Animal welfare research – progress to date and future prospects

The welfare status of an animal is dependent on its ability to cope and exist in harmony with environment, such that good physical psychological health maintained. Improving increasingly important aspect livestock production systems due, a large extent, increased consumer concerns about practices. Animal integrated part quality assurance programmes for sustainable production, considering welfare, health, management, economy, acceptance environmental impact are interdependent. major the industry recent years relate rearing management dairy calves, cow, effect husbandry procedures beef cattle, sows gestation farrowing crates, broiler (meat) chicken sector. paper will focus scientific research underpinning these concerns, particular conducted island Ireland.