Achieving Higher-Welfare
Living Environments for Farm Animals
Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice
Saturday, October 18, 2025
10 AM - 5:00 PM CDT (Central Time)
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A free virtual symposium​ hosted by VAFAW.
The symposium is RACE-approved for up to 6 hours of CE credit for veterinarians and veterinary technicians who attend the live event. Certificates of participation will be emailed within the week following the symposium.
Animal welfare science shapes our perception of the ideal farm animal living environment—one that considers the animal’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. As animal welfare scientists shift their focus from the avoidance of suffering to environments in which animals can thrive, we must consider opportunities for animals to achieve agency, choice, and rewarding experiences. However, there is often a perceived chasm between the ideal living environment and one that is scalable, practical, and economically efficient.
Join this important discussion as research, industry, and veterinary professionals come together to share insights on bridging the gap between animal welfare science and on-farm implementation of higher-welfare practices.
Symposium Objectives:
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Learn about the benefits of social housing for dairy calves and the common challenges and solutions for farmers using this method of housing.
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Gain insight into the importance of understanding sow preference and motivation when evaluating the welfare implications of confinement housing.
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Develop an understanding of how to apply natural sow behavior to the design and management of group housing systems that balance efficiency and animal well-being.
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Discover key information about common housing systems within the laying hen and broiler chicken industry and the associated welfare concerns.
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Learn how we can enhance dairy calf welfare through improved housing and weaning practices, and the importance of providing animals choice within their living environments.
Symposium Agenda
Welcome Remarks and Introduction to Farm Animal Living Environments
Abigale Zoltick, DVM, MSc, DACAW
10:00 - 10:30 AM CST
Dr. Zoltick is the Director of Education and a member of the Board of Directors of VAFAW. She is also a postdoctoral animal welfare researcher at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where she earned her Master of Science in Animal Welfare and Behavior and completed a residency in animal welfare. Dr. Zoltick will provide an introduction to farm animal living environments, including welfare concerns arising from modern commercial housing. She will focus on how an animal’s behavioral ecology – the evolutionary behaviors they are still motivated to perform – should shape how we approach housing design and management to maximize welfare.
Dairy calf housing for positive animal welfare
Jennifer Van Os, PhD
10:30 - 11:20 AM CST
Dr. Jennifer Van Os is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Animal Welfare at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Committed to improving the welfare of dairy animals, Dr. Van Os’ presentation explores a key question: Why all the fuss about social housing for dairy calves? In this presentation, she reviews research on the benefits of pair and group housing of pre-weaned calves. She further addresses common on-farm challenges and offers practical solutions for successfully implementing social housing with the broader goal of helping the dairy industry adapt as scientific knowledge about animal welfare continues to grow.
Poultry welfare concerns on commercial farms
Leonie Jacobs, PhD
11:30 - 12:20 PM CST
Dr. Leonie Jacobs is an Associate Professor in Animal Science at Virginia Tech and Co-founder of the Poultry Extension Collaborative. Dr. Jacobs brings extensive research expertise in poultry behavior and welfare to this presentation on commercial farming practices for laying hens and broiler chickens. With a commitment to both supporting industry stakeholders and ensuring a high-quality life for production animals, Dr. Jacobs highlights the complexity of key welfare concerns and their impact on bird health and welfare.
Kipster, not only about an egg
Ruud Zanders, Ir
Vera Bavinck, DVM, MSc
12:30 - 1:20 PM CST
Mr. Ruud Zanders grew up on a poultry farm and studied economics at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He is a founding partner of Kipster Farm and focuses on sustainable, higher-welfare animal production. Mr. Zanders also co-founded the Caring Farmers Foundation, an organization for farmers taking steps towards nature-inclusive circular agriculture. Dr. Vera Bavinck studied biology with a specialization in animal behavior prior to studying veterinary medicine at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. She developed KipUP, an innovative method that objectively measures the welfare of laying hens. Dr. Bavinck combines scientific expertise with a deep fascination for how animals live, feel, and behave. She views animal welfare not just as a field of expertise but as a responsibility and a passion. Together, Mr. Zanders and Dr. Bavinck will introduce us to Kipster Farm, a revolutionary poultry farm that produces higher-welfare eggs and meat. At Kipster, chickens live in enriched, spacious environments that facilitate natural behavioral expression. Kipster strives to set an example for the role of animals in a worldwide, sustainable food system.
Lunch Break
1:20 - 2:00 PM
I want to break free: gilt preference and motivation to be outside crates
Thomas Ede, PhD
2:00 - 2:50 PM CST
Dr. Thomas Ede is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Pennsylvania Swine Research and Teaching Center with expertise in utilizing behavioral and cognitive measures to assess farm animal emotional states. As the debate about sow confinement continues, Dr. Ede provides evidence-based insight into what pigs want. In this timely presentation, Dr. Ede discusses his recent research investigating gilt preference and motivation to gain access to open space. He explores the welfare impact of sow crate confinement and the importance of considering animal mental states and individual differences when determining best housing practices.
The Sow-cial Network:
Designing Pens for Harmony, Not Havoc
Kevin Kurbis
3:00 - 3:50 PM CST
Mr. Kevin Kurbis, Director of Hog Solutions at AgriHub Inc., brings a practical, barn-floor perspective to the conversation around sow welfare and group housing. Focusing on aligning barn systems with natural animal behavior, Mr. Kurbis explains how we can design systems that work with, not against, a pig’s instincts. Decades of experience helping producers design and adapt their operations guide Mr. Kurbis’ presentation on how thoughtful and informed pen layout, flow, and resource placement can encourage positive social behaviors while minimizing aggression and stress. Blending practical on-farm experience with animal behavior insights, Mr. Kurbis explains how we can create environments where welfare and productivity go hand in hand.
Dairy cattle welfare: Some of the key issues and how do we improve care on farms?
Marina von Keyserlingk, PhD, MSc
4:00 - 4:50 PM CST
Dr. Marina von Keyserlingk is an internationally recognized Professor in the Animal Welfare Program at The University of British Columbia. In this presentation, Dr. von Keyserlingk shares decades of research experience that aims to unravel how behavior, housing, and management contribute to the health and welfare of dairy cattle. Dr. von Keyserlingk provides an evidence-based investigation of weaning and housing practices that support natural dairy calf behaviors to enhance welfare. She further discusses the importance of giving animals choice, including the welfare advantages of offering dairy cattle pasture access.
Concluding Remarks