The Role of Sound in Livestock Farming—Selected Aspects

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Greater awareness about animal welfare forces breeders to pay more attention to animals’ needs and behaviors. The presence of sound coming from surroundings, machines, people, and animals themselves may be an important factor that affects animal welfare. If understood correctly, vocalization can provide valuable information about the emotional state of an animal, thus allowing situations to be adjusted to keep them comfortable. On the other hand, excessive noise can significantly affect the health and behavior of farm animals. If the sounds are outside the hearing range of humans, it becomes challenging to recognize their influence unless one has a deep understanding of how farm animals’ hearing works. In summary, existing research provides promising insights into the connection between sounds and the welfare of farm livestock. While there are reports highlighting the harmful effects of noise on livestock, further research should focus on exploring this aspect in more detail. ABSTRACT: To ensure the optimal living conditions of farm animals, it is essential to understand how their senses work and the way in which they perceive their environment. Most animals have a different hearing range compared to humans; thus, some aversive sounds may go unnoticed by caretakers. The auditory pathways may act through the nervous system on the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and immune systems. Therefore, noise may lead to behavioral activation (arousal), pain, and sleep disorders. Sounds on farms may be produced by machines, humans, or animals themselves. It is worth noting that vocalization may be very informative to the breeder as it is an expression of an emotional state. This information can be highly beneficial in maintaining a high level of livestock welfare. Moreover, understanding learning theory, conditioning, and the potential benefits of certain sounds can guide the deliberate use of techniques in farm management to reduce the aversiveness of certain events.