Intact Beaks Research Articles

Research Note: Differences in the pecking behavior of turkey hens in proximity to the feeding pan depending on their beak condition

The present study aimed to provide further insight on different pecking behavior of beak-trimmed and untrimmed turkey hens in proximity to the feeding pan. Investigations were carried out in 4 housing compartments with female fattening turkeys where video were recorded and evaluated with regard to 4 different types of (pecking-) behavior (feeding, pecking on the ground, pecking at conspecifics, being pecked) observed in 1 focal animal in proximity to each feeding pan. Concerning the median duration, there were only small differences between the animals with different beak conditions. Pecking behavior varied in how many animals exhibited 'pecking on the ground' with more turkeys with intact beaks showing this activity in proximity to the feeding pan with a slightly increased median duration (0:06 vs. 0:04 min). Further discrepancies were observed in the maximum duration of recorded behaviors, as there were animals with intact beaks that showed "pecking on the ground" (4:09 vs. 2:54 min), "pecking at conspecifics" (3:46 vs. 1:25 min), and were "being pecked" (0:52 vs. 0:35 min) for a longer period of time. Based on this result, however, it can be assumed that especially individual animals with an intact beak forage more intensively and perform some pecking behaviors, which include injurious pecking, with longer duration in proximity to the feeding pan.

Research Note: Irritating flashing light or poultry-friendly lighting—are flicker frequencies of LED luminaires a potential stress factor in the husbandry of male fattening turkeys?

Conventional fluorescent tubes are increasingly being replaced with innovative light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for lighting poultry houses. However, little is known about whether the flicker frequencies of LED luminaires are potential stressors in poultry husbandry. The term "light flicker" describes the fluctuations in the brightness of an electrically operated light source caused by the design and/or control of the light source. In this context, the critical flicker frequency (CFF) characterizes the frequency at which a sequence of light flashes is perceived as continuous light. It is known that CFF in birds is higher than that in humans and that light flicker can affect behavioral patterns and stress levels in several bird species. As there is a lack of knowledge about the impact of flicker frequency on fattening turkeys, this study aimed to investigate the effects of flicker frequency on the behavior, performance, and stress response in male turkeys. In 3 trials, a total of 1,646 male day-old turkey poults of the strain B.U.T. 6 with intact beaks were reared for 20 wk in 12 barn compartments of 18 m² each. Each barn compartment was illuminated using 2 full-spectrum LED lamps. Flicker frequencies of 165 Hz, 500 Hz, and 16 kHz were set in the luminaires to illuminate the compartments. Analyses of feather corticosterone concentration were performed on fully grown third-generation primaries (P 3) of 5 turkeys from each compartment. No significant differences were found in the development of live weight, feed consumption, or prevalence of injured or killed turkeys by conspecifics reared under the above flicker frequencies. The flicker frequencies also did not significantly influence feather corticosterone concentrations in the primaries of the turkeys. In conclusion, the present results indicate that flicker frequencies of 165 Hz or higher have no detrimental effect on growth performance, injurious pecking, or endocrine stress response in male turkeys and, thus, may be suitable for use as animal-friendly lighting.

An analysis of the maxillary beak shape variation between 2 pure layer lines and its relationship to the underlying premaxillary bone, feather cover, and mortality

Beak shape varies considerably within and between intact-beak laying hens, and aspects of beak shape appear to be heritable. As an alternative to beak treatment (an effective method of reducing damage from severe feather pecking (SFP)), this variation could be used to genetically select hens whose beak shapes are less apt to cause damage. To be able to select certain phenotypes, the beak shape variation that exists within laying hen flocks must first be characterized. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe the maxillary beak shape variation in 2 pure White Leghorn layer lines with intact beaks using geometric morphometrics to analyze images, and 2) examine the beak shape's relationship to the premaxillary bone, feather cover, and mortality. A lateral head image was taken of each hen (n=710), and 20 landmarks were placed along each image's dorsal and ventral margins of the maxillary beak. Landmark coordinates were standardized by Procrustes superimposition, and the covariation was analyzed by principal components analysis and multivariate regression. Feather cover was scored at 3 ages and mortality was monitored throughout the production cycle. Three principal components (PCs) explained 83% of the maxillary beak shape variation and the first PC partially separated the 2 lines. Maxillary beak shapes ranged from long and narrow with pointed tips to short and wide with more curved tips. Moderate correlations were found between the maxillary beak and premaxillary bone shape (rs=0.44) and size (rs=0.52). Line A hens had better feather cover than Line B at all ages. Line A hens also had less total and cannibalism-related mortality than Line B (10.7 and 0.4% vs. 16.7 and 2.4%, respectively). Beak shape may be one factor contributing to the observed differences in feather cover and mortality. The results suggest that distinct maxillary beak phenotypes within each line could be selected to help reduce SFP damage and improve bird welfare.

