Farm animal welfare
Improving the welfare of farm animals is of economic significance because poor welfare can result in increased mortality, and reduced productivity and meat quality. Also, consumers are increasingly interested in the welfare of the animals responsible for their food.
Sandra Edwards and Jonathan Guy are involved in multiple projects aimed at exploring genetic, nutritional and environmental influences on a range of welfare indicators in farm animals. One of their current projects involves understanding how nutrition and the design of the physical environment interact with genetic differences in affecting neonatal mortality in lambs and piglets.
They are experts in the development of simple, practical, on-farm welfare assessment methods, and are partners in Welfare Quality, a five year EU funded project aimed at integrating farm animal welfare into the food quality chain.
