Stefan Gunnarsson

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | SLU · Department of Animal Environment and Health

Keel bone damage, include deviations and fractures, is common in both white and brown laying hens, regardless of the housing system. Radiography for assessing birds’ keel bones is was proposed by previous studies. However, radiographs show only 2 out of 3 dimensions of the dissected keel bones. The current study aimed to (1) investigate the associa...

Consumers’ interest in animal welfare-friendly systems with outdoor access is growing and therefore the necessity has arisen for genotypes suitable for free-range systems. This study aimed to investigate the suitability of two slow-growing broiler genotypes by comparing growth performance, pasture usage, carcass yield and breast meat traits. Two sl...

The importance of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies in agricultural practices is widely recognised, yet the actual adoption rate remains low. To address this issue, research with several interconnected sub-studies was initiated across seven countries to encourage PLF technology utilisation. Initially, 15 farms received PLF tools to sho...

Citation: Kopler, I.; Marchaim, U.; Tikász, I.E.; Opaliński, S.; Kokin, E.; Mallinger, K.; Neubauer, T.; Gunnarsson, S.; Soerensen, C.; Phillips, C.J.C.; et al. Farmers' Perspectives of the Benefits and Risks in Precision Livestock Farming in the EU Pig and Poultry Sectors. Animals 2023, 13, 2868. https://doi. Abstract: More efficient livestock pr...

The purpose of the present study describes the current welfare situation on a commercial organic laying hen farms in Sweden in terms of indoor environment, bird health and behaviour.Organic laying hen farms (n=11) in Sweden were visited for one day each. The farm visits were performed at end of lay, and involved farmer interviews, indoor environmen...

1. The aim of the present study was to investigate the design and management of free-range areas and their use by birds on commercial organic laying hen farms in Sweden and to document farmers' perspectives on outdoor access for poultry.2. Eleven Swedish organic laying hen farms were visited. The farmers were interviewed about general farm manageme...

Intestinal parasites are commonly found in non-cage laying hens. Parasites may reduce welfare and performance. Anthelmintics are not always effective and may lead to residues in eggs and in the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between free-range use and infections with intestinal parasites in organic laying hens,...

Despite the existing research into the gut microbiome of meat chickens, the associations between gut microbiome composition, its activity and chicken outdoor ranging frequency remain unexplored. The aim of this study was to determine the gut microbiota composition, activity and metabolic products in chickens of two different lines and three ranging...

Free-range systems are considered to improve bird health and welfare, thereby satisfying consumer demands. Behavioral time budget, fear level and clinical welfare indicators were compared for two Turkish laying hen genotypes, Atak-S (brown) and Atabey (white), reared in a free-range system. A total of 420 laying hens (210 Atak-S, 210 Atabey) were s...

This study investigated if straw racks, which enable larger straw rations, induced a more straw-directed behaviour in pigs, as a mean to facilitate the provision of manipulable material and natural behaviour. It was conducted on a commercial farm (459 pigs, 42 pens, 30–120 kg) where half of the pens received 25 L of straw on the floor (CONTROL) and...

Two slower-growing hybrids (Rowan Ranger and Hubbard) are currently reared in organic broiler production in Sweden, but knowledge of bird welfare on commercial farms is limited. This study examined chicken behaviour, including free-range use and features of this, in order to enhance knowledge, describe the current situation and identify practical s...

Optimal development of the gut is important for nutrient absorption and for poultry to resist diseases. The aim of the study was to compare gastrointestinal tract morphometrics, small intestine microstructure, as well as the amount of pasture matter and feed ingested by the birds with outdoor access presenting either an outdoor-preferring, moderate...

Despite the intensive genetic selection in modern poultry, variability of domestic fowl phenotypes has remained, especially in breeds adapted to local conditions. The relevance of this variability to the chicken outdoor ranging activities remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate if external features were associated with the ranging...

Consumer interest in buying eggs from animal welfare-friendly systems with outdoor access is increasing, leading to an increase in the need for knowledge on genotypes suitable for free-range systems. Two Turkish laying hen genotypes, Atak-S (brown, n = 210) and Atabey (white, n = 210), were reared in a free-range system from 19–72 weeks of age, and...

Ranging area use by domestic poultry is not always optimal and differences in it exist on the levels of breed, flock and individual bird. Outdoor shelters are usually not protective for all weather parameters and may not fulfil a protective role to all birds within the flock all time, if individuals are sensitive to different weather conditions. Th...

