Canadian study highlights welfare benefits of beak trimming

A study by researchers at a Canadian university has concluded that beak trimming is beneficial to the long-term wellbeing of hens.

The findings will be controversial amongst campaigners who have been pressing for the practice to be outlawed, but will lend support to those who believe it is necessary to prevent cannibalism amongst layer flocks. The study carried out at the University of Saskatchewan concluded that beak trimming was beneficial both to flock performance and to bird welfare.

A ban on the use of bird trimming was originally due to come into force in the United Kingdom this year but was delayed following lobbying by industry organisations like the British Free Range Egg Producers’ Association (BFREPA) and on advice from the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC). Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced at the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) in November that the ban would not go ahead as planned, although he warned that the Government did still intend to move towards a ban on beak trimming and that it was looking towards implementation in 2016.

FAWC’s recommendation that the ban should not go ahead at the moment was made after the organisation studied research carried out at Glasgow University, which was partially funded by BFREPA. The Glasgow research concluded that infrared beak trimming did not cause long term suffering to the birds.

Now researchers led by Dr Henry Classen at the University of Saskatchewan have concluded that beak trimming is beneficial in terms of performance and that there are no significant welfare implications for the birds when it is carried out correctly. Dr Classen says, ’Our results suggest that moderate beak trimming continues to be the most important management technique for control of cannibalism in laying hens and that modern treatment systems enhance long-term hen well-being.’

Dr Classen’s report was released at the London Poultry Show in Ontario ’ one of the leading events of the Canadian poultry industry. The research looked into both hot-blade and infra-red beak trimming. Data was collected on bird productivity and behaviour, beak re-growth and a histological examination of the healing process. The findings were reported in the Canadian journal. Today’s Farmer.

Dr Classen found that hot-blade beak trimming administered at 0, 10, and 35 days of age resulted in improved feed efficiency and hen feathering during the production period for all three trimming ages.

He found that hot blade trimming at 0 days of age resulted in more rapid healing, had less impact on behaviour and had no impact on growth rate compared to trimming at 10 and 35 days of age. ’For the 10 and 35 day treatments, altered behaviour and reduced growth rates were noted after the trimming process,’ said Dr Classen in his report. He said that by sexual maturity these effects had disappeared.

He said that more beak re-growth was noted for birds trimmed at 35 days of age but results of the research indicated that hatch was the preferred age for beak trimming.

Classen said the pain associated with hot-blade trimming could be divided into a painless phase immediately after trimming (up to 24 hours), an acute pain phase associated with the healing process, and long-term chronic pain associated with phantom pain and the formation of beak neuromas (the swelling of the nerve).

’Our research used analgesics to confirm that day old chicks do not alter behaviour after trimming, thereby supporting the concept of a painless phase,’ said Dr Classen. He said that the effect of trimming on bird welfare was dependent on the age of trimming and was hardly noticeable by sexual maturity and not at all during the laying period.

He said that histological examination of beaks failed to demonstrate neuroma formation when beak trimming was moderate and completed at a young age.

Dr Classen said that an experiment was designed to determine the impact of 20 per cent, 40 per cent, and 60 per cent beak trimming at zero days of age. Both infra-red and hot-blade trimming methods were used.

He said the hot-blade trimming produced the desired range of trimming and at all levels reduced cannibalism and aggressive behaviour and significantly increased egg production, feed efficiency and feathering.

’However, the 40 per cent to 60 per cent trimming gave the best control of both cannibalism and aggressive behaviour,’ he said, adding that the infra-red trimming caused effects that were similar to moderate hot-blade trimming.

’Comparisons of zero day hot-blade and infra-red treatments demonstrated that both techniques successfully controlled cannibalism, reduced aggressive behaviour and improved feather condition.’

However, Dr Classen said that the infra-red treatment offered the advantage of a more precise trim with no open wounds that would permit infection, little or no pain post-treatment and an easier ability to eat before the beak is lost.

He said that four commercial flocks, two using the infra-red technique and two using the hot-blade method, were assessed for beak trimming quality at both 21 and 57 weeks of age. On each visit 300 birds were assessed and there were no beaks found with major defects using either method.

However, it was found that infra-red trimming resulted in more symmetrical beaks with fewer abnormalities.

’Our results suggest that moderate beak trimming continues to be the most important management technique for control of cannibalism in laying hens and that modern treatment systems enhance long-term hen well-being,’ he said in his report.

He said that infra-red trimming appeared to have advantages that resulted in superior beak length control.

The UK Government has specified the use of infra-red in lifting the ban on the use of beak trimming ’ once again on the advice of FAWC. FAWC made its recommendation because of its concerns about feather pecking and cannibalism. It told the Government that the ban should be deferred until it could be demonstrated reliably under commercial conditions that non beak trimmed laying hens could be managed without a greater risk to their welfare than that caused by beak trimming itself.