Laura Webb

Laura Webb is an Assistant Professor at Wageningen University & Research's Animal Production Systems group, specializing in applied ethology with a focus on animal emotions and welfare. Her work emphasizes understanding and promoting positive affective states in farmed mammals (cows, pigs, sheep) and invertebrates (crickets, mussels). She leads initiatives like the EU COST Action 'Lifting Farm Animal Lives' and coordinates the PhD course 'Fundamentals of Animal Emotion'.

Research interests include non-verbal indicators of happiness (e.g., play behavior, tail posture in pigs), and technological tools like computer vision and bioacoustics for welfare assessment. Collaborations span institutions such as Teagasc (Ireland) and INRAe (France). Projects address topics like cow-calf contact in pasture systems, feeding strategies, and the welfare impact of agrivoltaics.

Publications focus on defining positive welfare, validating behavioral indicators, and exploring animal cognition/emotion. Notable work includes studies on calf weaning, pig feeding patterns, and the environmental impact of farming practices. Laura's team also investigates biomarkers of happiness in dairy cattle and cognitive assessments in insects.

She supervises PhD students Jacinta Bus (cum laude recipient) and Sarah McPherson, leading projects on continuous welfare monitoring and cow-calf interaction. Current initiatives include developing software platforms for welfare assessment (ClearFarm) and advancing sensor-based health monitoring in livestock.

Laura holds leadership roles in the European Partnership for Animal Health and Welfare, advocating for evidence-based policies. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges human psychology and animal science to elevate animal welfare standards globally.