A Scoping Review of Cognitive Enrichment for Young Cattle and its Implications for Welfare and Agricultural Practices
Authors: Georgiana Amarioarei and Rachel Vliet and Marjorie Cellier and Nadège Aigueperse and Elise Shepley and Abdoulaye Baniré Diallo and Elsa Vasseur
Date: 2026-04-01
Journal: SSRN
Status: Published
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6502358
Cognitive enrichment supports the behavioural needs of animals by engaging their natural instincts and supporting cognitive skills. It distinguishes itself from other types of enrichment by introducing cognitively challenging tasks and promoting mental stimulation. For young cattle, this enrichment type is necessary for supporting healthy development and well-being. This scoping review seeks to assess the current state of literature on the effects of cognitive enrichment on young domestic bovine. This is substantial for understanding welfare benefits and possible implications for efficiency and sustainability of farming practices. A comprehensive search of databases Scopus and Web of Science was conducted using PRISMA guidelines to identify records published between 1970 and 2024. During this period, there were no self-identifying cognitive enrichment publications, which prompted the search strategy expansion to publications relating to cognitive enrichment. After a multi-step screening process, a total of 32 studies reduced from 13,195 were included in the final analysis. Results of the analysis showed inconsistent definitions of age classification of bovine developmental stages which put limitations on cross-study comparisons and development of recommendations for practical implementation. Secondly, methodological elements like measures and practicality of tests were categorically assessed using our applicability toolkit to investigate potential welfare implications of cognitive enrichment and translatability on farms. In all, our findings suggest cognitive enrichment holds significant promise as a tool for enhancing the welfare of young bovine, though further research is needed to support this claim.