Welfare Science

Animal Welfare Metrics and Dashboard Tools

Welfare metrics dashboards translate complex scientific assessments into accessible tools for farmers, vets, and policy-makers to monitor and improve animal welfare at scale.

Key Facts

WQ (Welfare Quality) assessment protocols were developed through major EU research
On-farm welfare indicators include animal-based and resource-based measures
Digital dashboards can visualise welfare trends across farms and time periods
Automated sensor data increasingly feeds into welfare monitoring systems
Standardised metrics enable benchmarking and improvement over time

Welfare Considerations

Converting animal welfare science into practical monitoring tools is essential for welfare improvement at scale. Dashboard approaches make welfare visible to decision-makers and create accountability mechanisms that can drive systemic change across farming and other sectors.

What You Can Do

Support adoption of standardised welfare metrics in farming assurance schemes
Advocate for welfare dashboard requirements in supply chain standards
Encourage use of evidence-based welfare assessment rather than input-only measures
Support research into automated welfare monitoring technologies
Request welfare metric transparency from food companies in their supply chains