the 579 items initially retrieved, 47 studies were shortlisted. Over three quarters (n = 37, 79%) of the shortlisted studies were unequivocal concerning the significant negative impact industrialized animal farming has had, and continues to have, on climate change and broader environmental concerns—between 12 and 20% of all annual global greenhouse gases, and 50%, 32%, and 76% of all food-originating eutrophication, soil acidification, and land use, respectively. This all creates immense contributions to biodiversity loss, which itself further aggravates climate change. The remaining studies did not assert that industrialized animal farming had an insignificant impact; however, their findings complicated the picture in one way or another (e.g., suggesting suboptimal measuring methods) or they had flawed methodologies. As a matter of urgency, the present paper recommends that targets for significant reductions in levels of animal production and consumption should be incorporated into discussions and policies for tackling the climate crisis, such as at COP30. Full article

Adverse effects of transportation arise from the buildup of various stressors, which collectively compromise animal welfare. This study aimed to assess short-term behavioral responses, physiological stress, and meat quality as indicators of welfare in Japanese Black cattle on arrival at the slaughter facility. A total of 154 animals from different production farms were observed. Generalized linear mixed models were used, with fixed effects including animal type, weight, season, source, loading size, distance, transport experience, and their interaction with time periods. Significant post-transport behaviors and elevated cortisol concentration were observed, particularly in heifers, lighter animals, those transported in summer, from multiple farms, at high loading sizes, or without prior transport experience. Steers, heavier animals, and the same farm groups yielded higher carcass weights, while cattle transported under low loading size had improved marbling scores and a higher probability of achieving A5-grade carcasses. These findings suggest that management practices should focus on animals most susceptible to transport stress and strategies such as mitigating heat stress, transporting animals from the same production farm, and reducing loading sizes should be implemented to improve welfare and meat quality upon arrival. Full article

The human gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of microorganisms fundamental to human health, influencing metabolism, immunity, and neurological function. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in this microbial community, is increasingly linked to a range of chronic diseases, from inflammatory bowel disease to metabolic syndrome. This article explores the therapeutic potential of several common botanicals in modulating the gut microbiota and promoting intestinal health. We delve into the phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties of nine medicinal plants: globe artichoke, aloe vera, German chamomile, pot marigold, Ceylon cinnamon, dandelion, fennel, garlic, ginger, and green tea. We focus on their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and prebiotic effects. The article also discusses the scientific evidence supporting their use, acknowledges the limitations of current research, and highlights considerations for safe and effective application. We conclude by summarising the significant role of these herbal remedies in modern complementary medicine and proposing future research directions to further elucidate their mechanisms of action and optimise their use for gut health. Full article

In recent years, animal welfare has become a high priority in livestock production systems owing to the pressure to balance environmental sustainability, productivity, and ethics as demand continues to grow. This review presents the latest advances in small ruminant welfare, with emphasis on the effects of climate change, the main new innovative managerial and husbandry methods, and the use of precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies. In the first part, this review will examine how climate change is already re-shaping environmental and physiological conditions for farmed sheep and goats, with rising heat stress and negative impacts on both productive and reproductive performance. Secondly, more recent advances in small ruminant management will be presented, including improved housing systems, nutritional strategies, and behavioral monitoring, aimed at enhancing animal resilience and performance. Finally, particular focus will be given to the use of PLF tools for assessing milk quality and monitoring animal welfare. Evidence suggests that real-time monitoring technologies and sensor systems can accurately capture physiological and production parameters and provide an early sign of stress or health issues. Overall, the findings suggest that an integrated approach, combining climate adaptation strategies, welfare management, and the integration of precision technologies can serve as a key driver toward more ethical, sustainable, and resilient livestock production systems. Full article

