Welfare Science

Welfare Genomics and Stress Genetics

Genomic approaches are identifying genetic variants associated with stress resilience, pain sensitivity, and welfare-relevant behavioural traits, enabling selective breeding for better welfare.

Key Facts

Genetic variants affecting pain sensitivity (TRPV1, COMT) are identified in several species
Fear and anxiety traits have heritable components in domestic animals
Selective breeding has been used both to improve (broiler welfare) and reduce welfare
Genomic selection can identify individuals with better welfare traits before expression
Breed-level welfare variation in dogs illustrates the welfare impact of genetic choices

Welfare Considerations

Welfare genomics offers genuinely transformative potential - breeding animals with better stress resilience, reduced pain sensitivity, and calmer temperaments represents a welfare improvement that affects every individual across generations. Applying genomic tools to welfare improvement is an exciting frontier in welfare science.

What You Can Do

Support research into welfare-associated genomic variants in farm and companion animals
Advocate for inclusion of welfare traits in breeding selection programmes
Engage with breed societies about including welfare genomics in breeding goals
Support regulatory frameworks that integrate welfare into breeding programme approval
Learn about the evidence for heritable welfare traits in species you work with