Schuck-Paim, C., Alonso, W. J., Hartcher, K., Chiang, C., Pereira, P. A., Veit, W., Mendl, M., Nicol, C. J., & Lecorps, B. (2026). The pain echo chamber: how barren environments amplify pain in captive animals. Frontiers in Animal Science, 7, 1736142. https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2026.1736142
Peer-reviewedPublications
Peer-reviewed articles, technical and position papers, commentaries, and open-access books applying the Welfare Footprint Framework to quantify animal welfare as cumulative time in affective states.
Peer-reviewed publications
7 articlesOriginal research articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. These works undergo formal external review and represent the primary scientific record of the Welfare Footprint Framework.
Schuck-Paim, C., Alonso, W. J., Freitas, A. d. P., de Oliveira, C. P., Fonseca, V. d. F. C., & Borges, T. D. (2026). The welfare impact of heat stress in South American beef cattle and the cost-effectiveness of shade provision. Animals, 16(2), 231. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16020231
Peer-reviewedSchuck-Paim, C., Alonso, W. J., Verkuijl, C., Hegwood, M., & Hartcher, K. (2025). The Welfare Footprint Framework can help balance animal welfare with other food system priorities. Nature Food, 6(8), 737–739. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01213-z
Peer-reviewedSchuck-Paim, C., Alonso, W. J., Pereira, P. A., Saraiva, J. L., Cerqueira, M., Chiang, C., & Sneddon, L. U. (2025). Quantifying the welfare impact of air asphyxia in rainbow trout slaughter for policy and practice. Scientific Reports, 15, 19850. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04272-1
Peer-reviewedSchuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2022). Productivity of mother pigs is lower, and mortality greater, in countries that still confine them in gestation crates. F1000Research, 11, 564. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.122042.2
Peer-reviewedSchuck-Paim, C., Negro-Calduch, E., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). Laying hen mortality in different indoor housing systems: a meta-analysis of data from commercial farms in 16 countries. Scientific Reports, 11, 3052. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81868-3
Peer-reviewedAlonso, W. J., & Schuck-Paim, C. (2021). Pain-Track: a time-series approach for the description and analysis of the burden of pain. BMC Research Notes, 14, 229. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-021-05636-2
Peer-reviewedTechnical papers
12 papersIn-depth working papers presenting methods, quantitative estimates, and data analyses. Technical papers are internally reviewed and released openly to make our reasoning and calculations fully transparent and reusable.
Alonso, W. J., & Schuck-Paim, C. (2025). Welfare Footprint Framework: Methodological Foundations and Quantitative Assessment Guidelines. Center for Welfare Metrics (São Paulo). https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/94bxs Download PDF
TechnicalAlonso, W. J., & Schuck-Paim, C. (2025). When Feeling Is Worth It: A Cost-Benefit Framework for the Evolution of Sentience. Welfare Footprint Institute Technical Paper Series, 261
TechnicalSchuck-Paim, C. and Alonso, W. J. (2025). How to Define Affective Experiences for Analysis: Striking the Right Level of Detail. Welfare Footprint Institute Technical Paper Series: 254
TechnicalAlonso, W. J. & Schuck-Paim, C. (2025). Confounding Factors in Welfare Comparisons of Animal Production Systems, Welfare Footprint Institute Technical Paper Series. 252
TechnicalAlonso, W. J. & Schuck-Paim, C. (2025). Do primitive sentient organisms feel extreme pain? Disentangling Intensity Range And Resolution. Welfare Footprint Institute Technical Paper Series. 253
TechnicalAlonso, W. J. & Schuck-Paim, C. (2025). Borrowing the Knowns and Unknowns Framework to Reveal Blind Spots in Animal Welfare Science. Welfare Footprint Institute Technical Paper Series. 251
TechnicalSchuck-Paim, C. and Alonso, W. J. (2024). Short agony or long ache: comparing sources of suffering that differ in duration and intensity. Welfare Footprint Institute Technical Paper Series: 242 DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/Y74EF
TechnicalAlonso, WJ & Schuck-Paim (2024). Beyond Suffering: A Framework for Quantifying Positive Animal Welfare in Individuals and Populations. Welfare Footprint Institute. Technical Paper Series: 241. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/MDGJR
TechnicalAlonso, WJ & Schuck-Paim (2023). A novel proposal for the definition of pain. Welfare Footprint Institute. Technical Paper Series: 234. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/Y6NJH
TechnicalAlonso, W. J. & Schuck-Paim, C. (2023). Welfare Metrics and Welfare Indicators: Clarifying Essential Concepts in Animal Welfare Assessment Technical Paper Series. Welfare Footprint Institute. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/AQ2BM
TechnicalSchuck-Paim, C. & Alonso, WJ (2023). Cognitive Bias Tests: Optimism, Pessimism, or a Matter of Risk Tolerance? Technical Paper Series. Welfare Footprint Institute. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/8CF27
TechnicalSchuck-Paim, C. and Alonso, W. J. (2023). Simultaneous Affective Experiences and Potential for Positive Welfare. Welfare Footprint Institute Research Report Series. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/FWN2R
TechnicalPosition papers
1 paperConsidered statements on questions of scientific interpretation, methodology, or policy relevance. Position papers set out our reasoning on debated or emerging issues in animal welfare science.
