Breeding for increased appetites and fast growth has resulted in meatier birds. But these heavier birds experience health complications and decreased reproduction. Feed restrictions are used to maintain the lower bodyweight required for broiler breeders. University of Arkansas graduate student Allison Weaver is researching how feed restrictions affect bird welfare.
Research led by Chloe Phelps, a graduate student in the Virginia Tech School of Animal Sciences, evaluated poultry behavior and its impact on birds’ emotional state and subsequent welfare.
Those who work in poultry welfare should focus on “progress, not perfection” when designing and implementing ways to improve birds’ quality of life, according to industry expert, Kate Barger Weathers, DVM, KB Welfare Consulting, South Carolina.
Eric Shepherd, DVM, MS, MAM, DACPV, poultry veterinarian, and Brian Fairchild, PhD, Extension Poultry Scientist and Professor, University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science, recently offered practical advice for reducing disease risk in poultry environments. Both spoke in a webinar sponsored by the Poultry Science Association and American Association of Avian Pathologists.
