Animal Cognition and Animal Welfare: A Review

The cognitive abilities of farm animals, particularly dairy cattle, play a crucial role in their adaptation to and interaction with their surroundings, influencing their performance, welfare and the safety of handlers. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of cognitive capabilities in animal welfare assessment, there remains a limited understanding of the cognitive repertoire of farm animals. Animals can acquire, process, store and act upon information from their environment through a variety of cognitive processes, including perception, learning, memory and decision-making. In order to address the behavioural and cognitive needs of farm animals and eventually improve their welfare and performance, housing systems and management techniques must be tailored with an understanding of these cognitive mechanisms. The practice of removing calves from their mothers immediately after birth, although aimed at disease control and ease of management, raises concerns regarding calf welfare and cognitive development due to social isolation. By providing cognitive enrichment opportunities, such as social interaction and environmental stimulation, animals can develop coping mechanisms for stressful events and enhance their ability to adapt to environmental changes. Moreover, the interconnection between cognition and welfare is complex, with cognitive processes influencing and being influenced by welfare conditions. This bidirectional relationship underscores the importance of considering cognitive functioning in welfare assessment and management practices. It highlights the need for further research to advance our knowledge of farm animal cognition and its implications for welfare and performance.