The assessment of animal welfare in rehabilitation settings is a critical aspect of effective care, yet typical metrics often fail to fully capture rehabilitating animals’ emotional experiences in a non-invasive way. Anticipatory behavior has emerged as a promising animal welfare indicator, reflecting an animal’s perceived need for rewards based on available opportunities in their environment. By tracking anticipatory responses, caretakers can gain insight into an animal’s reward sensitivity and use this information to guide management interventions. This study investigated the effects of enrichment type on anticipatory behavior in fourteen, rehabilitating harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina richardii). We provided pups with daily sessions of either structural or cognitive enrichment and recorded their behavioral responses. During scheduled feeding sessions, we identified behaviors that emerged as anticipatory, then measured the frequency and duration of anticipatory behavior prior to the feeds to assess how enrichment types influenced the seals’ reward sensitivity, and thus their welfare. While enrichment interaction did not directly modulate anticipatory behavior, we observed a trend suggesting that exposure to cognitive enrichment reduced anticipatory behavior duration compared to structural enrichment. These findings align with previous research in zoo settings, where cognitive enrichment has been linked to improved welfare through reduced anticipatory behavior, though this effect has not been explored in a wildlife rehabilitation context. This study highlights the value of anticipatory behavior as a practical welfare assessment tool in rehabilitation settings and underscores the potential for enrichment, particularly cognitive, to improve welfare in rehabilitating marine mammals. Full article

Cat cafés are gaining popularity worldwide, yet little is known about their impact on feline welfare. This study examined a Swedish cat café from an animal perspective by assessing space use, cat–cat interactions, and cat–human interactions. A total of 27 neutered domestic cats (12 males, 15 females), with a median stay of 8 weeks, were directly observed in groups of 8–9 individuals for a total of 227 h over 70 days. Scan sampling and focal observations were conducted without prior knowledge of cat background to minimize bias. Results showed that elevated structures (χ²-goodness-of-fit test, χ² (2) = 1234.2, p < 0.001, post hoc Bonferroni correction p_adj = 0.013) were important, particularly during periods of high customer occupancy, when cats preferred vertical levels or cat-only rooms. Cat–cat interactions were infrequent (0.58 interactions/cat/h) and mostly affiliative (51.9%), consistent with avoidance as a conflict-reduction strategy. Cat–human interactions were absent in 44.4% of the observation time. Cats varied in their responses to human presence, from engaging to avoiding. Findings suggest that cat cafés should provide complex vertical environments, hiding places, and private areas to support natural behaviors, reduce stress, and promote group stability. As cats come into contact with large numbers of visitors prior to adoption, further research should assess its long-term effects on cat–human relationships and optimize café design to balance cat welfare and visitor experience. Full article

Purpose: As animal welfare becomes increasingly important, there is a corresponding desire to reduce the number of animals used in experiments. Recently, we reported on statistical models for a local anaesthetic simulator and developed a simulator for use in pharmacology education. In this study, we aimed to create a simulator for bioassay. Methods: Mice were intraperitoneally injected with a set concentration of lidocaine, and the time to the onset of convulsions or death was measured. Judgment times were set at 10 s intervals from 3 to 10 min. Parameter values were estimated by probit analysis based on the presence or absence of a reaction at each judgment time. The distributions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the estimated parameter values were confirmed using a nonparametric bootstrap method. Additionally, the generalization performance of the statistical model was confirmed using a five-fold cross-validation method. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using the estimated parameters from this model, and the average and distribution of the toxic dose 50% (TD₅₀) and lethal dose 50% (LD₅₀) were compared to those obtained from the animal experiments. Results: The parameters were properly estimated at each judgment time, and their 95% CIs were relatively narrow. The TD₅₀ and LD₅₀ values were similar across the five folds. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated that the average and distribution of TD₅₀ and LD₅₀ were comparable to those obtained from animal experiments. Conclusions: These results suggest that a simulator based on this model is useful as an alternative to animal experiments. Therefore, our strategy will further reduce the number of experimental animals. Moreover, the method used in this study can be applied to other experiments that measure reaction time from treatment. Full article

