Commission on Animal Health and Welfare

The Commission on Animal Health and Welfare aims to support scientific debate on issues related to the health and wellbeing of all livestock species. Animal health and welfare are research themes supported by several underlying veterinary disciplines, such as epidemiology, virology, parasitology and bacteriology, but also scientific domains of ethology, preventive veterinary medicine, and stress physiology. Because of its multispecies nature, the Commission works in strict collaboration with the other study Commissions, organising a number of co-chaired sessions during the EAAP annual meetings.

This Commission does not shy away from addressing areas of livestock production which cause societal concern, such as the responsible use of antibiotics, the routine tail docking of pigs, and the adaptation of the zootechnical sector to climate change. Researchers, as well as stakeholders from the industry and society at large, are invited to join these debates from a factual and scientific point of view.

The Commission aims to stimulate scientific discussion and the sharing of recent findings on issues related to the health and wellbeing of all livestock species, helping in the definition of innovative tools and strategies to improve livestock health and welfare, while maintaining/enhancing production levels.

The EAAP Health and welfare Commission hosts the EAAP Working Group in animal behaviour, which regularly organises well-attended sessions at the EAAP annual meetings.