Qualitative behaviour assessment as part of a welfare assessment in flocks of laying hens

Animal welfare must be considered from a broad perspective, including positive emotional states. Qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) is one of few scientific methods to assess positive emotional states of animals. QBA for poultry is included in the Welfare Quality® protocol, but has not been validated for laying hens. The aim of this study was to investigate the dimensionality of QBA for laying hens and the associations between the main principal components of QBA and selected animal-based welfare measures. A total of 22 flocks were visited between the age of 70–76 weeks. All flocks consisted of approximately 7500 white-strain hens (Dekalb White, n = 11; Lohman LSL, n = 11) with intact beaks, housed in indoor multi-tiered aviary systems. Each flock was assessed using a fixed list of QBA terms, in addition to scoring of plumage and fear, and collection of mortality data. QBA was analysed using principal component analysis (PCA), revealing three main dimensions that can be recognised from QBA in other species. These were labelled mood (PC1), alertness (PC2) and arousal (PC3), and explained 50.8%, 19.7%, and 12.0% of the variance, respectively (82.5% overall). There were no associations between the QBA scores and plumage score, fearfulness, or mortality in the flocks. The lack of significant associations might be due to a limited sample size, a homogenous study population or the inherent motivation in hens to suppress signs of weakness or sickness. QBA can nevertheless become an important tool for measuring emotional expressions in laying hens. However, the method needs further validation.

Welfare and Performance of Three Turkey Breeds-Comparison between Infrared Beak Treatment and Natural Beak Abrasion by Pecking on a Screed Grinding Wheel.

Simple SummaryBeak trimming of turkeys is an animal welfare issue. It can result in acute pain, potential chronic pain, and a change in feeding, drinking, and pecking ability and general behavior. It is still permitted by law in Germany when the intervention is necessary to protect turkeys from feather pecking and cannibalism. In the present study, an alternative method using grinding wheels (blunting disks) that were fitted in the feed pans when the turkeys were six weeks old was tested. The disks were expected to blunt the beak tips during feeding and reduce the severity of pecking injuries. Six hundred male turkeys of three breeds (B.U.T. 6, B.U.T. Premium, Auburn) were housed separately in 24 groups. The birds in 12 groups were beak trimmed, those in the other 12 were not, but received the blunting disk. The results showed a noticeable beak abrasion in birds provided with blunting disk. Injuries and plumage conditions were equivalent between the treatments. Summarized, the blunting method may be an alternative to infrared beak treatment, but its effectiveness should be confirmed under commercial conditions. The blunting method could potentially result in improved animal welfare of turkeys by minimizing acute pain, chronic pain, and injurious pecking.Feather pecking and cannibalism are behavioral disorders that cause animal-welfare-relevant and economic problems. To mitigate these problems, the beaks of conventionally reared turkeys are usually already trimmed in the hatcheries. To find an alternative to beak trimming, we conducted this study with male turkeys of three breeds: B.U.T. 6, B.U.T. Premium and, Auburn (200 turkeys per breed). Half of the birds had infrared-trimmed beaks; the other half had intact beaks. For each treatment combination (breed, beak status), 25 turkeys were housed in one section. A screed grinding wheel was installed in each feed pan of the non-beak-trimmed turkeys as of week six to facilitate natural beak abrasion until slaughter. Eight randomly selected turkeys per section were regularly examined to record injuries, plumage condition, and beak dimensions. In addition, 96 beaks from randomly slaughtered birds were examined macroscopically and histologically. The results concerning injuries and plumage condition showed in most cases no differences between the beak-trimmed turkeys and the ones provided with the blunting disks. The histological examinations revealed alterations in only the beak-trimmed birds. We can conclude that the blunting method smoothens the beak during feeding and thus may be a possible alternative to beak trimming.

