Species: Laying hens

Keel bone fractures in Danish laying hens: Prevalence and risk factors

Ida C. N. Thøfner, Jan Dahl, Jens Peter Christensen

Published in 2021

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Pain, Livestock farming system

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Associations between behaviour and health outcomes in conventional and slow-growing breeds of broiler chicken

S M Abeyesinghe, N M Chancellor, D Hernandez Moore, Y-M Chang, J Pearce, T Demmers, C J Nicol

Published in 2021

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators

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Enhancing the value of meat inspection records for broiler health and welfare surveillance: longitudinal detection of relational patterns

S. N. Buzdugan, P. Alarcon, B. Huntington, J. Rushton, D. P. Blake, J. Guitian

Published in 2021

A scientific paper that uses data from UK abattoir broiler meat inspection records to highlight relationships between different conditions leading to condemnation of batches that would be useful for monitoring animal health and welfare. It highlights relationships that suggest the presence of syndromes in certain months of the year, potentially providing a basis on which to identify surveillance indicators for broiler producers to use.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Carcass quality, Processing

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La fin de l’élimination des poussins mâles programmée pour 2022

Christophe Violette

Published in 2021

Article reviewing the ban on the crushing of male chicks that will come in on 1 January 2022 in France, and describing the in ovo sexing method that is advocated as an alternative by the French Government. However, this method entails a significant financial cost for breeders, that will partly be covered by the State.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Pain, Societal issues, Livestock farming system

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Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Alternative Ventilation Schemes in Cage-Free Poultry Housing

Long Chen, Eileen E. Fabian-Wheeler, John M. Cimbala, Dan Hofstetter, Paul Patterson

Published in 2021

Scientific paper presenting and testing computational fluid dynamics models under 4 different sets of ventilation conditions to simulate airflow in cage-free chicken houses. The transition to cage-free rearing calls for changes to environmental conditions to ensure the best quality of animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Livestock buildings, Living environment, Stress

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Exploring the performance of system changes in Dutch broiler production to balance animal welfare, ammonia emissions and particulate matter emissions with farm profitability

Luuk S.M. Vissers, Alfons G.J.M. Oude Lansink, Helmut W. Saatkamp

Published in 2021

Scientific paper testing out various combinations of changes to elements of the Dutch broiler rearing system that might satisfy EU and consumer expectations in terms of environmental protection and animal welfare, while safeguarding the incomes of farmers. Those combinations that included animal welfare changes (lower stocking density, enrichment and/or daylight), tube heaters to reduce NH3 emissions and use of an ionisation technique to reduce fine particle emissions gave the best results.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Enrichment, Environment, Housing, Living environment,Livestock farming system,Societal issues

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Leg health of meat chickens: impact on welfare, consumer behaviour, and the role of environmental enrichment

V. Phibbs, P. J. Groves, W. I. Muir

Published in 2021

A scientific review of animal welfare and consumer attitudes to broiler welfare. Leg disorders, techniques for assessing leg health, and possibilities for enriching the birds' environment to improve their mobility and leg health are described.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Pain, Enrichment, Welfare indicators

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French Assemblée Nationale: Written answer to question n°32507: Conditions d’élevage et les mutilations subies par les chapons

Dimitri Houbron (Agir ensemble - Nord), French Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Published in 2021

Answer to a parliamentary question on whether the French Government intends to ban the practice of caponisation.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Pain, Societal issues, Mutilation

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French Assemblée Nationale: Written answer to question n°34378: Conditions d’élevage et les mutilations subies par les chapons

Danièle Obono (La France insoumise - Paris), French Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Published in 2021

Answer to a parliamentary question on the Government's intentions regarding the practice of caponisation.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Pain, Societal issues, Mutilation

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French Assemblée Nationale: Written answer to question n°32713: Conditions d’élevage et de castration des chapons en France

Alexandra Valetta Ardisson (La République en Marche - Alpes-Maritimes), French Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Published in 2021

Answer to a parliamentary question on a possible legal ban on the practice of caponisation.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Pain, Societal issues, Mutilation

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