Kees van Reenen
Papers
1
Total Citations
51
H-Index
1
About
Kees van Reenen is a leading researcher in animal behavior and welfare, with a particular focus on dairy cattle. His work bridges the gap between laboratory-based behavioral tests and real-world animal experiences, fundamentally advancing how we assess and improve the welfare of farm animals. Van Reenen’s most-cited paper, "Fear responses to novelty in testing environments are related to day-to-day activity in the home environment in dairy cattle" (2013, 51 citations), is a landmark study that demonstrated a critical link: how a cow reacts to a novel, stressful test situation directly reflects its natural, everyday behavior in the barn. This finding validated the use of standardized behavioral tests as meaningful welfare indicators, moving the field beyond artificial settings. His research has profound implications for housing design, management practices, and breeding programs aimed at reducing fear and stress in dairy herds. By providing robust, evidence-based tools for assessing emotional states, van Reenen has helped shape modern, more humane livestock production systems, making him a key figure in applied ethology and animal welfare science.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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