Research on animal learning and cognition has so far mainly focused on a few
prominent model species, including primates, corvids and dogs. For years, comparative
psychologists and ethologists have been suggesting that more animal species should
be considered in comparative cognitive science. The abundance and accessibility of
livestock offer an opportunity, not merely to extend the comparative approach, but
also to deepen our knowledge of the mental lives of farm animals. Such approaches
also help to assess the needs of farm animals, in order to improve their welfare.
In recent years, scientific interest in different aspects of farm animal psychology,
including emotionality, personality and cognitive capacities, has been on the rise,
proving that farm animals have sophisticated cognitive skills to comprehend and
cope with their environment.
As knowledge of how farm animals perceive and interact with their physical and
social environments is crucial for animal welfare, the aim of this Research Topic is
to promote investigations of farm animal cognitive capacities and their implications
for animal welfare-related issues. We have therefore collected original research
and review articles, as well as opinion and perspective papers that are distributed
among the two hosting magazines, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (section Animal
Behavior and Welfare) and Frontiers in Psychology (section Comparative Psychology).
The published articles present state-of-the-art research on farm animal learning
and cognition, highlight future perspectives in this research area and pinpoint
shortcomings and limitations in interpreting current findings. They offer new
cross-disciplinary frameworks (e.g. links between affective states and cognition) and
discuss the applied implementation of these findings (e.g. cognitive enrichment).
These contributions will increase our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms
that enable farm animals to effectively interact with their environment and pave the
way for future cross-disciplinary endeavors.