Personal profile
Research interests
My main areas of research involve using animal behaviour and other indicators to assess and understand animal welfare. More specifically my research interests are:
- Welfare assessment measures in cattle: this research involves finding reliable and practical methods for assessing welfare in on-farm conditions
- The use of precision livestock farming techiques to assess health and welfare
- Personality/behavioural traits in dairy and beef cattle: involved in a number of projects characterising personality or behavioural traits in cattle, the genetic basis for these traits and how they relate to health and welfare
- Effect of housing and management on the welfare of dairy cattle and calves
- Cognition and emotion: investigation of emotional expression of animals and recognition of those states by other animals
Projects
Current projects:
- ISCF TFP science and technology into practice: feasibility studies . (2020-2022; £225K).: Identifying best sensor technologies to deliver verifiable health & welfare, environment and processing quality benefits for dairy production. Led by Richard Dewhurst
- Greenanimo: National Programme 'European Scientific Networks' (2020-2023).
- Zoetis Europe Ltd.: Developing a Health-related Quality of Life Tools for bovine respiratory disease. £149K (2020-2022).
- RESAS A3.5 Practical solutions to difficult welfare problems 2022-27
- InnovateUK: D-FLOWS (D-Flows: Data for Livestock Optimisations for Wiser Supply Chains). £750K (2021-2023).
- Defra: Animal Health and Welfare, Productivity and Sustainability Impacts of Housed Cattle, 2022-2023 £60K
Supervision
PhD studentship (2018-2023): The effect of maternal care on the neurobiological, emotional and cognitive development of lambs
PhD studentship (2019-2023): Welfare assessment of salmon within aquaculture in Scotland
PhD studentship (2020-2024): Novel approaches to improving calf health: new technology and data analytics
PhD studentship (2021-2025): Using behaviour and technologies to detect early signs of disease in calves and laying hens
PhD studentship (2022-2026): Methods to assess canine mobility
Education/Academic qualification
PhD , University of Melbourne
1 Mar 1988 → 1 Mar 1992
Award Date: 5 May 1992
BSc (Hons), Massey University
2 Feb 1982 → 9 May 1986
Award Date: 9 May 1986
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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RDE955: Understanding and Improving the Welfare of Breeding and Teaser Males: Boars, Bulls and Rams
Dwyer, C. (PI), Haskell, M. (CoPI) & Somarriba Soley, M. (CoI)
9/02/26 → 31/03/27
Project: Research
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A-SHED: Analysis of Scottish Housed Environments for Dairy
Shewbridge Carter, L. (CoPI), Ferguson, H. (CoPI), Haskell, M. (PI), Carter, A. (CoI), MacPherson, L. (Researcher) & Mason, C. (CoI)
1/01/25 → 30/09/26
Project: Research
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ANAFECT-EVO: CA23106 - An Evolutionary View to Understanding Affective States across Species (AFFECT-EVO)
Dwyer, C. (PI), Haskell, M. (PI), Wemelsfelder, F. (CoI), Lawrence, A. (CoI), Baxter, E. (CoI), Toma, L. (CoPI), Akaichi, F. (CoI) & Smulders, T. (Project manager)
10/10/24 → 9/10/28
Project: Research
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Transform Dairy Net
Haskell, M. (PI), March, M. (CoPI) & Ferguson, H. (CoPI)
1/06/24 → 31/05/27
Project: Research
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DETECT: A Non-Invasive and Automated Real-Time Disease Detection Tool for Cattle
Duthie, C.-A. (PI) & Haskell, M. (CoI)
1/09/23 → 31/08/26
Project: Research
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Better outcomes for ‘surplus’ dairy calves
Haskell, M. & Ferguson, H., 12 Feb 2026, SEFARI. 3 p.Research output: Book/Report/Policy Brief/Technical Brief › Policy Brief
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Early-Life Respiratory Emissions of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O in Pre-Weaned Dairy-Bred Calves
Langford, B., Brans, J., Broadbent, C., Haskell, M., Nicoll, L., Mullinger, N. & Duthie, C.-A., Mar 2026, In: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment. 5, 1, e70141.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Downloads (Pure) -
Implication of “smart” ear-tags material, shape, weight, and placement on calves’ ear injury and position
Brans, J., Duthie, C.-A., Mason, C., Bowen, J. M., Haskell, M., Donnelly, E., Adityan, V. & Chitty, J., Jan 2026, In: Livestock Science. 303, 105859.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile33 Downloads (Pure) -
Phenome-wide study connects behavioral genetics of odor detection dogs with temperament traits
Eyre, A. W., Zapata, I., Fraire, J., Coty, K. D., Huson, H. J., Evans, K. M., Otto, C. M., Serpell, J. A., van Rooy, D., Wade, C. M., Blott, S. C., Wiener, P., Haskell, M. J. & Alvarez, C. E., 11 Mar 2026, (First published) In: Scientific Reports. 16, 13768.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Weaning-induced behavioural changes in Sahiwal calves: a multi-test approach to assessment of social and emotional reactivity.
