Action list issued on hen welfare

A priority list of where research is needed in the laying industry has been unveiled by EU scientists.

At the top of the list are disease control, bone breakages and pecking. But the four-page document which offers a unique insight into where official concerns lie about bird welfare also identifies dust levels, ammonia and “nest building behaviour” as areas that need investigation.

The list was published in association with the major European Food Standards Agency report comparing welfare in different housing systems, details of which were revealed in last month’s Ranger.

The report will be highly influential in the review of the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive, due later this year. The priority research list requires:

Health and disease

Urgent development on new, “effective and feasible treatment measures” for the control of parasites like red mite and worms.

Further assessment of the risk of the spread of infectious agents by wild birds and rodents.

Work to establish why problems of bone fragility and breakage are high even when good design principles are met.

Better methods of detecting fractures as well as an urgent need to establish the causes of fractures sustained during the laying period. The list also calls for information, on a large scale, about the prevalence of old fractures in all systems across the EU and an examination of the impact made by differing methods of depopulation on fractures.

Pecking and cannibalism

Fundamental studies of the underlying causes of why particular birds start to show cannibalistic behaviour.

An investigation of the possible link between cannibalistic behaviour and commercially important traits and studies into selection against the damaging effects of pecking, for example the possibilities of altering beak shape and sharpness.

Foraging

Research to more clearly define availability, qualities and amounts of foraging facilities appropriate to good welfare during rearing and laying.

Rearing

Research on understanding the impact of how birds are reared on their ability to function well in different systems later in life.

Outside access

An examination of the beneficial effects on health, for example respiratory disease, of access to an outside area.

Egg laying

More research on “nesting motivation in social situations”. Studies to determine whether nest building behaviour in the absence of loose materials satisfies the behavioural priority for nest building.

Genetics

The identification of criteria and methods for the genetic selection of birds that are better adapted to different systems.

Climate and environment

Heat stress studies at various stocking densities. Research to determine the maximum acceptable levels of dust and ammonia for laying hens including methods for minimising both.

Beak trimming

Work to determine the degree of immediate and lasting pain due to various methods of beak trimming applied at different ages. Further study on the effectiveness of beak blunting by abrasives.