Sharing knowledge of the pecking problem

Producers, breeders, vets, feed advisors, scientists and welfarists have all been involved in a series of brain-storming sessions to try and learn more about the causes of feather pecking.

The sessions—which were funded by Defra as part of the government’s Beak Trimming Action Plan—were held at various locations around the country and are being hailed as a success by organisers ADAS.

“We intentionally kept it to small, hand-selected audiences to encourage participation in the workshop sessions,” said ADAS poultry specialist Stephen Edge, “and the group sessions proved very successful. Already it is clear that there are commonly held views emerging as to some of the causes of feather pecking.” Mr Edge told the Ranger that the information gathered would be fully documented and published very soon.

In the group sessions members of the workshops were asked not only to come up with the factors that make a ‘good’ flock when it comes to avoiding feather pecking but also to consider the triggers that can cause things to go wrong. The groups also came up with a list of areas where they thought knowledge was lacking and would benefit from future research. This information will be fed back to Defra.

BFREPA members were well represented at all of the workshops and chairman Tom Vesey, who travelled to Exeter from his farm in Wales to take part, described it as most worthwhile.

“Of course it would be naïve to think we were going to come away from the day with the answer to the pecking problem,” said Tom, “but there was a useful exchange of information between some very experienced individuals.

“This accumulation of knowledge can only help in our understanding of the problem and hopefully the finding of a solution.”