Press release Flemish Scientific Reference Center for Farm Animal Welfare established
The Flemish government agency Animal Welfare Flanders and Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) are entering into a structural partnership to further develop and disseminate scientific knowledge about the welfare of farm animals. This will be done through the Scientific Reference Center for Farm Animal Welfare, or RefWel for short, which was established on January 1, 2025. The RefWel website is now live. RefWel's mission is to provide up-to-date scientific information and data on farm animal welfare and to provide specific training to various actors in the livestock sector.
Goal
Science-driven policy, better-trained professionals, and up-to-date data on the welfare of Flemish livestock are good for the sector, animals, and society. To this end, Animal Welfare Flanders (Environment Department) and the Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO) are joining forces through the new Scientific Reference Center for Animal Welfare of Farm Animals, abbreviated to 'RefWel'. Visit the website https://refwel.ilvo.be.
Tasks
The first task of RefWel is to monitor farm animal welfare. This allows data to be collected objectively in order to map the current welfare situation of Flemish livestock. This data can be used in the future to compile statistics and monitor developments in animal welfare. The data can also form the basis for further scientific research.
The first joint projects focus on the welfare of laying hens and on developing methods to better monitor the welfare of pigs, beef cattle, and broiler chickens.
A second important task is knowledge sharing. RefWel will develop training courses for professionals in the livestock sector and ensure that the necessary practical information on animal welfare practices is made accessible.
Charlotte Vanden Hole, RefWel coordinator: “ILVO makes its extensive scientific knowledge available to support the entire sector. One example is that veterinarians and slaughterhouse workers, among others, receive additional training in recognizing footpad lesions in broiler chickens and turkeys. This is an important indicator of animal welfare in the poultry sector. Workshops are also offered for each animal category, which livestock farmers, transporters, and other professionals in the livestock sector can sign up for.
Monitoring
In the initial phase, RefWel will focus on the three largest animal categories in Flanders: poultry, cattle, and pigs. Within each of these animal categories, monitoring strategies and knowledge sharing tailored to practical applications are being developed. The ambition is to expand to other types of farm animals in the long term, so that it becomes a widely supported knowledge platform that structurally strengthens Flemish animal welfare policy for farm animals. Through contact and knowledge exchange with other (European) reference centers, the RefWel team also stays informed of international developments.
Website and coordinator
RefWel is physically located within ILVO, in Melle-Merelbeke. The coordinator is Dr. Charlotte Vanden Hole, who holds a master's degree in Biology (Ghent University) and a doctorate in Veterinary Sciences (University of Antwerp).
The recently launched website offers up-to-date and practical information on legislation, monitoring, training, and best practices. In addition to providing information via the website, RefWel also plans to regularly send articles on relevant topics to the trade press.
