In order to be able to measure whether the conditions under which farm animals are kept have improved, it is important to measure animal welfare in terms of concrete indicators. Science has already come a long way in this area and has developed a large number of indicators, but until now there has been a lack of an easily researchable overview. Which animal welfare indicators are there? And for which animal species and life stages? The new, free web application "Literature Database Animal Welfare Indicators" provides an overview.
The web application was developed by the project team "National Animal Welfare Monitoring" and implemented by the Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft (KTBL). "The online tool offers scientists in particular, but also practitioners and the interested public, a comprehensive overview of the state of knowledge," says Angela Bergschmidt from the Thünen Institute of Farm Econmics, who coordinates the project. Animal welfare indicators can be filtered and profiles downloaded for numerous animal species. All filters can be freely combined: keeping, transport and slaughter of calves, beef cattle, dairy cows, suckling and rearing piglets, sows, fattening pigs, laying hens, broilers, turkeys as well as rainbow trout and carp from aquaculture.
In addition to 26 thematic areas, such as "respiratory system" or "animal cleanliness", the selection can be limited to animal-related or management- or resource-related indicators. The focus can also be placed on the higher-level animal welfare dimensions "physical health", "behaviour" and "emotions". Thus, different criteria can be combined and detailed information on indicators described in the scientific literature can be displayed.
In addition to a brief description of the indicator, each fact sheet also includes the animal welfare aspect it addresses - i.e.: "Why is it recorded?". Information on the survey method, the data situation in Germany and - if no data are available - recommendations for data collection complete the picture.
Link to the web application "Literature database on animal welfare indicators":
https://www.ktbl.de/webanwendungen/literaturdatenbank-tierwohlindikatoren
Further information on the National Animal Welfare Monitoring (NaTiMon) project:
https://www.nationales-tierwohl-monitoring.de/
Service for download
Photo: Evaluation of animal-related indicators in dairy cows (© Thünen-Institut)
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