Prenatal and Early Postnatal Behavioural Programming in Laying Hens, With Possible Implications for the Development of Injurious Pecking.

Injurious pecking (IP) represents a serious concern for the welfare of laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). The risk of IP among hens with intact beaks in cage-free housing prompts a need for solutions based on an understanding of underlying mechanisms. In this review, we explore how behavioural programming via prenatal and early postnatal environmental conditions could influence the development of IP in laying hens. The possible roles of early life adversity and mismatch between early life programming and subsequent environmental conditions are considered. We review the role of maternal stress, egg conditions, incubation settings (temperature, light, sound, odour) and chick brooding conditions on behavioural programming that could be linked to IP. Brain and behavioural development can be programmed by prenatal and postnatal environmental conditions, which if suboptimal could lead to a tendency to develop IP later in life, as we illustrate with a Jenga tower that could fall over if not built solidly. If so, steps taken to optimise the environmental conditions of previous generations and incubation conditions, reduce stress around hatching, and guide the early learning of chicks will aid in prevention of IP in commercial laying hen flocks.

Pecking Behavior in Conventional Layer Hybrids and Dual-Purpose Hens Throughout the Laying Period.

To avoid the killing of surplus male layer chickens, dual-purpose hybrids are suggested as an alternative approach. These strains may offer additional advantages compared to conventional laying hens, for instance, a lower tendency to develop injurious pecking behavior. The aim of this study was to assess the behavior, with focus on pecking behavior, of conventional layers (Lohmann Brown plus, LB+) and dual-purpose hens (Lohmann Dual, LD). About 1,845 hens per strain with intact beaks were housed in four stable compartments in aviary systems. Video-based scan sampling of general behaviors and continuous observations of pecking behavior were carried out between 25 and 69 weeks of life. With the exception of “dustbathing” and “scratching,” hybrid × time during the laying period affected all of the observed general behaviors [F(2, 89) = 3.92–10.81, P < 0.001–0.05]. With increasing age, the LB+ hens performed more general pecking, more locomotion and less comfort and sitting behavior. General pecking and comfort behavior did not change over time in the LD hens, whereas inactive behaviors increased with age. During continuous observations, a significant hybrid x period interaction was found for all forms of pecking behavior [F(2, 89) = 4.55–14.80, P < 0.001–0.05]. The LB+ hens showed particularly more severe feather pecking (SFP), which increased with age. In contrast, SFP remained exceptionally low in the LD hens throughout production. Therefore, dual-purpose hybrids should be considered as an alternative to both avoid the killing of surplus male chickens and the development of SFP in laying hen production.

Automatically Detected Pecking Activity in Group-Housed Turkeys.

Simple SummaryCannibalism is one of the biggest welfare issues of today’s turkey husbandry. We hypothesized that changes in pecking activity might indicate imminent cannibalism. Therefore, in this pilot study a newly developed automatic pecking activity detection was validated, and continuously applied to gain information about pecking activity of group-housed turkeys during the rearing phase and before a cannibalistic outbreak. The pecking object was used by turkeys the whole recording time. Activity on the object was highest in the morning. No clear trend in pecking activity development before an outbreak has yet been found. Pecking detection has to be further tested under various farm conditions. The system can be used in further research in order to survey changes in pecking activity in turkeys.In search for an early warning system for cannibalism, in this study a newly developed automatic pecking activity detection system was validated and used to investigate how pecking activity changes over the rearing phase and before cannibalistic outbreaks. Data were recorded on two farms, one with female (intact beaks) and the other with male (trimmed beaks) turkeys. A metallic pecking object that was equipped with a microphone was installed in the barn and video monitored. Pecking activity was continuously recorded and fed into a CNN (Convolutional neural network) model that automatically detected pecks. The CNN was validated on both farms, and very satisfactory detection performances were reached (mean sensitivity/recall, specificity, accuracy, precision, and F1-score around 90% or higher). The extent of pecking at the object differed between farms, but the objects were used during the whole recording time, with highest activities in the morning hours. Daily pecking frequencies showed a low downward trend over the rearing period, although on both farms they increased again in week 5 of life. No clear associations between pecking frequencies and in total three cannibalistic outbreaks on farm 1 in one batch could be found. The detection system is usable for further research, but it should be further automated. It should also be further tested under various farm conditions.

