Modification of aviary design reduces incidence of falls, collisions and keel bone damage in laying hens
Non-cage housing systems for laying hens such as aviaries provide greater freedom to perform species-specific behavior and thus are thought to improve welfare of the birds; however, aviaries are associated with a high prevalence of keel bone damage (fractures and deviations), which is a major welfare problem in commercial laying hens. Potential causes of keel […]
Keel-bone damage and foot injuries in commercial laying hens in Denmark
Keel-bone damage and foot injuries have a negative impact on welfare in laying hens. The extent of the problems in Danish commercial flocks of layers is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the current prevalence of keel-bone damage and foot injuries in Danish commercial flocks of laying hens and to investigate […]
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND WELL-BEING SYMPOSIUM: Poultry welfare assessments: Current use and limitations
Recent attention has been given to developing welfare assessment tools for research purposes and for use directly on poultry farms. Historically, most of these tools have relied on resource-and management-based measures, but it is unclear how well they correlate with outcomes indicative of positive animal welfare. The subjective nature of many of these tools also […]