Environmental Enrichment Strategies to Improve Welfare, Behavior, and Stress Reduction in Indoor Livestock Housing

Abstract

Although indoor livestock housing systems provide advantages of controlling feeding, climatic conditions, and avoiding diseases, they usually restrict the expression of natural behaviours by animals, which leads to the high stress states, behavioural deviations, and decreased output. This paper examines the usefulness of a multi-faceted bundle of environmental enrichment measures, such as high platform, natural lighting, suspended toys, floor materials with a texture, and aroma-based stimuli, in improving the welfare and behavioural health of indoors housed cattle and goats. Frequency of exploratory behaviour, occurrence of aggression, and change of salivary cortisol concentration were measured systematically using special housing units of each species to determine the effect of enrichment on physiological and behavioural scale. The findings revealed that animals in enriched systems recorded a high level of exploratory behaviour, better comforting behaviour, and less aggression than the same animals in traditional housing systems. The physiological examination showed that the level of cortisol dropped by 20 28 percent, so the stress was significantly reduced and the boating state was enhanced. Natural lighting was also included to preserve circadian rhythms, and textured flooring was useful to enhance footing and physical comfort in general, and hanging toys and scent indicators were used to encourage cognitive involvement and alleviate boredom. The results show that the implementation of enrichment measures that are simple and cheaper can still lead to significant beneficial changes in the welfare of the inside livestock, and make farming systems healthier and more productive, as well as aligned with their ethical standards. This paper highlights the relevance of enrichment practises with contemporary livestock facility design as a sustainable welfare-based intervention by increasing the behavioural expression, minimising physiological stress, and improving the overall wellness in confined livestock.