Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs?
As part of the European Green Deal, the EU has recognised that there is a need to increase organic farming as well as improve animal welfare standards. The PIGLOW app was developed with these goals in mind and allows free-range and organic pig farmers to perform welfare assessments (WAs) of their pi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/23/3374 |
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| author | Evelien A. M. Graat Charlotte Vanden Hole T. Bas Rodenburg Mona F. Giersberg Frank A. M. Tuyttens |
| author_facet | Evelien A. M. Graat Charlotte Vanden Hole T. Bas Rodenburg Mona F. Giersberg Frank A. M. Tuyttens |
| author_sort | Evelien A. M. Graat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As part of the European Green Deal, the EU has recognised that there is a need to increase organic farming as well as improve animal welfare standards. The PIGLOW app was developed with these goals in mind and allows free-range and organic pig farmers to perform welfare assessments (WAs) of their pigs. The results of each WA contain automated feedback and benchmarking information. The objective of this two-year longitudinal study was to determine whether regular use of the app helps farmers improve pig welfare. Farmers (<i>n</i> = 12) were asked to perform 6 WAs for finisher pigs with the app. At the beginning and end of the study, a researcher visited each farm and performed a detailed WA to determine the welfare status of the pigs at both moments. Farmers (<i>n</i> = 11) also filled out surveys about their opinions on pig welfare and the PIGLOW app. The welfare results did not support that the use of the PIGLOW app had an overall effect on pig welfare, but suggested a positive effect on some specific welfare aspects. Farmers indicated that they found the app easy to use and found most of its elements very useful. However, when asked about the specific influence of the app on their opinions on pig welfare and the welfare of their pigs, they indicated that the app only had small effects. Responses suggested that the app could likely be more useful to new farmers who still have more to learn about animal welfare. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a58cb8d1d0b849a1b239261c30eb393b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-a58cb8d1d0b849a1b239261c30eb393b2025-08-20T02:50:14ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-11-011423337410.3390/ani14233374Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs?Evelien A. M. Graat0Charlotte Vanden Hole1T. Bas Rodenburg2Mona F. Giersberg3Frank A. M. Tuyttens4Animal Sciences Unit, ILVO, 9090 Melle, BelgiumAnimal Sciences Unit, ILVO, 9090 Melle, BelgiumFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The NetherlandsFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The NetherlandsAnimal Sciences Unit, ILVO, 9090 Melle, BelgiumAs part of the European Green Deal, the EU has recognised that there is a need to increase organic farming as well as improve animal welfare standards. The PIGLOW app was developed with these goals in mind and allows free-range and organic pig farmers to perform welfare assessments (WAs) of their pigs. The results of each WA contain automated feedback and benchmarking information. The objective of this two-year longitudinal study was to determine whether regular use of the app helps farmers improve pig welfare. Farmers (<i>n</i> = 12) were asked to perform 6 WAs for finisher pigs with the app. At the beginning and end of the study, a researcher visited each farm and performed a detailed WA to determine the welfare status of the pigs at both moments. Farmers (<i>n</i> = 11) also filled out surveys about their opinions on pig welfare and the PIGLOW app. The welfare results did not support that the use of the PIGLOW app had an overall effect on pig welfare, but suggested a positive effect on some specific welfare aspects. Farmers indicated that they found the app easy to use and found most of its elements very useful. However, when asked about the specific influence of the app on their opinions on pig welfare and the welfare of their pigs, they indicated that the app only had small effects. Responses suggested that the app could likely be more useful to new farmers who still have more to learn about animal welfare.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/23/3374pigsanimal welfarefree-rangeorganicwelfare self-assessmentsmartphone application |
| spellingShingle | Evelien A. M. Graat Charlotte Vanden Hole T. Bas Rodenburg Mona F. Giersberg Frank A. M. Tuyttens Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs? Animals pigs animal welfare free-range organic welfare self-assessment smartphone application |
| title | Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs? |
| title_full | Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs? |
| title_fullStr | Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs? |
| title_short | Can a Digital Application for Animal Welfare Self-Assessments by Farmers Help Improve the Welfare of Free-Range and Organic Pigs? |
| title_sort | can a digital application for animal welfare self assessments by farmers help improve the welfare of free range and organic pigs |
| topic | pigs animal welfare free-range organic welfare self-assessment smartphone application |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/23/3374 |
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