Synergy for preventing damaging behaviour in group housed pigs and chickens

  GroupHouseNet 

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Working Group 3: Health

WG3 focused on links between environment, health, and damaging behaviour in adult animals.


The objectives of WG3 were to map and summarize current knowledge about the relationship between damaging behaviour and health status under commercial conditions, to develop new ideas for further research and to disseminate scientific knowledge to effect real change on farms.


Pigs: There was a focus on exploring the relationship between symptoms of poor health and associated behaviour, with a focus on tail biting and aggression related behaviour. WG3 also shared best practice and standardised methodologies for assessing health status and disease tolerance in pigs, focussing on immunological, genetic and behavioural indicators so that these could be better linked to tail biting, aggression and/or disease tolerance.


Laying hens: There was a focus on studying and optimising environmental effects on feather pecking, aggressive behaviour, cannibalism and health in adult birds.


For both pigs and laying hens, WG3 also worked with assessing the cost-effectiveness of ethically justified practical strategies to reducing damaging behaviour and favouring health that can be implemented at the farm level. The group worked with disseminating the most cost-effective ethically responsible solutions to stakeholders, including end users, interest organisations, policymakers and the general public.


Management committee members

Name
 Country
 Position
  Anna Valros
  Finland
  Chair
  Dimitar Nakov
  North Macedonia
  Vice-chair
  Daniel Berkmans
  Belgium
  MC member
  Ivan Dimitrov
  Bulgaria
  MC member
  Nadya Bozakova
  Bulgaria
  MC member
  Jaako Niemi
  Finland
  MC member
  Jutta Berk
  Germany
  MC member
  Evangelia Sossidou
  Greece
  MC member
  Thomas Bartzanas
  Greece
  MC member
  Keelin O'Driscoll
  Ireland
  MC member
  Laura Boyle
  Ireland
  MC member
  Ilaria Fontana
  Italy
  MC member
  Valentina Ferrante
  Italy
  MC member
  Violeta Juskiene
  Lithuania
  MC member
  Vlatko Ilieski
  North Macedonia
  MC member
  Bas Rodenburg
  Netherlands
  MC member
  Andrew Janczak
  Norway
  MC member
  Jacek Nowicki
  Poland
  MC member
  Daniela Marin
  Romania
  MC member
  Ersilia Alexa
  Romania
  MC member
  Slava Hristov
  Serbia
  MC member
  Boris Bilcik
  Slovakia
  MC member
  Manja Zupan
  Slovenia
  MC member
  Sandra Edwards
  United Kingdom
  MC member