Animal category: Poultry

INRAE dossier on the research and expert advice provided by the Institute in the field of animal welfare, which is carried out in an interdisciplinary manner, and aims to improve the living conditions of farm animals while taking into account the working conditions of farmers, along with economic, environmental and land-use considerations.

A scientific review of the use of data collected in the course of precision farming that can provide a resource in addition to expert knowledge to help decision-making on the combined issues of the management of animal health and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Thematic dossier from the Coopérative Agricole, based on three fundamental principles: improving understanding of animal welfare, putting it into practice in a practical and pragmatic way in France and its territories, and providing a sustainable picture of the pride the agricultural professions take in their work. The dossier emphasises the close links between the welfare of animals and of those who work with them and highlights the benefits of the approaches it describes.

Scientific paper which estimates the prevalence of brevis fractures in laying hens in Denmark to range  between 53 and 100% according to individual flocks in non-cage systems, and between 50 and 98% in cage systems. The major risk factors it identifies are hen size, age at onset of laying and daily egg weight at onset of laying.

Scientific paper identifying particular behaviours associated with better health (more time spent in an iother small companion animalstive standing position, use of the perch, walking, high energy levels, exploratory behaviour), and others associated with poorer health (more time spent in an iother small companion animalstive lateral position or in an iother small companion animalstive sitting position, preferential use of litter over other resources) in broilers.

A scientific review of alternative materials to wood shavings and sawdust for use as poultry litter, including corncobs, straw and hay, sand, shredded paper, rice husks, peanut shells and gypsum. Consideration is given to their cost, availability, capacity to absorb and adsorb moisture, and the extent to which they allow birds to express their natural behaviour.

Scientific paper presenting a very large-scale Czech retrospective analysis of traumatic lesions in poultry and rabbits detected post-mortem at abattoirs. It reveals a high incidence of limb lesions in chickens and rabbits, and on the thorax in rabbits, exposing the need for reexamination of rearing conditions, and of housing and/or handling before slaughter in particular, in the Czech Republic.

Revised Opinion from Anses and revised collective expertise report on the draft guide to good welfare practices in poultry abattoirs. Particular aims are to assess its compliance with Regulation 1099/2009/EC and its logic and consistency, to identify the points to be addressed in light of new scientific knowledge, and to propose possible improvements.

Written answer to a parliamentary question on the measures taken by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food in respect of the failings found in abattoirs  and whether a general audit of French abattoirs is under consideration, along with the compulsory publication of annual reports on compliance with standards and regulations.

A scientific review of the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and then assess emotions in livestock.  These developments call for a multidisciplinary approach that combines affective computing, bioengineering and applied ethology to overcome both theoretical and practical obstacles.