Effects of plastic antipecking devices on the production performance, beak length, and behavior in Chinese Wannan chickens

This study examined the effects of plastic antipecking devices (PAD) on the production performance, upper beak length, behavior, and plumage condition of a local Chinese chicken breed. Three hundred sixty 63-d-old Wannan chickens with intact beaks were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Birds were fitted with the PAD at 63 d (PAD63d) and at 77 d of age (PAD77d). Control birds were not fitted with PAD. The results showed that there were no significant effects of PAD on the BW, carcass traits, and meat quality (P > 0.05). The mortality in the PAD63d and PAD77d groups was lower than that in the control group. Compared with those in the PAD77d and control groups, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 63 to 112 d of age was lower in the PAD63d group. The ADFI of birds from 63 to 112 d of age was lowest in birds in the PAD63d group, intermediate in birds in the PAD77d group, and highest in control birds (P < 0.05). Birds in the PAD63d and PAD77d groups showed a lower frequency of walking and running, a higher frequency of sleeping, and higher plumage scores of the back and tail than those of control birds (P < 0.05). Birds' daily walking steps in the PAD77d group decreased compared with that of birds in the control group (P < 0.05). The upper beak length at 91 d and 112 d of age was longest in birds in the PAD63d group and shortest in control birds (P < 0.05). Overall, PAD appeared to be effective at reducing mortality, FCR, overall activity, and plumage damage and increasing the upper beak length.

Research Note: Injurious pecking in fattening turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo f. dom.)—video analyses of triggering factors and behavioral sequences in small flocks of male turkeys

Injurious pecking is one of the main welfare issues in fattening turkey husbandry. Birds pecked by conspecifics can suffer from serious injuries that may even lead to the death of the victimized animals or require their culling. In the present study, the behavior of male turkeys was documented day and night using video recordings throughout the entire fattening period of 19 wk. Thus, when a turkey was found injured or dead in the barn, a retrospective analysis of video recordings was carried out to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death or injuries of the bird in the present study. In 3 fattening trials with a total of 1,620 male turkeys with intact beaks, 41 birds (2.5%) were found either seriously injured (n = 24) or dead (n = 17) in the barn as a result from conspecific pecking. The detailed evaluation of the video recordings showed that the onset of injurious pecking was mainly in the afternoon after the last daily visual controls of animals and that one third of the dead found animals died a natural death without any pecking incidents. The duration of injurious pecking directed against a certain conspecific was on average 794 min, ranging from 84 min to 1,437 min, that is up to almost an entire day. Pecking activities lasting more than 10 h were interrupted from the light regime between dusk and dawn but continued with the onset of light in the morning. Duration of injurious pecking events decreased with age (P = 0.031). If the victims laid down or were impaired in their mobility, they would be surrounded by up to 10 turkeys that would still be forcefully pecking at the occipital and neck area of the badly injured or moribund birds.

Gradual Provision of Live Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae to Older Laying Hens: Effect on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Feather Condition and Behavior.