This review aimed to systematically map and summarize the status of animal health and welfare in organic production. The prevalence of diseases and behavioural effects in organic dairy cow, beef cattle, sheep, pig, laying hen and broiler chicken were discussed in the context of the organic values and current knowledge on animal health and welfare....

Beef and lamb meat production is associated with important cultural, economic and environmental impacts in most countries worldwide. However, it is also related with sustainability challenges. To enable cattle and sheep farming to develop in line with sustainability, existing knowledge need to be implemented and identified knowledge gaps filled. Th...

Unfulfilled exploratory behavior in pigs has been linked to tail biting, which causes reduced performance and welfare. Provision of straw can reduce tail biting, but large straw rations can cause poor hygiene in pens. This study examined whether provision of straw in racks, rather than on the pen floor, can enable larger straw rations without compr...

Pre-testing of any new animal housing system in Sweden must include an evaluation of animal welfare. In 2013, a Swedish hatching company applied to the competent authority (CA) for permission to import, install, and bring into use a system with large furnished cages (LFC) for breeding birds of layer strains, with ∼70 birds per cage (compared with t...

Slower-growing broilers on organic farms have replaced fast-growing hybrids to increase bird welfare. Due to limited knowledge of broiler welfare and management on organic farms in Sweden, the study aim was to gather information regarding health, housing and management routines, in order to describe the current situation on these. Farm visits perfo...

The sustainability of future finfish aquaculture needs to be improved to meet global environmental challenges. Global fish aquaculture production has expanded significantly recently, due to the increased demand for fish for human consumption. Therefore, it is important to mitigate challenges to the sustainability of the sector, such as pollution an...

In the European research project HealthyHens, welfare indicators as well as husbandry and management conditions were recorded in 107 organic laying hen farms in eight countries. Farms were visited at peak and end of lay. Egg production was on average comparable to breeder specifications. A mean mortality of 5.7% and mean prevalences of footpad lesi...

Background: Straw is a beneficial enrichment material for pigs, shown to improve welfare through reducing tail biting. Straw has previously been identified as one of the means of how to raise pigs without tail docking, through improving natural exploratory behaviour. Straw has however been linked to poor pen hygiene, making farmers reluctant to us...

The EU regulation for organic pig production requires outdoor access to promote the animal welfare. This may increase the risk of infection of the common pig parasites, Ascaris suum and Trichuris suis, because their eggs can survive for many years in the soil. The egg contamination of these parasites in outdoor areas with different managements and...

Dairy cows are able to convert fibrous materials, such as grass, roughage, and by-products from the food industry, into milk and meat, which justifies their role in food production. However, modern dairy farming is associated with major sustainability challenges, including greenhouse gas emissions. In order to develop sustainable future production,...

Sow litter sizes have increased recently, and there is a lack of data on the effect of litter size on sow health and sow medical treatment. This study investigated associations between litter size and medical treatment of sows, using data for a 10-year period from one Swedish research farm. The data comprised 1947 litters from 655 Yorkshire sows. A...

Despite consumers’ belief that access to an outdoor range improves chicken welfare, still little is known about whether this is true and whether individual ranging profiles relate to the birds’ welfare. The aim of the current study was to identify and compare welfare issues of the traditional broiler hybrid Sasso and the Polish heritage chicken Gre...

We systematically mapped the scientific literature on the sustainability of pig production at farm-level. Sustainability was considered holistically, covering its economic, environmental, and social dimensions, each consisting of a broad range of different aspects that may contradict or reinforce each other. Literature published between January 200...

Background: Straw is a beneficial enrichment material for pigs, shown to improve welfare and reduce abnormal behaviour such as tail biting. Straw has previously been identified as one of the means of how to raise pigs without tail docking, through improving natural exploratory behaviour. Straw has however been linked to poor pen hygiene, making far...

Background: Straw is a beneficial enrichment material for pigs, shown to improve welfare through reducing tail biting. Straw has previously been identified as one of the means of how to raise pigs without tail docking, through improving natural exploratory behaviour. Straw has however been linked to poor pen hygiene, making farmers reluctant to use...

The sustainability of future poultry production needs to be improved in order to meet global challenges. The global chicken population has expanded significantly in recent decades, due to increased human demand for eggs and chicken meat. Therefore, it is critically important to mitigate challenges to the sustainability of modern poultry production,...

