Farm Animal Welfare Open Data Research

Open data principles applied to farm animal welfare research accelerate scientific progress, enable independent verification and strengthen evidence-based policy.

Key Facts

Many farm animal welfare studies are unpublished or proprietary, limiting synthesis and replication
Open data repositories for welfare research enable systematic review and meta-analysis
FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) have been developed for welfare science
Industry-funded research is less likely to be published when results are unfavourable to welfare claims
Open-access publishing mandates from funders like Wellcome and UKRI are increasing welfare research accessibility

Welfare Considerations

Welfare research that is not openly accessible cannot be scrutinised, built upon or used by practitioners. Open data in welfare science is a structural improvement that amplifies every research investment.

What You Can Do

Support open-access publishing of animal welfare research through payment of article processing charges
Advocate for pre-registration of farm animal welfare studies to reduce publication bias
Use and share open welfare data repositories through research networks and advocacy organisations