Simple SummaryIn nature, hens spend considerable amounts of time eating live insects. This is considered as their natural behavior and may positively contribute to animal welfare. However, laying hens generally have limited access to insects in current intensive farming systems. Hermetia illucens larvae are nutritious and can be industrially produced using the principles of circular agriculture. In Europe, legislation allows the feeding of live insects to poultry, and could possibly be used to replace soy in diets of laying hens as protein source. The majority of soy meal used in Europe originates from North and South American countries. Increasing soy plantations in South American countries is often linked to deforestation and social issues. This research evaluated effects of including live H. illucens larvae, as replacement of soy in the daily ration, on production performance, egg quality, behavior and feather condition of older laying hens. Live H. illucens larvae can be used in combination with local plant proteins to successfully replace soy in diets of older laying hens. Feeding hens live H. illucens larvae also had a positive effect on the feather condition of birds.Feather pecking is a key welfare challenge in laying hen husbandry. Feeding of live Hermetia illucens larvae could provide a possible solution to reduce feather pecking in hens. This research investigates effects of dispensing live H. illucens larvae to non-beak trimmed older laying hens on production performance, behavior and welfare. Control treatment hens were provided a commercial diet, while larvae treatment hens were provided live H. illucens larvae (using special dispenser) on top of a soy-free diet. Feather condition, production performance and egg quality were measured during the initiation (67 weeks age) and termination (78 weeks age) of the trial. Behavior of birds was monitored using video recording. Feed conversion ratio, body weight gain and egg laying parameters were similar for both treatments. At termination of the trial, larvae-fed hens exhibited better feather condition in comparison to control hens (p = 0.004). Behavioral observations indicated that larvae provision influenced the number of birds on floor during morning and afternoon hours. In conclusion, live H. illucens larvae could successfully replace soy in diets of older laying hens (in combination with local plant proteins). Provisioning of these insects also had a positive effect on the feather condition of laying hens with intact beaks.

Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens

The present study investigated the effects of pecking stones on feeding behaviour of hens from 16 to 46 weeks of age. Eighteen flocks of Hy-Line Brown hens were housed in 2 commercial free-range housing systems. Farm A housed 10 flocks of beak trimmed (infrared beak treatment) hens in fixed sheds. Farm B housed 8 flocks of hens with intact beaks in mobile sheds. On each farm, flocks were equally assigned to control groups (no access to pecking stones) and treatment groups (access to pecking stones). Data were evaluated every 10 weeks. At each time point, 10 hens per flock were housed in individual pens, and each hen was provided with 250 g of mash diet and ad libitum water for 24 h. After 24 h, feed samples were collected and used to determine 24-h feed intake. Nutrient and particle selection was measured by subtracting nutrients and particles present in the leftover feed from the vaules obtained in the offered feed and expressed the change (Δ). In addition, pecking stone consumption was recorded for each flock. Data were analysed separately for each farm using fixed effects of pecking stone availability and hen age. Spearman's rho correlation coefficients and linear regression models were constructed to evaluate the relationship of beak length and pecking stone usage, discrete mean particle size (dMEAN) consumption (Δ dMEAN), and Δ nutrient intake. Hens with access to pecking stones consumed significantly lower quantities of large feed particles (>2.8 mm) on farm A (P = 0.029) and selected significantly more fine particles, on farm B (P = 0.013). Overall, positive relationships (P = 0.001) between beak length and pecking stone consumption, Δ dMEAN, and Δ phosphorus consumption were observed. In conclusion, pecking stone consumption resulted in reduced selection and consumption of feed particles in hens housed on both farms. Further research is warranted to investigate the effect of pecking stones on sensory innervation of the beak.

Relationship between welfare and individual ranging behaviour in commercial free-range laying hens

Laying hens housed in free-range systems have access to an outdoor range, and individual hens within a flock differ in their ranging behaviour. Whether there is a link between ranging and laying hen welfare remains unclear. We analysed the relationships between ranging by individual hens on a commercial free-range layer farm and behavioural, physiological and health measures of animal welfare. We hypothesised that hens that access the range more will be (1) less fearful in general and in response to novelty and humans, (2) have better health in terms of physical body condition and (3) have a reduced physiological stress response to behavioural tests of fear and health assessments than hens that use the range less. Using radio frequency identification tracking across two flocks, we recorded individual hens’ frequency, duration and consistency of ranging. We also assessed how far hens ventured into the range based on three zones: 0 to 2.4, 2.4 to 11.4 or >11.4 m from the shed. We assessed hen welfare using a variety of measures including: tonic immobility, open field, novel object, human approach, and human avoidance (HAV) behavioural tests; stress-induced plasma corticosterone response and faecal glucocorticoid metabolites; live weight, comb colour, and beak, plumage, footpad, and keel bone condition. Range use was positively correlated with plasma corticosterone response, faecal glucocorticoid metabolites, and greater flight distance during HAV. Hens that used the range more, moved towards rather than away from the novel object more often than hens that ranged less. Distance ranged from the shed was significantly associated with comb colour and beak condition, in that hens with darker combs and more intact beaks ranged further. Overall the findings suggest that there is no strong link between outdoor range usage and laying hen welfare. Alternatively, it may be that hens that differed in their ranging behaviour showed few differences in measures of welfare because free-range systems provide hens with adequate choice to cope with their environment. Further research into the relationship between individual range access and welfare is needed to test this possibility.