Alonso, W. J. & Schuck-Paim, C. (2026). We Measure the Evidence. You Make the Call. Here's Why. Welfare Footprint Institute Position Paper Series. 261
PositionCommentaries
1 commentaryShort-form responses and perspectives on recent publications, events, or debates in the field. Commentaries are timely, focused pieces intended to inform ongoing scientific discussion.
Schuck-Paim, C. and Alonso, W. J. (2024). Could Transparency International Be a Model to Improve Farm Animal Welfare? Welfare Footprint Institute, Commentary Series: 243
CommentaryBooks & chapters
2 books · 17 chaptersLong-form monographs and edited volumes, together with their individual chapters. Books consolidate multi-year bodies of evidence into structured, citable references for researchers, students, and practitioners.
Both books are open access, with all chapters freely available in full.
Quantifying pain in laying hens
Schuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (Eds.) (2021) · Book page
Alonso, W. J., & Schuck-Paim, C. (2021). The comparative measurement of animal welfare: the Cumulative Pain Framework (Ch. 1). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., Wurtz, K., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). The life of commercial laying hens (Ch. 2). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., Negro-Calduch, E., Salinas-Salazar, P., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). Quantifying the pain due to keel bone fractures in laying hens (Ch. 3). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., Negro-Calduch, E., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). Welfare implications of injurious pecking in laying hens (Ch. 4). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterNegro-Calduch, E., Schuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). Egg peritonitis syndrome: a painful and prevalent disease in commercial layers (Ch. 5). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). The burden of psychological pain in laying hens: behavioral deprivation (Ch. 6). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). The last day of a hen's life: depopulation and transport (Ch. 7). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., Negro-Calduch, E., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). The prevalence of welfare challenges affecting laying hens in different housing systems (Ch. 8). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2021). Impact of the transition from caged to cage-free housing on the welfare of laying hens (Ch. 9). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
ChapterAcknowledgments (2021). In Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens.
AcknowledgmentsQuantifying pain in broiler chickens
Schuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (Eds.) (2022) · Book page
Schuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2022). The comparative measurement of welfare in broiler chickens: assessing the impact of reforms (Ch. 1). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., Hartcher, K., Wagner, B. K., & Alonso, W. J. (2022). Quantifying the welfare impacts of lameness in broiler chickens (Ch. 2). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterWurtz, K., Schuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2022). Quantifying the welfare impact of cardiorespiratory problems in broilers (Ch. 3). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., Wurtz, K., & Alonso, W. J. (2022). The welfare impact of heat stress in modern breeds of broiler chickens (Ch. 4). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterDawson, L. C., Schuck-Paim, C., Alonso, W. J., & O'Hagan, D. (2022). Quantifying the burden of behavioral deprivation in broiler chickens (Ch. 5). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2022). Quantifying the impact of fast-growing rates on the welfare of broiler breeder females (Ch. 6). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterSchuck-Paim, C., & Alonso, W. J. (2022). The impact of the Better Chicken Commitment and the use of slower-growing breeds on the welfare of broiler chickens at the farm level: findings and considerations (Ch. 7). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterNegro-Calduch, E., Alonso, W. J., & Schuck-Paim, C. (2022). Quantitative assessment of the welfare impacts of methods for the commercial slaughter of broilers (Ch. 8). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
ChapterAcknowledgments (2022). In Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens.
Acknowledgments