Lower airway diseases are a major health concern in sheep, often presenting with overlapping clinical signs that hinder accurate diagnosis. This study evaluated the diagnostic value of computed tomography (CT) in 58 adult sheep examined in northeastern Spain between 2017 and 2024. All animals underwent full clinical examination, CT under general anaesthesia, and post-mortem investigation. CT identified 82 pulmonary lesions, including interstitial pneumonia, respiratory complex, gangrenous pneumonia, caseous lymphadenitis, parasitic pneumonia, pulmonary adenocarcinoma, and pulmonary hydatidosis. Tissue density measurements provided additional information regarding disease stage and severity. The level of agreement between CT findings and definitive diagnoses consistently exceeded that of clinical evaluation, reaching almost perfect concordance for several conditions. Moreover, CT revealed concomitant respiratory pathologies within the same animal, many of which were not detected by conventional diagnostic methods. Although thorough individual clinical examination remains essential for the correct interpretation of imaging findings and the accurate diagnosis of respiratory disorders in the field, these results demonstrate that CT provides superior diagnostic accuracy compared with standard approaches and yields valuable insights for both clinical practice and research. Despite its practical limitations, CT could represent a major advance in improving health, welfare, and productivity in sheep farming. Full article

Given the complex risk factors associated with youth offending, a comprehensive approach is needed to support the reintegration of incarcerated youth. Canine-assisted interventions (CAIs), involving structured, facilitator-guided programs with dogs, have emerged as a strategy to promote human well-being while sometimes attending to animal wellness. This scoping review, conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, examines the characteristics and benefits of CAIs for youth aged 12–17 involved in the criminal justice system. This review included studies published in English through 2024, focusing exclusively on dog-based interventions. Studies were sourced from databases and grey literature between 1998 and 2020. This review maps program designs, objectives, participant profiles, practitioner qualifications, dog roles, and reported outcomes for the youth participants and dogs. Findings reveal that some studies reported improved participant behavioural, psychological, and social outcomes, while few found no significant differences or noted symptom worsening. Some studies noted that training dogs in a CAI may boost their chances of adoption. Gaps include non-standardized terminology, need for more research, inadequate handler training, and insufficient focus on animal welfare. The study concludes that standardized protocols, enhanced handler training, and rigorous program evaluation are essential for ethical and effective CAI implementation that contributes to the well-being and successful reintegration of youth following incarceration. Full article

Animal hoarding is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon that poses serious risks to animal welfare, public health, and environmental balance. Despite increasing attention, current interventions often remain fragmented and lack integration across medical, psychological, and social domains. Based on a critical review of existing tools and field experience in the Italian context, this study proposes a structured operational protocol to support multidisciplinary teams in the assessment and management of animal hoarding cases. The protocol integrates three complementary tools: a preliminary observational form, a clinical-relational interview, and a veterinary health form. Designed to be modular, replicable, and shareable among professionals from diverse backgrounds, the protocol aims to promote a One Welfare approach, recognizing the systemic interconnection between animal suffering, human psychological distress, and environmental degradation. While further experimental validation is required, this conceptual model provides a concrete operational basis for structured interventions and consistent data collection in support of research and public health. Full article

Animal welfare has become a cornerstone of modern zoo and aquarium animal care practices. This paper introduces the constructional approach to animal training as an evidence-based framework that can enhance the welfare of zoo animals. Developed through decades of behavioral science research and practical applications, the constructional approach emphasizes building desirable behaviors rather than eliminating problematic ones, avoiding reduction-based techniques, utilizing comprehensive contingency analysis, incorporating genuine choice, and addressing emotional welfare through contingency management. This review systematically examines the foundational principles of the constructional approach, distinguishes it from traditional animal training methodologies, presents case examples of successful implementation in zoo settings, and provides practical recommendations for zoo professionals. Methods included a narrative review of peer-reviewed literature, unpublished academic works, and documented applications in zoological settings. The results demonstrate that constructional programs offer notable advantages over commonly promoted hierarchical models of behavior change procedures, which often prescribe sequential application of techniques without adequate consideration of behavioral function. By adopting constructional programs, zoos can more effectively meet their overriding goals of providing optimal welfare, supporting conservation efforts, facilitating research, and enhancing educational experiences—all while prioritizing compassionate care that respects the agency and well-being of animals. Full article