Welfare Consequences of Omitting Beak Trimming in Barn Layers.

Beak trimming is used worldwide as a method of reducing the damage to feathers and skin caused by injurious pecking in laying hens. However, beak trimming also causes some welfare issues as trimming the beak results in pain and sensory loss. Due to this dilemma, there is an ongoing discussion in several European countries about whether to ban beak trimming. In this study, we investigated the welfare consequences of keeping layers with intact beaks and examined for links between injurious pecking damage and keel bone damage on an individual level. A study was conducted on 10 commercial farms housing laying hens in the barn system. Each farm participated with a flock of beak-trimmed hens (T) and a flock of non-trimmed (NT) hens that were visited around 32 and 62 weeks of age. During visits, the condition of plumage, skin, feet, and keel bone of 100 hens was assessed. Mortality was recorded by the producers. NT flocks had a lower prevalence of hens with good plumage condition around 32 weeks of age (94.1 vs. 99.6%, P < 0.001) and a higher prevalence of hens with poor plumage condition at 62 weeks of age (63.6 vs. 15.2%, P < 0.001) compared with T flocks. The prevalence of hens with keel bone deviations, with both keel bone fractures and deviations and with body wounds, was higher in NT flocks compared with T flocks at both ages (P < 0.001). Accumulated mortality from placement to end of production tended to be higher in NT flocks compared with T flocks (14.2 vs. 8.6%; P = 0.06). The prevalence of keel bone damage was higher among hens with poor plumage condition than hens with moderate/good plumage condition (31.5 vs. 22.2%; P < 0.001). Thus, omitting beak trimming had negative consequences for the condition of plumage, skin, and keel bone, and tended to increase mortality, highlighting the risk of reduced welfare when keeping layers with intact beaks. In addition, injurious pecking damage was found to be positively linked to keel bone damage. The causal relation is unknown, but we propose that fearfulness is an important factor.

Estimation of total genetic effects for survival time in crossbred laying hens showing cannibalism, using pedigree or genomic information.

Mortality of laying hens due to cannibalism is a major problem in the egg-laying industry. Survival depends on two genetic effects: the direct genetic effect of the individual itself (DGE) and the indirect genetic effects of its group mates (IGE). For hens housed in sire-family groups, DGE and IGE cannot be estimated using pedigree information, but the combined effect of DGE and IGE is estimated in the total breeding value (TBV). Genomic information provides information on actual genetic relationships between individuals and might be a tool to improve TBV accuracy. We investigated whether genomic information of the sire increased TBV accuracy compared with pedigree information, and we estimated genetic parameters for survival time. A sire model with pedigree information (BLUP) and a sire model with genomic information (ssGBLUP) were used. We used survival time records of 7290 crossbred offspring with intact beaks from four crosses. Cross-validation was used to compare the models. Using ssGBLUP did not improve TBV accuracy compared with BLUP which is probably due to the limited number of sires available per cross (~50). Genetic parameter estimates were similar for BLUP and ssGBLUP. For both BLUP and ssGBLUP, total heritable variance (T2 ), expressed as a proportion of phenotypic variance, ranged from 0.03±0.04 to 0.25±0.09. Further research is needed on breeding value estimation for socially affected traits measured on individuals kept in single-family groups.

Timing Diatomaceous Earth-Filled Dustbox Use for Management of Northern Fowl Mites (Acari: Macronyssidae) in Cage-Free Poultry Systems.