Tail biting is a common issue within commercial pig production. It is mainly an indicator of inadequate housing environment and results in reduced health welfare and production. To reduce the impact of tail biting, pigs are commonly tail docked, without pain relief, within the first week of life. EU Council Directive 2008/120/EC prohibits routine t...

Keel bone damage (KBD) in laying hens is an important welfare problem in both conventional and organic egg production systems. We aimed to identify possible risk factors for KBD in organic hens by analysing cross-sectional data of 107 flocks assessed in eight European countries. Due to partly missing data, the final multiple regression model was ba...

Tail posture (i.e., hanging or curled) has been suggested to be an indicator of tail biting, and hanging tails predisposed to damage. The aim of this study was to investigate if tail posture was feasible as a tail damage indicator in a commercial setting. The study was carried out on one batch of 459 undocked finishing pigs (30–120 kg in weight). W...

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

The second edition of this book contains 12 chapters that describe the domestication, behaviour, physiology, health, welfare, housing and handling of horses, pigs, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, deer and ratites.

Animal welfare is an important aspect of organic broiler (OB) production which involves e.g. up to twice the rearing period compared with conventional production and feedstuffs without prophylactic additives or synthetic amino acids. As market demand for organic broiler meat increases, the formerly modest OB production in Sweden is now rapidly incr...

This report includes the presentation of results from the pre-testing of a new housing system for laying hens in Sweden; Veranda Breeder, furnished cages for about 70 hens and males. The trial was conducted in three flock with ~24,500 birds each. The evaluation of the pre-testing has included production results and clinical investigations, as well...

According to the European Union Council Directive 2008/120EC, measures to minimise the risk for tail biting shall be taken before practicing tail docking, e.g. provision of manipulable material. Still, >90% of the pigs within EU are tail docked. Thus, management routines for providing manipulable material in commercial pig production are needed. Th...

Organic broiler production is characterised by a long rearing period (>10 weeks) and diets based on locally available feedstuff. Until recently, conventional fast growing broilers hybrids, unsuitable for long rearing periods, have exclusively been used in organic broiler production in Sweden. At present, two slower growing hybrids are available at...

This book contains 15 chapters on biological limits of domestic animals. Topics discuses are: use new genetic technologies and animal breeding methods carefully to avoid problems (introduction); domestication to Dolly and beyond (a brief history of animal modification); good for whom (differences between human and animal enhancement); working equid...

Perching is important for broiler welfare, however, hampered by body weight. In a mixed flock, resting behaviour and location were compared between three broiler hybrids (Rowan Ranger, Hubbard CYJA57 & Ross 308; n = 100/hybrid), differing in growth. Rearing was in a large littered pen (1.84 birds/m²), with perches. Behaviour and position was observ...

Organic poultry meat production in Sweden is characterized by diets based on organic and locally produced feedstuffs, roughage allowance, a long rearing period (>10 weeks), outdoor access for the birds, and ban of synthetic amino acids and prophylactic use of antibiotics and anthelmintic. Until recently, the main hybrids used in organic broiler chi...

Current organic agriculture performs well in several sustainability domains, like animal welfare, farm profitability and low pesticide use, but yields are commonly lower than in conventional farming. There is now a re-vitalized interest in increasing yields in organic agriculture to provide more organic food for a growing, more affluent population...

This review summarises existing evidence on the impact of organic food on human health. It compares organic vs. conventional food production with respect to parameters important to human health and discusses the potential impact of organic management practices with an emphasis on EU conditions. Organic food consumption may reduce the risk of allerg...

Feather-pecking and cannibalism may reduce the potential of organic husbandry to enhance the welfare of laying hens. We report risk factors for these issues based on a large survey of 107 commercial flocks in eight European countries. Information was collected regarding housing, management and flock characteristics (age, genotype). Near the end of...

This study compared behavioural time budgets, presence of comfort behaviours and social behaviours in two different broiler genotypes (the fast-growing Ross 308 (R) and the slower-growing Rowan Ranger (RR)) fed organic diets with high (17.0% crude protein (CP)) or low (14.5% CP) protein content during a 10-week rearing period. 429-day-old chicks (2...

