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- Integrity rules
- Did European pig-welfare legislation reduce pig welfare? Perhaps not, but experts confirm that common indestructible materials are not proper enrichment for pigs at all, except perhaps for an enhanced novel branched-chains design.
- How can we feed the world?
- Towards a common conceptual framework and illustrative model for feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs – 1. Introduction
- Towards a common conceptual framework and illustrative model for feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs – 2. Terminology
- Towards a common conceptual framework and illustrative model for feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs – 3. Overview
- Towards a common conceptual framework and illustrative model for feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs – 4. Farmer as a risk factor
- Towards a common conceptual framework and illustrative model for feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs – 5. Models
- Towards a common conceptual framework and illustrative model for feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs – 6. Disease framework
- Towards a common conceptual framework and illustrative model for feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs – 7. Evolution and domestication
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Author Archives: Marc
Pig animation – Improved, branched chain design as proper enrichment for pigs
Pig animation: Rearing pigs in barren conditions reduces their welfare. Enrichment of pig pens is needed to allow the performance of species-specific natural behaviour like rooting. A metal chain provides rather limited enrichment, but when presented in an optimized way, … Continue reading
An essential element of sustainable, circular farming: Integrity & a circular welfare economy
This blog post argues to recognize the importance of an often forgotten element of sustainability: Integrity. In particular, I will argue that honesty and emotions are necessary elements of a sustainable, circular agricultural economy. Sustainability Sustainability is often perceived as … Continue reading
Posted in Ethics, Food, Future, Justice, Money, Semantics
Tagged animal welfare, Animals, Circular, Disruptive thinking, Integrity, Livestock, Needs, Pigs, Sustainability, Transparency
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How would I spend 10 billion to improve the Netherlands? I’d burn it.
How would I spend 10 billion € to improve the Netherlands? NRC newspaper asked readers to write a short answer to this question. This is my answer: Seven opinionators already gave their answer (NRC 16 aug, 2017). Each had a … Continue reading
Posted in Ethics, Future, Geen categorie, Happiness, Justice, Money, Objectives, Politics
Tagged animal welfare, Disruptive thinking, Editor responsibilities, Integrity, Objectives
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Future of intensive livestock farming: R.I.P?
Debate At the moment the future of intensive livestock farming is intensively debated in the Netherlands. The province of Noord-Brabant may be the first to actually limit the number of farm animals. The Dutch meat inspection (NVWA) is heavily criticized for … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Food, Future, Happiness, Public, Videos
Tagged animal welfare, Disruptive thinking, Farming, In memoriam, Livestock, Pigs
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Reflection on running science as a business
Would it be proper to run a scientific institute as a business, or would it be a category mistake? Category mistake A category mistake is a rather fundamental mistake concerning the true nature of a concept. An example would be … Continue reading
Posted in Ethics, Justice, Money, Politics, Science, Semantics
Tagged Integrity, Paradigm, Transparency
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How (not) to excel in doing well?
Well, well, well People sometimes think we are rational animals. Like animals we behave, but unlike animals we have the capacity to behave (more) rationally. And not just that: with rationality comes our more or less unique capacity of being … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Constraints, Semantics
Tagged animal welfare, Disruptive thinking, Humans, Objectives
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Publications on AMI sensors
This is a short list of scientific publications in which I have used AMI sensors. AMI stands for animal material interactions. AMI sensors can take various shapes and forms. In some way or other AMI sensors record the amount of … Continue reading
Comparing overall welfare across species and conditions
An intellectual challenge This post introduces an intellectual challenge. It formulates a problem, without giving any anwers. It is the kind of problem I like to wrestle with. Welfare thermometer While many aspects of animal welfare can be measured, it … Continue reading
Posted in Experts, Happiness, Modelling, Semantics
Tagged animal welfare, Species, Welfare score
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Comparing the welfare needs of poultry, pigs, fish and humans
Comparing welfare across species Would it be possible to compare animal welfare across species? I wrote a paper on this subject some time ago (Bracke, 2006). In that paper I made a tentative welfare comparison between conventional farming systems for … Continue reading
