Effects of Management Strategies on Non-Beak-Trimmed Laying Hens in Furnished Cages that Were Reared in a Non-Cage System

Guinebretière, Maryse; Mika, A.; Michel, Virginie; Balaine, L.; Rosemann, Thomas; Keïta, Alassane; Pol, Françoise

doi:10.3390/ani10030399

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…In contrast, Guinebretière et al. (2020) showed that an artificial turf mat placed on the furnished cage floor and different objects hooked onto the cage façade (10 small mobile and coloured objects, plastic transparent pots filled with coloured rings and plastic chain links for a cage housing 60 hens) reduced feather cover damage.…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…The specificity is high, as it is highly unlikely that bruises will be detected in birds not affected by this welfare consequence. (Ratner and Thompson, 1960;Jones and Waddington, 1992;Cotter, 2015), the novel arena test (also known as open field test), the novel object test (Welfare Quality, 2009), the human approach test, or the emergence test (Forkman et al, 2007) and avoidance distance test (Whay et al, 2007;Guinebreti ère et al, 2020). Often, a combination of several tests is used.…”

Section: Sensitivity and Specificitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Welfare of laying hens on farm

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2023

EFS2

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This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of laying hens, pullets and layer breeders on farm. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal‐based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. The highly relevant welfare consequences based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence are bone lesions, group stress, inability to avoid unwanted sexual behaviour, inability to perform comfort behaviour, inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour, isolation stress, predation stress, resting problems, restriction of movement, skin disorders and soft tissue lesions and integument damage. The welfare consequences of non‐cage compared to cage systems for laying hens are described and minimum enclosure characteristics are described for laying hens, pullets and layer breeders. Beak trimming, which causes negative welfare consequences and is conducted to reduce the prevalence and severity of pecking, is described as well as the risks associated with rearing of non‐beak‐trimmed flocks. Alternatives to reduce sharpness of the beak without trimming are suggested. Finally, total mortality, plumage damage, wounds, keel bone fractures and carcass condemnations are the most promising ABMs for collection at slaughterhouses to monitor the level of laying hen welfare on farm. Main recommendations include housing all birds in non‐cage systems with easily accessible, elevated platforms and provision of dry and friable litter and access to a covered veranda. It is further recommended to implement protocols to define welfare trait information to encourage progress in genetic selection, implement measures to prevent injurious pecking, rear pullets with dark brooders and reduce male aggression in layer breeders.

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Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Sensitivity and Specificitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare of laying hens on farm

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2023

EFS2

Self Cite

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“…Although no strategy can guarantee the complete absence of pecking behaviours, optimised management practices, especially concerning feeding, lighting, and climatic conditions [35] and environmental enrichment in pullets and adult birds [61][62][63], can help to reduce the risk. Access to outdoor free-range areas is associated with plumage preservation [6,7,64] and a reduced risk of injurious pecking [65].…”

Section: Main Causes Of Damaging Behaviour and Control Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationships between Damaging Behaviours and Health in Laying Hens

Michel

Berk

Bozakova

et al. 2022

Animals

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Since the ban in January 2012 of conventional cages for egg production in the European Union (Council Directive 1999/74/EC), alternative systems such as floor, aviary, free-range, and organic systems have become increasingly common, reaching 50% of housing for hens in 2019. Despite the many advantages associated with non-cage systems, the shift to a housing system where laying hens are kept in larger groups and more complex environments has given rise to new challenges related to management, health, and welfare. This review examines the close relationships between damaging behaviours and health in modern husbandry systems for laying hens. These new housing conditions increase social interactions between animals. In cases of suboptimal rearing and/or housing and management conditions, damaging behaviour or infectious diseases are likely to spread to the whole flock. Additionally, health issues, and therefore stimulation of the immune system, may lead to the development of damaging behaviours, which in turn may result in impaired body conditions, leading to health and welfare issues. This raises the need to monitor both behaviour and health of laying hens in order to intervene as quickly as possible to preserve both the welfare and health of the animals.

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“…This objectively expands the space for each hen to move freely and alleviates the frustration caused by a lack of space [ 81 ], leading to a significant improvement in their welfare. At the same time, the forest land may contain abundant natural food, which is beneficial for laying hens to show normal foraging behaviours and avoid being subjected to beak trimming, which is common in cage systems [ 82 ]. Most importantly, considering the most critical woodland resources for understory laying hen system, the majority of farmers have relatively low use costs.…”

Section: Challenges and Solutions To The Free-range Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Potential of Understory Production Systems to Improve Laying Hen Welfare

Yan

Yang

Zhu

et al. 2022

Animals

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The welfare of laying hens in cage systems is of increasing concern. Represented by the European Union’s ‘End the Cage Age’ initiative, more and more countries have advocated cage-free farming. China, an important country for poultry farming and consumption in the world, is highly dependent on cage systems and lacks confidence in alternative (e.g., free-range) systems. In this context, using China’s abundant woodland resources (including natural forests, plantations, and commercial forests) to facilitate the management of laying hens in a free-range environment may provide highly promising welfare improvement programs. On the basis of the Five Freedoms, we assess the welfare status of understory laying hen management systems with reference to the behavioural needs and preferences of laying hens and the EU standards for free-range and organic production (highest animal welfare standards in the world). The results show that the considered systems meet or even exceed these standards, in terms of key indicators such as outdoor and indoor stocking density, outdoor activity time, and food and drug use. Specifically, the systems provide sufficient organic food for laying hens without using antibiotics. They allow laying hens to avoid beak trimming, as well as to express nesting, foraging, perching, reproductive, dustbathing and other priority behaviours. The presence of roosters and higher use of woodland space allow the laying hens to achieve better feather and bone conditions, thus reducing stress and fear damage. Notably, the predation problem is not yet considered significant. Second, there is evidence that understory laying hen systems are profitable and have been welcomed and supported by farmers and governments in the southwest, south, and north of China. However, whether it can be scaled up is uncertain, and further research is needed. In addition, laying hens in this management system face various risks, such as foot injury, parasitism, and high dependence on consumer markets, which must be considered. Overall, agro-forestry, or accurately, understory poultry raising, provides opportunities and possibilities for free-range laying hens and welfare improvement in China and other countries.

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Effects of Management Strategies on Non-Beak-Trimmed Laying Hens in Furnished Cages that Were Reared in a Non-Cage System

Cited by 5 publications

References 42 publications

Welfare of laying hens on farm

Welfare of laying hens on farm

The Relationships between Damaging Behaviours and Health in Laying Hens

The Potential of Understory Production Systems to Improve Laying Hen Welfare

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