Common welfare problems in laying birds
|
Area |
Criteria |
Common welfare problems in laying hens (Appleby et al., 2004; Duncan, 2010) |
|
1. Good feeding |
No prolonged hunger |
Forced moulting |
|
2. Good housing |
Ease of movement |
Little ease of movement, lack of adequate resting area |
|
Thermal comfort |
Too hot/ cold/ humid; air quality: ammonia and dust |
|
|
3. Good health |
Free from physical injuries |
Feather pecking and cannibalism Osteoporosis Percheries; keel fractures = reduced egg production, more sleep, reduced access to water and food 1500-3600 affected birds on each farm |
|
Free from diseases |
Osteoporosis, coccidian, salmonella |
|
|
Shouldn’t suffer pain caused by procedures |
Beak trimming |
|
|
4. Appropriate behaviour |
Animals should have a positive emotional state |
Negative emotional states, eg: frustration; anxiety/ fear ( cannibalism) |
|
Able to express species-typical behaviours |
Nesting, perching, dust bathing, social distance |
|
|
Good human-animal relationships |
fear |
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