Welfare - Modern Poultry

Making the case for environmental enrichment for broilers

By Bruce Stewart-Brown, DVM, DACPV
Chief Science Officer
Perdue Farms

HPAI isn’t going away. Is it time for the US to start vaccinating poultry?

By Marcelo Lang, DVM
Farsight Consulting & Marketing Services, LLC

User-friendly artificial intelligence serves as tool to analyze broiler activity index

Broiler activities like locomotion and movement can be quantified using the broiler activity index (BAI), which has been associated with broiler leg health, productivity and physical conditions. However, current calculation procedures are not user-friendly, requiring extensive training. A new user-friendly web-based AI system could be the answer.

Unwanted roosters: Is in ovo sexing the answer?

For every laying hen that is hatched, approximately one male counterpart also hatches. However, as roosters do not produce eggs, they are typically culled, or euthanized, at hatch. However, the culling of these day-old male chicks raises ethical concerns.

Auburn scientists review enrichment options for broiler breeders

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, describe a few that are particularly effective for broiler breeders.

NC State researcher: Minimize birds’ stress, preserve welfare when depopulating

In the face of threats such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), one of the most pressing challenges for the poultry industry is to continually evaluate and improve depopulation strategies.

Singer: Remember to keep Veterinarian’s Oath in conversations about antibiotic use

Responsible antibiotic use is not a new concept to the poultry or other food-animal production sectors, but, says Randy Singer, DVM, PhD, it’s important to put the conversation back in the context of the Veterinarian’s Oath, and first ensure the safety, health and overall well-being of the animals.

Purdue scientist: ‘Putting the pieces together’ on hen welfare

Increased attention on animal welfare is driving the US poultry industry to innovate and work collaboratively to meet rising expectations of caring for laying hens.

Improving the welfare of turkeys during live haul

Once the market weight is achieved in turkeys, they are herded, loaded and transported to slaughter plants for stunning and processing, but these events of known as “live haul” can pose risks to animal welfare throughout the process.

Stocking density and broiler behavior

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.

Pre-slaughter welfare of broilers

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.

Two cage-free aviary styles tested for hen productivity, welfare

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.

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Category: Welfare