Jamwal, S., Singh, P., Kamboj, M. L., Kataria, R. S., Gowane, G. R., Thakur, R., Dabas, R. & Haskell, M., 5 Mar 2026, (First published) In: Journal of Dairy Research. 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Datasets
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Unravelling selection signatures in a single dog breed suggests recent selection for morphological and behavioural traits
Friedrich, J. (Creator), Talenti, A. (Creator), Arvelius, P. (Creator), Strandberg, E. (Creator), Haskell, M. J. (Creator) & Wiener, P. (Creator), Dryad, 23 Mar 2020
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.g4f4qrfmr, https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.g4f4qrfmr
Dataset
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Data from: Genomic data illuminates demography, genetic structure and selection of a popular dog breed
Wiener, P. (Creator), Sánchez-Molano, E. (Creator), Clements, D. N. (Creator), Woolliams, J. A. (Creator), Haskell, M. J. (Creator) & Blott, S. C. (Creator), Dryad, 1 Jan 2018
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.38q43, https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.38q43
Dataset
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Data from: Genetic characterization of dog personality traits
Ilska, J. (Contributor), Haskell, M. J. (Contributor), Blott, S. C. (Creator), Sanchez-Molano, E. (Contributor), Polgar, Z. (Contributor), Lofgren, S. E. (Creator), Clements, D. N. (Creator) & Wiener, P. (Creator), Dryad, 1 Jan 2018
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.171q5, http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.171q5
Dataset
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Data from: Genetic dissection of complex behaviour traits in German Shepherd dogs
Friedrich, J. (Creator), Strandberg, E. (Creator), Arvelius, P. (Creator), Sánchez-Molano, E. (Creator), Pong-Wong, R. (Creator), Hickey, J. M. (Creator), Haskell, M. J. (Creator) & Wiener, P. (Creator), Dryad, 2020
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.493rk16, http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.493rk16
Dataset
Activities
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The science of animal welfare: behaviour, environmental enrichment and positive welfare for cattle (and sheep)
Haskell, M. (Speaker)
4 Dec 2026Activity: Talk, evidence or presentation types › Invited talk
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Talk on precision breeding and animal weflare
Haskell, M. (Speaker)
9 Apr 2025Activity: Talk, evidence or presentation types › Evidence to committees
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PhD examination as external examiner
Haskell, M. (Examiner)
26 Sept 2024Activity: Qualification development/external examination types › External examiner (viva)
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HOW TO REDUCE WEANING AND SEPARATION STRESS IN DAIRY COW-CALF CONTACT SYSTEMS?
Haskell, M. (Examiner)
6 Jun 2024Activity: Qualification development/external examination types › External examiner (viva)
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Behavioural and physiological characteristics of rumination
Haskell, M. (Speaker)
21 May 2024Activity: Talk, evidence or presentation types › Invited talk