Our research aims to understand behavioural needs and affective states of the animals that surrounds us; amongst others as a key component for assessing animal welfare and mental state. The species in focus are animals kept by humans for farming, as companion and leisure, as laboratory animals and for nature conservation/rewilding.
We develop novel techniques to assess behavioural needs and affective states including stress and pain in animals. These include- but are not limited to - digitalized methods for automated and longitudinal monitoring of animal behaviour and other signals that can be used for digitalization of welfare assessment and farm management.
We research how the physical and social environment as well as feeding, management and genetic influence animal welfare on farms, during transport and at slaughter.
We contribute to the Green Transition by developing holistic sustainable concepts for animal keeping, transportation and end of life inspired by the global OneWelfare concept, recognizing the interconnections between animal welfare and health, human health and well-being and the environment.
