Updates

June 2025

1. Announcement: We start off with an important announcement. Cathy Dwyer, our Centre Director, is leaving her post with us. As SRUC expand their Aberdeen-based School of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Cathy will be leading on the development of animal welfare in the school strategy, along with continuing to lead the SRUC animal behaviour and welfare team. Our AWC team will be led by Rebecca Doyle in the interim. Together, we look forward to continuing to collaborate on animal welfare research and extension between the AWC and SRUC.
2. New team member: We welcome Poppy Sibthorpe to the team; Poppy is a post-doctoral researcher leading a research program on the welfare of racing horses. The project is a collaboration between UoE and SRUC, with the team including Cathy Dwyer, Tamsin Coombs, Gemma Pearson, and Marie Rowland. Funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club
3. New resource: A range of free pdf resources (aligning with the 5 domains) focusing on dairy cattle. You can also self-test your understanding with the mini-quiz. edin.ac/welfare-dairy
4. New publications: Loftus, L., Newman, A., Leach, M. et al. Exploring the induction and measurement of positive affective state in equines through a personality-centred lens. Sci Rep 15, 18550 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98034-8 and Loftus, L. et al. (2025) Inducing and measuring positive affective state in domesticated equines: A Delphi consultation.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2025.106370
5. Visitors: Over the past two months we have welcomed a delegation from the vet school in Karnataka, India (KVAFSU; Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University), who were on a study tour fostering animal welfare research; an intern, Sujit Regmi from Nepal visiting on a World Veterinary Association/CEVA studentship; and Dr Femi Oyeniyi from Ekiti State Polytechnic, Nigeria who was visiting SRUC and the Animal Welfare Centre, on a UFAW scholarship.
6. Congratulations: Professor Nat Waran has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE), for services to equine welfare, research and education.

May 2025

1. Award: The Animal Welfare Centre were joint winner in the category of ‘Team Excellence’ at the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh. Awards web page
2. New publication: Reeves, M.C., et al. (2025) Norwegian sheep farmers’ perception of the advantages and disadvantages of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies. Journal of Rural Studies. vol. 117 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103684
3. Conference: UFAW International Animal Welfare Conference 2025 (24-26 June 2025). Students and staff will be presenting and attending the conference. Registration and details
4. Forum: Forum on Aquaculture Research Priorities and Women in Aquaculture: Scotland and Worldwide – 19 May 2025 (Edinburgh). The purpose is to bring together international and cross-sector perspectives to identify and align research priorities in salmon health—particularly across freshwater and marine stages—while fostering collaboration and showcasing initiatives that support equity and inclusion in aquaculture, with a focus on advancing the role of women in the sector.
5. Contribution: The Animal Welfare Centre is delighted to be formally welcomed as a key member of the Technical Steering Group for the International Joint Research Centre for Animal Welfare in Beijing, which has been developed by Compassion in World Farming (China) and the Institute of Animal Sciences at the China Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS).
6. Congratulations: Prof Susan Jarvis and Dr Rebecca Doyle co-nominated for Best Supervisor in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh.

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