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.
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.
Dustbathing occurs in all commercial chicken housing housing systems, even in caged systems with no substrate. But why do chickens dustbathe?
Housing systems for laying hens in the United States (and more broadly across the world) are transitioning away from conventional cages to cage-free systems.
Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in people. Chickens may also experience anxiety, but it is difficult to measure and research has been mainly focused on assessing fear. However, we can get insight into their mental state based on observations of behaviors.
Light and dark cycles within a 24-hour period play a crucial role in maintaining physiological and behavioral rhythms in animals.
Drinker management is a key aspect of poultry welfare, as water is a crucial resource involved in thermal regulation, nutrient absorption, digestion, waste elimination and overall homeostatic balance in birds.
Animal welfare audits are performed to evaluate whether a hatchery, farm, or processing plant is meeting the specific animal welfare standards of a certification program.
Damaging behaviors in poultry include feather pecking, vent pecking, and toe pecking. While feather and vent pecking are well-known welfare problems in poultry that have received significant attention from researchers and farmers, toe pecking remains relatively unknown.
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