Background Tail biting is a common problem in intensive pig farming, affecting both welfare and production. Although routine tail docking is banned within the EU, it remains a common practice to prevent tail biting. Straw as environmental enrichment has been proposed as an alternative to tail docking, but its effectiveness against tail biting and f...

This study reviews existing scientific evidence regarding the impact of organic food on human health from an EU perspective, with a focus on public health. The development of environmentally sustainable and healthy food systems is an international priority. The study examines how organic food and organic agriculture can contribute to this in relati...

Background: Sows' ability to produce an excessive amount of piglets has shaped modern piglet production and there has been a steady increase in litter size during the last decades. This development has caused some negative side-effects, such as an increase in the proportion of stillborn piglets, a decrease in the proportion of weaned piglets and a...

Purpose To describe a more sustainable food sector, a supply chain approach is needed. Changing a supply chain inevitably means that various attributes of the product and its system will change. This project assumed this challenge and delivered detailed descriptions, life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluations, and consequence assessments of the supply...

Helminths are associated with health- and welfare problems in organic laying hens. The present observational cross-sectional study therefore aimed to estimate the prevalence and worm burdens of intestinal helminths in organic flocks of laying hens in 8 European countries, and to identify management factors that might be associated with helminth inf...

The light rhythm, as well as the quality of the light source is important for the early development of the layer chicken. Lighting may influence the incidence of behavioural problems, e.g. cannibalism, and these problems decrease with appriopriate rearing. Furthermore, the early exposure to perches and light type may influence the feeding and perch...

In this paper we analyse and discuss the views of Swedish stakeholders on how to mitigate climate change to the extent it is caused by meat production. The stakeholders include meat producer organisations, governmental agencies with direct influence on meat production, political parties as well as non-governmental organisations. Representatives of...

Organic pig farming aims at maintaining a high health and welfare state of the animals through appropriate housing, management and feeding. Better knowledge of health and welfare indicators should help to identify critical points and hence to improve health and welfare as well as performance of organic pigs. This paper describes the health and welf...

The aim of this review is to assess the ethical implications of finfish aquaculture, regarding fish welfare and environmental aspects. The finfish aquaculture industry has grown substantially the last decades, both as a result of the over-fishing of wild fish populations, and because of the increasing consumer demand for fish meat. As the industry...

EPOK (Centre for Organic Food and Farming) at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) works with knowledge synthesis, communication and research initiation in the field of organic farming. In order to facilitate the networking, researchers at departments of different scientific fields are associated to EPOK on a part-time basis. An im...

This study tested whether strong oestrus symptoms are linked to low lameness score, acceptable pregnancy and calving rates in heifers and first parity dairy cows with a high genetic potential for milk production. In a single Swedish nucleus herd for genetic selection and testing, oestrous intensity was determined by detailed observations of 67 fema...

To demonstrate and test methods to utilize expert opinion for estimation of risks of poor animal welfare (AW) in different types of animal husbandry, opinions were collected from 36 researchers at an international workshop. For each of 13 husbandry categories, participants were asked to individually provide values related to (1) the probability of...

Humans contribute substantially to the emissions of carbon dioxide causing global warming, and meat producing livestock contributes to this. Estimates of the global greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock sector vary from 5% to 50%. Nevertheless, the emissions are in absolute terms substantial, and the issue needs to be mitigated. The present p...

The aims of the project was to record the lighting environments in common types of Swedish hen houses. Furthermore, the HATO light equipment was tested according to the legal requirements regarding bird health and welfare. A limited study was performed in six commercial farms with laying hens in aviaries and modified cages, with HATO, fluorescent o...

To demonstrate and test methods to utilize expert opinion for estimation of risks of poor animal welfare (AW) in different types of animal husbandry, opinions were collected from 36 researchers at an international workshop. For each of 13 husbandry categories, participants were asked to individually provide values related to (1) the probability of...

Livestock has been said to cast a long shadow on climate change. However, environmental protection has also other aspects. This paper analyses one possible conflict between environmental goals in Sweden: to decrease the number of ruminants in order to minimise the impact on climate change and to maintain the number of ruminants in order to preserve...

Les éleveurs de porcs bio-logiques ont développé en Europe diffé-rents systèmes de logement qui dépendent de la dis-ponibilité des terres, des caractéristiques du sol et du climat, des traditions et des schémas de certification. Ce guide décrit les principaux systèmes de logement des porcs biolo-giques. Il compare les avantages et les inconvénients...