The intensification of production systems has resulted in detrimental effects on sow welfare, which can have an adverse influence on their offspring. Considering the relevance of the microbiota–gut–brain axis, probiotics can mitigate such impacts. To investigate the effects of the dietary inclusion of probiotics on the welfare of sows and piglets, 147 multiparous sows were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group or a group supplemented with a multistrain probiotic from the beginning of pregnancy to the end of lactation. The human–animal relationship (HAR), stereotypic behavior, position changes, salivary cortisol, and plasma serotonin levels were assessed in the sows. The piglets’ back test behavior and organ weight were analyzed. The probiotic-supplemented sows exhibited a better HAR index (p = 0.017), which indicated reduced aversion towards humans. The frequency of stereotypies was not influenced by the treatments. However, the supplemented sows spent more time standing (p = 0.054) and less time lying down (p = 0.008). The cortisol level of the supplemented sows was 50% lower (p = 0.047) and the serotonin levels were 11% higher (p = 0.034) than control animals. The multistrain piglets were more passive and less resistant (p = 0.076) in the back test. The organ weights were not influenced by treatments. In conclusion, the sows supplemented with probiotics showed less fear and more motivation indicators, while their piglets showed less aggression behaviors.

A intensificação do sistema de produção avícola trouxe profundas mudanças no ambiente físico e social das aves domésticas. O manejo dessas aves tem recebido considerável atenção nos últimos anos devido às novas demandas por parte dos consumidores, principalmente aquelas relacionadas ao bem-estar. O comportamento é a maneira como os animais respondem aos diferentes estímulos que encontram em seu ambiente. As expressões comportamentais das aves domésticas e a aplicação desse conhecimento no cuidado dos animais desempenha um papel importante na maximização da eficiência de produção da cadeia avícola. Assim, definir limites éticos e diretrizes para a produção avícola é fundamental para fomentar o desenvolvimento de novas práticas produtivas, e assim garantir qualidade e produtividade sem colocar em risco o bem-estar dos animais. Esta revisão destacará as principais expressões comportamentais das aves domésticas, dentre elas as expressões sociais, alimentares, reprodutivas, além de estereotipias, e identificará as estratégias de adaptação social. Assim, promovera ao leitor e a comunidade científica uma melhor compreensão de assuntos pouco discutidos para assim auxiliar em análises comportamentais.

Intensive swine production stressors induce stress responses that compromise welfare and health, positioning behavior as a critical welfare indicator. Although antibiotics traditionally improve performance, antimicrobial resistance concerns have driven the search for alternatives. This systematic review evaluated the influence of zootechnical additives, used as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP), on pig behavior. Following the PICO framework (pigs, antimicrobial alternatives, AGP, behavioral responses), three databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science) were searched. Out of 1,893 identified articles, seven met the inclusion criteria, highlighting the scarcity of standardized behavioral research in this field. Extracted variables included biting frequency, posture (lying/standing/sitting), exploration, agonistic behavior, object interaction, reactivity, stereotypies, and vocalizations. The limited study number and heterogeneous assessment methods restricted direct comparisons between additives. While organic acids showed non-significant effects, probiotics improved exploration and activity in weaned piglets, improved human-animal relationships in sows, and reduced stress reactivity in offspring. L-glutamine increased standing time and novel object exploration in weaned piglets. Regarding phytogenics, Moringa oleifera reduced belly nosing, while Passiflora incarnata decreased aggression and biting in weaned piglets. In conclusion, feed additives can positively modulate pigs behavioral responses; however, these findings stem from limited data and require cautious interpretation. These findings highlight the potential of specific feed additives to mitigate stress-related behaviors in pigs, while emphasizing the urgent need for standardized ethological protocols to strengthen behavioral evidence across production phases.

The use of sensors applied to precision livestock farming is widespread in many farm species, especially dairy cattle, but there is a dearth of sensors validated for sheep farming. This study aims to validate a dairy cattle sensor collar to assess sheep ingestion, rumination, and other behaviors in two housing conditions: indoor housed and pasture. Twenty crossbred ewes were continuously monitored for 24 h per system, with video recordings analyzed by trained observers to quantify ingestion, rumination, and other behaviors. Precision (r, R², Bland–Altman) and accuracy (CCC, regression slope) analyses were undertaken to assess sensor performance. The intra-rater reliability of behavior scoring was good (Kappa = 0.84, p < 0.01). In the indoor experiment, ingestion and rumination behaviors showed high precision (r = 0.92 and 0.79, respectively), while only ingestion time was considered accurate (CCC = 0.91). In the outdoor system, ingestion time showed moderate precision (r = 0.83) and accuracy (CCC = 0.80), whereas rumination and other behaviors presented low agreement with visual observations. The findings suggest that, while current sensors can be used to monitor sheep feeding behavior in confined environments, further refinement in algorithm and collar design is needed for effective application in grazing conditions.

Coccidiosis is a major enteric disease in poultry production, particularly under mixed infections involving multiple Eimeria species. This study evaluated the effects of a moderate mixed Eimeria spp. challenge on growth performance, hematological profile, and intestinal integrity in broiler chickens. A total of 288 broilers were allocated to challenged or unchallenged groups. At 14 days of age, challenged birds were orally inoculated with Eimeria tenella (3.5 × 103 oocysts/bird), Eimeria acervulina (7.0 × 104 oocysts/bird), and Eimeria maxima (1.0 × 105 oocysts/bird). Performance was evaluated until 42 days of age, and samples were collected at 7 and 14 days post-challenge. Challenged birds showed reduced body weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency during the first week post-infection, along with increased mortality, higher oocyst shedding, and more severe intestinal lesions. Although oocyst excretion and lesion severity decreased by 14 days post-challenge, total intestinal health index scores remained elevated. Hematocrit decreased at 7 days post-challenge, while leukocyte count and heterophil-tolymphocyte ratio increased at 14 days post-challenge. These results indicate that mixed Eimeria infection compromises both intestinal integrity and systemic physiological responses, and that intestinal morphological recovery does not necessarily reflect complete systemic restoration.