GroupHouseNet 

We held the first Stakeholder meeting and second Working Group meeting of GroupHouseNet on June 7th and 8th 2017 in Skopje, the Republic of Macedonia. The local organiser was the University Ss Cyril and Methodius Skopje, Faculty of veterinary medicine. In the Stakeholder meeting, 57 representatives from 23 countries discussed common strategies for collaboration between researchers and stakeholders aimed at reducing problems with damaging behaviour in group-housed pigs and laying hens. As a basis for group discussions, presentations were given by the European Commission, the Van Beek Group Egg trading company (The Netherlands), Topigs Norsvin, and Animal Health ETT (Finland). These presentations were followed by presentations by the Humane Society International (USA), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Compassion in World Farming (United Kingdom) as well as the European Association of Porcine Health Management and the European College of Porcine Health Management. After that, all participants separated into three discussion groups (two for pigs and one for laying hens). We discussed conflicts between the different stakeholders and how we could address these conflicts. Representatives of local industry and farmers played an active role in the discussions. We summarised the meeting in a draft plan for increasing the impact of GroupHouseNet on problems with damaging behaviour in pigs and laying hens. In the Working Group meeting, we discussed and coordinated work on reviews and reports aimed at providing an overview of possible solutions to problems with damaging behaviour, as well as plans for future exchange (STSMs) between members of GroupHouseNet.