Research shows benefit of infra-red
Infra-red beak treatment can offer potential improvements over conventional trimming methods, say scientists who have just completed a study of the technique.
The project—instigated by the BEIC with financial backing from BFREPA and the British Egg Association (BEA)—followed 600 Hy-Line chicks from day-old to 16 weeks placed on two rearing farms, one operated by Country Fresh Pullets and the other by Deans Foods.
The birds underwent one of three treatments carried out at Hy-Line UK’s Millennium Hatchery. The chicks, all at one day of age, were either beak-trimmed using the conventional hot-blade method or treated using the infra-red technique, while a control group underwent a sham-operation where the beaks were left intact but the chicks were loaded and unloaded from the infra-red carousel.
Housed in small groups of 10 birds on the rearing farms, with 10 groups for each treatment, the birds’ behaviour was regularly observed along with detailed records kept of feed intake, bodyweight and beak length.
The study found that, overall, there was no behavioural evidence at any age—such as decreased feed intake, reduced activity or less beak related behaviours—which might indicate welfare insults such as pain or stress as a result of either conventional trimming or the infra-red treatment.
Although some earlier studies have described behavioural changes following conventional beak trimming, the majority of this work has been carried out on birds beak trimmed when they were older than one day of age, such as at nine days, 24 days and 18 weeks. This trail was one of very few behavioural studies on birds trimmed at day-old.
Analysis of the beak measurement data revealed that following beak trimming with either technique, all birds exhibited considerable regrowth of the beak. Despite this regeneration, says the study report, average beak length of trimmed birds was significantly shorter than in the control birds throughout the experiment, although the shape of the beak at 16 weeks was essentially similar in all groups.
“Both trimming methods were effective in reducing overall beak length up to 16 weeks,” goes on the report, “but their effectiveness in reducing feather pecking and cannibalism could not be assessed due to a complete absence of damaging pecking throughout the trials and the fact that the trial was ended before this behaviour is generally observed in laying hens.”
The research team, headed by Dr Mike Gentle who has carried out previous studies into the welfare effects of beak-trimming, says that to determine the effectiveness of one trimming treatment versus another, a larger scale study involving commercially relevant flock sizes, housing systems and stocking densities would need to be carried out—something the BEIC has already embarked on.
The study found that the infra-red beak treatment method produced a “reliable and precise removal of the tip of the beak and apart from a slight increase in the amount of beak removed, its application did not differ from hot blade trimming in any of the outcomes measured”.
“Neither beak trimming method had any significant effect on chick mortality or the ability of the beak to heal and regenerate,” says the report. “There was no evidence that the birds suffered any stress or pain as a result of either beak trimming procedure and there was no effect on the growth rate of the birds.”
The research team goes on to say that the automatic nature of the infra-red treatment may be advantageous as it reduces the potential for human error.
“The infra-red treatment approach presents a potential improvement over current trimming methods in terms of precision and reliability with no detriment to bird welfare although the long term advantages need to be investigated,” concludes the team.
These findings agree with a recent study examining the same treatments in broiler breeder chicks which suggested that the application of an infra-red beak treatment technique resulted in consistent beak removal without adverse welfare consequences.