Current research on acoustic encoding of emotional content suggests that there are universal cues, allowing for decoding within and across taxa. This is particularly important for human–animal relationships, wherein domestic animals are supposed to be particularly efficient in decoding human emotions. Here we investigated whether the decoding of the emotional content in human voices shared universal acoustic properties, or whether it could be influenced by experience. Emotional human voices were presented to two populations of horses, in which behavioral, cardiac, and brain responses were measured. The two populations differed in their living and working conditions: one population lived in naturalistic conditions (stable social groups in pastures) and were ridden occasionally for outdoor trail riding with one to a few different riders, while the other was kept in more restricted conditions (individual stalls) and participated in riding lessons involving many different riders. Assessment of the horses’ welfare state (animal-based measures) and their relationships with humans, performed independently of the playback experiments, revealed that the populations differed in both aspects. Whereas both populations appeared to react to the angry human voice, the population with the best welfare state and relationship with humans showed little differentiation between the different emotional voices and exhibited low behavioral reactions. On the contrary, the other population showed high behavioral and cardiac reactions to all negative voices. Brain responses also differed, with the first population showing higher responses (increased gamma, i.e., excitation) for the happy voice and the second for fear and anger (increased theta, i.e., alarm). Thus, animals’ affective state and past experiences appear very influential for their perception of (cross-taxa) acoustic emotional cues. Full article

This paper explores the concept of alterity within “ethical” meat production and consumption, focusing on small-scale producers and consumers in a rural Mediterranean context. Drawing on a relational understanding of alterity as a process through which actors negotiate difference within capitalist foodscapes, the study examines how ethical commitments and socio-material practices co-produce what counts as “alternative.” Using qualitative interviews with producers of “ethical meat” and their consumers from a solidarity-based Alternative Food Network (AFN) in Le Marche (Italy), the paper investigates how producer–consumer relations, animal welfare, and ecological care are interlinked within an ethical meatscape. Despite differing perceptions of the AFN’s role, embodied exchanges and face-to-face trust emerge as key to sustaining ethical and environmentally conscious practices. By capturing the micro-social dynamics through which relational alterity is enacted, the paper contributes to debates on sustainable agri-food transitions and socio-environmental justice, showing how ethical and ecological outcomes are co-produced through human and more-than-human relations. Full article

The revalorization of animal by-products, such as porcine blood, is a key strategy for sustainable aquaculture and circular economy practices. This study aimed to fill the existing knowledge gap on the effects of spray-dried porcine blood hydrolysate (PBSH), assessing its potential as a functional feed ingredient for gilthead sea bream. Two practical diets were formulated: a control diet containing 5% blood meal, and a PBSH diet including 5% PBSH previously characterized in vitro. The results indicated that the PBSH diet promoted lower hepatosomatic index, a down-regulation of key hepatic lipogenic enzymes (scd1b, hl, lpl), and a better stress condition with lower circulating levels of glucose and cortisol and a reduction in aggressive attacks. Positive findings were also achieved in energy management, obtaining lower metabolic rates along with an enhanced swimming performance (20% increase in the critical speed) and a quicker weigh recovery after a fasting period. The PBSH diet also shaped the intestinal bacterial composition, determining a redistribution of abundant genera including Aureimonas and Halomonas. Ultimately, this study demonstrated that PBSH would act as a functional ingredient capable of enhancing fish energy management and resilience in the face of stressful events, exhibiting a transient transcriptional modulation, yet persistent physiological and welfare benefits. Full article

The pursuit of sustainable animal protein sources is critical in light of the environmental, social, and economic challenges associated with conventional livestock production. Although meat, including organic production, remains a valuable source of high-quality protein, diversification is essential to sustainably meet future demand. This review summarizes current knowledge on alternative animal protein sources, with a particular focus on insects and cultured meat in Europe. Insects demonstrate high feed conversion efficiency, require minimal land and water resources, and provide essential amino acids, lipids, and micronutrients, while contributing to circular economy models. Cultured meat presents potential advantages for environmental sustainability and animal welfare; however, its large-scale application depends on technological advances, cost reduction, and supportive regulation. Consumer acceptance remains a challenge influenced by cultural heritage, food neophobia, and product presentation. Policy frameworks, including the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, seek to foster innovation and sustainable food systems. Future perspectives emphasize that conventional and organic meat, insect-based protein, and cultured meat should be regarded as complementary solutions for a balanced and resilient protein supply in Europe. Full article