Publications
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Upright versus inverted catching and crating end-of-lay hens: a trade-off between animal welfare, ergonomic and financial concerns Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
This study explores upright versus inverted catching and crating of spent laying hens. Both catching methods were compared using a cost-benefit analysis that focused on animal welfare, ergonomic, and financial considerations. Data were collected on seven commercial farms (one floor system and six aviary systems) during depopulation of approximately 3,000 hens per method per flock. Parameters such as wing flapping frequency, catcher bird ...
New phenotypes to breed resilient Piétrain pigs KU Leuven
The Piétrain pig is the last native Belgian pig breed with a viable population size. The breed originated in the vicinity of the village Piétrain during the first half of the 20th century, and the breed is characterized by its superior muscularity and black spots with a grey outline. After the formation of the breed, Piétrain pigs were exported worldwide from the 1960s on, leading to the formation of various Piétrain subpopulations nowadays. ...
Validation guidelines of sensors used for the automatic assessment of animal welfare Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The use of sensor technology to monitor animal welfare continuously is of interest to farmers and other stakeholders. However, for sensor data to be used effectively in welfare monitoring, it is imperative that sensors provide valid and reliable measurements, and sensor data needs to be relevant to animal welfare. Therefore, the validation of sensor outputs is paramount in both commercial and research contexts. Additionally, the establishment of ...
Happy wings: Multifunctional elevated platforms to improve litter quality and broiler chickens welfare in commercial farm Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Environmental enrichment using elevated platforms is one of the emerging approaches to improve the welfare of broiler chickens. Following promising results of these platforms with integrated additional functionalities i.e. cooling system, manure collection trays and sheltered area on litter quality and related welfare indicators in experimental settings, this study aimed to test these platforms in a commercial pilot farm. The objectives were a) ...
An exploratory analysis of the development and implementation of urban animal welfare policy in public spaces for four common species: cats, dogs, pigeons, and foxes in the Brussels Capital Region KU Leuven
This study aims to understand urban animal welfare policy development and implementation for four species in public spaces: cats (Felis catus), dogs (Canis familiaris), pigeons (Columbia livia domestica), and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Our exploratory research offers an overview of the perspectives of all involved municipal and police officers and their challenges in a metropolitan urban context, the Brussels Capital Region in Belgium. We conducted ...
Review: Livestock cell types with myogenic differentiation potential: Considerations for the development of cultured meat. KU Leuven
With the current environmental impact of large-scale animal production and societal concerns about the welfare of farm animals, researchers are questioning whether we can cultivate animal cells for the purpose of food production. This review focuses on a pivotal aspect of the cellular agriculture domain: cells. We summarised information on the various cell types from farm animals currently used for the development of cultured meat, including ...
Genetic and genomic analysis of Belgian Blue's susceptibility for psoroptic mange KU Leuven
BACKGROUND: Psoroptic mange, caused by Psoroptes ovis mites, is affecting Belgian Blue cattle's welfare and production potential. The Belgian Blue cattle-known for its high degree of muscling, low feed conversion ratio and high beef quality-is highly susceptible for this disease. RESULTS: In this study, we phenotyped 1975 Belgian Blue cattle from more than 100 different groups on commercial beef farms for their psoroptic mange susceptibility. ...
Breeding for resilience in finishing pigs can decrease tail biting, lameness and mortality KU Leuven
BACKGROUND: Previous research showed that deviations in longitudinal data are heritable and can be used as a proxy for pigs' general resilience. However, only a few studies investigated the relationship between these resilience traits and other traits related to resilience and welfare. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between resilience traits derived from deviations in longitudinal data and traits related to animal ...
Digital and Precision Technologies in Dairy Cattle Farming: A Bibliometric Analysis KU Leuven
The advancement of technology has significantly transformed the livestock landscape, particularly in the management of dairy cattle, through the incorporation of digital and precision approaches. This study presents a bibliometric analysis focused on these technologies involving dairy farming to explore and map the extent of research in the scientific literature. Through this review, it was possible to investigate academic production related to ...