Rick D'Eath

Rick D'Eath is a Professor of Animal Welfare at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), specializing in the intersection of animal behavior and welfare. His work focuses on using behavior to measure welfare, particularly in pigs, addressing issues like social aggression, tail biting, and mounting behavior. He also investigates hunger in ration-fed animals such as sows and broiler breeder chickens, combining behavioral, physiological, and neurobiological approaches. A key area of his research involves precision livestock farming, collaborating on technologies like machine vision and sensors to monitor farm animal welfare. He explores broader policy impacts of trade, regulations, and climate change on animal welfare.

Education: PhD in Social Recognition of Flockmates in Laying Hens (University of Oxford, 1996) and MSc in Biological Sciences (University of Oxford, 1993).

Key Projects:

• BBSRC IPA 'Pig ID' (2022-2024): Developing deep learning systems for pig biometrics (£612K).
• Defra/UKRI Innovate UK 'FarmSense' (2022-2024): Sustainable pig farming using machine vision and sensors (£1.09M).
• Scottish Government RESAS Projects: EU Exit challenges/opportunities for animal welfare, and laying hen welfare solutions.

Research Contributions: Over 110 publications since 1996, with recent focus on tail biting prevention, feed restriction effects, and policy analysis. Active in PhD supervision, including projects on pig genetics and broiler breeder diets.

Grants and Collaborations: Funded by BBSRC, Defra, Innovate UK, and the Scottish Government. Collaborates with universities and industry partners like Aviagen.