Stocking density is a key determinant of profits from a broiler operation as revenues per unit of space increase with increasing stocking density. However, overcrowding due to high stocking density can lead to negative behavior and welfare consequences.
The pre-slaughter phase for broiler chickens is a period that contains many stressors and risks for animal welfare. Understanding the factors that can lead to negative welfare outcomes is important to make improvements in broiler chicken welfare during the pre-slaughter phase.
The move to cage-free egg production has spawned a new generation of aviary systems available for hen housing. The question now is how well the new systems perform when balancing egg production and profitability with bird welfare.
By Bruce Stewart-Brown, DVM, DACPV
Chief Science Officer
Perdue Farms
Lighting has emerged as one of the most powerful tools to manage and optimize layer performance. It profoundly impacts production, health and overall welfare.
Enrichment improves the environment of an animal, to meet their behavioral needs and ultimately improve their welfare. Although the research related to enrichments for broiler breeders is sparse, there are several different types of enrichments that have been shown to be beneficial. In this article, Marcela Quino and Bethany Baker-Cook, PhD, Auburn University describe a few of these enrichments that are particularly effective for broiler breeders.
Litter and its management are an essential part of bird management and ensuring bird welfare. Dr. Bethany Baker-Cook discusses the importance of managing litter properly throughout the production cycle.
By Nathan Griffith, BS
Graduate student, Animal Welfare/Behavior
Purdue University
Blue light reduces fear and stress in birds while also improving their vision yet it does not appear to significantly affect production parameters, according to researchers. But will farmers be interested in using blue light?
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming widely used across various fields and could be a transformative tool for enhancing poultry management practices.
Human-animal interaction is the mutual and dynamic relationship between a human and an animal where the animal perceives human interaction as degree of relatedness or distance and vice-versa. Human beings have domesticated poultry species for eggs and meat production. However, fearfulness as a trait still persists and domestic animals often perceive human encounters as fearful.
With the recent rise in the use of slow-growing lines for pasture-based and free-range broiler production, worm infestations could become a significant issue. Warmer weather also contributes to the rise in worm populations, as moisture and humidity create favorable conditions for parasite eggs to thrive, explains Prafulla Regmi, PhD, University of Georgia.
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