Animal category: Poultry

DG SANTE report concluding that arrangements for official monitoring are in place, but identifying problems and deficiencies in the monitoring system, making recommendations on how to address them.

DG Health report concluding that Dutch animal welfare requirements for laying hens are more stringent than those in the EU, and that official monitoring is strong. It highlights a number of weaknesses and makes recommendations on how to address them.

A report outlining the revisions to the EU organic certification regulations relating to animal welfare, effective from 2022. They have been extended to include new species, such as rabbits and some fish types, and additional stages of production. The report also discusses the announcement of the "EU Organic Action Plan", which aims to have converted a minimum of 25% of agricultural land to organic farming and a significant increase in organic aquaculture by 2030.

Scientific study of the impact of research carried out at INRAE over the last 30 years with the aim of improving the welfare of farm animals. This research has led to the implementation of new national and European regulations, and the adoption of new practices and equipment in animal husbandry.

CAWF report on chick beak trimming in the UK. It highlights the high level of pain and stress associated with the practice, which interferes with the natural behaviours of foraging, nest-building and interaction with conspecifics. It considers that the reason for the practice, pecking, could be prevented by changes to flock management.

Scientific paper describing the behavioural budget of slow-growing male broilers (S757N) in their social group and usual environment throughout the rearing period, and relating observed behavioural differences in use of space. It shows that foraging (pecking and scratching) can be used as a behavioural predictors of range limits in free-range broilers.

Scientific paper showing that the use of runs by free-range broilers is probably related to the individual exploratory character of the animals. It suggests that individual differences between free-range broilers are present even before access is provided to runs.

Scientific review of the potential animal welfare risks posed by precision farming, whether these are direct, involving  machinery and equipment, technical failures or the poor choice of indicators, or indirect, involving the end-user, changes to animal housing or management, or a reduction in the consideration of ethical issues.  It calls for the systematic consideration of opportunities and risks when using PE techniques.

Scientific review of the opportunities offered by the latest precision-farming technologies for the monitoring and prevention of stress and disease in laying hens and broilers

Announcement of the publication of the 3rd and final volume on farm animal welfare, produced in association with the MOOC of the same name, and coordinated by the VetAgroSup Chaire Bien-Être Animal.