Here we review and describe a set of research priorities to meet present and future challenges posed to farmed animal production that build on progress, successes and resources from the Functional Annotation of ANimal Genomes (FAANG) project.

Previous research on consumer perceptions of salmon has often neglected Indigenous rights within the Canadian salmon industry. This study acknowledges the decline in salmon farm licenses in British Columbia and aims to achieve three main objectives: (1) gain a comprehensive understanding of four consumer perceptions—environmental sustainability, economic considerations, Indigenous rights, and price increase—across diverse consumer profiles through a cross-national online survey; (2) identify factors influencing these four consumer perceptions; and (3) assess the impact of these perceptions, along with socio-demographic variables and consumer motivations, on seven purchasing behaviors related to Canadian salmon products. Data analysis employs the graded response model and cumulative link models. The results illustrate how consumer profiles influence the four perceptions and their key determinants. Additionally, the study quantifies the impact of environmental sustainability, economic considerations, Indigenous rights, and a price increase on consumer purchasing behaviors.

We aimed to assess whether play behavior can be used as a welfare indicator for farmed spotted pacas (Cuniculus paca) by examining its association with other positive welfare markers including affiliative behavior and low-amplitude vocalizations. We submitted six groups of spotted pacas (one male/two females per group) (N=18) to an ABA experimental design (A1/A2: without ball; B: with three boomer balls). Play behavior occurred only during phase B (mean=35.5s, SE=6.4). Spotted pacas spent more time in affiliative and exploratory behaviors, while they spent less time engaging in agonistic interactions during phase B than in both control phases (A1 and A2) (P<0.05). Moreover, spotted pacas emitted more low-amplitude bark vocalizations during phase B than during either control phase (P<0.05), which have previously been shown to indicate a positive affective state and low arousal level. Because the expression of play was associated with a decrease in aggression, an increase in affiliative behavior, and an increase in low-amplitude barking, indicating thus a positive state, we suggest that play behavior can be used as a non-invasive indicator of positive welfare in this species.