Northern fowl mite management on conventionally caged birds relies on synthetic pesticide sprays to wet the vent. Cage-free chickens cannot be effectively treated this way, and pesticide use is restricted in organic production. Dustbathing behavior is encouraged in newer production systems for increased hen welfare. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is an approved organic insecticide that can be mixed with sand in dustboxes, suppressing mites but not excluding them, and potentially allowing development of mite immunity. We tested two hypotheses: 1) that DE-filled dustboxes placed before northern fowl mite introduction (prophylactic use) prevents mite populations from reaching economically damaging thresholds, and 2) that bird exposure to low mite numbers allows for protective hen immunity to develop and suppress mites after dustboxes are removed. We also tested if different beak trimming techniques (a commercial practice) affect mite growth. Mites were introduced to birds after dustboxes were made available. Average mite densities in flocks remained below damaging levels while dustboxes were available. Average mite populations rebounded after dustbox removal (even though DE persisted in the environment) regardless of the timing of removal. Mite densities on birds where a traditional hot-blade beak trimming technique was used (trial 1) were high. Mite densities in trial 2, where a newer precision infra-red trimming was used, were lower. The newer infra-red trimming method resulted in nearly intact beaks, which were better for mite control by bird grooming behaviors. The combination of early dustbox use and infra-red beak trimming should allow producers to avoid most mite damage in cage-free flocks.

Genomic prediction of survival time in a population of brown laying hens showing cannibalistic behavior.

BackgroundMortality due to cannibalism causes both economic and welfare problems in laying hens. To limit mortality due to cannibalism, laying hens are often beak-trimmed, which is undesirable for animal welfare reasons. Genetic selection is an alternative strategy to increase survival and is more efficient by taking heritable variation that originates from social interactions into account, which are modelled as the so-called indirect genetic effects (IGE). Despite the considerable heritable variation in survival time due to IGE, genetic improvement of survival time in laying hens is still challenging because the detected heritable variation of the trait with IGE is still limited, ranging from 0.06 to 0.26, and individuals that are still alive at the end of the recording period are censored. Furthermore, survival time records are available late in life and only on females. To cope with these challenges, we tested the hypothesis that genomic prediction increases the accuracy of estimated breeding values (EBV) compared to parental average EBV, and increases response to selection for survival time compared to a traditional breeding scheme. We tested this hypothesis in two lines of brown layers with intact beaks, which show cannibalism, and also the hypothesis that the rate of inbreeding per year is lower for genomic selection than for the traditional breeding scheme.Results and discussionThe standard deviation of genomic prediction EBV for survival time was around 22 days for both lines, indicating good prospects for selection against mortality in laying hens with intact beaks. Genomic prediction increased the accuracy of the EBV by 35 and 32 % compared to the parent average EBV for the two lines. At the current reference population size, predicted response to selection was 91 % higher when using genomic selection than with the traditional breeding scheme, as a result of a shorter generation interval in males and greater accuracy of selection in females. The predicted rate of inbreeding per generation with truncation selection was substantially lower for genomic selection than for the traditional breeding scheme for both lines.ConclusionsGenomic selection for socially affected traits is a promising tool for the improvement of survival time in laying hens with intact beaks.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12711-016-0247-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Consumer attitudes to injurious pecking in free-range egg production

AbstractFree-range egg producers face continuing problems from injurious pecking (IP) which has financial consequences for farmers and poor welfare implications for birds. Beak-trimming has been practised for many years to limit the damage caused by IP, but with the UK Government giving notification that they intend to ban beak-trimming in 2016, considerable efforts have been made to devise feasible housing, range and management strategies to reduce IP. A recent research project investigated the efficacy of a range of IP-reducing management strategies, the mean costs of which came to around 5 pence per bird. Here, the results of the above project's consumer survey are presented: consumers’ attitudes to free-range egg production are detailed showing that, whilst consumers had a very positive attitude towards free-range eggs, they were especially uninformed about some aspects of free-range egg production. The contingent valuation technique was used to estimate the price premium consumers would be prepared to pay to ensure that hens do not suffer from IP: this was calculated as just over 3% on top of the prevailing retail price of free-range eggs. These findings reinforce other studies that have found that whilst consumers are not generally well-informed about certain specific welfare problems faced by animals under free-range conditions, they are prepared to pay to improve animal welfare. Indeed, the study findings suggest that producers could obtain an additional price premium if they demonstrate the welfare provenance of their eggs, perhaps through marketing the eggs as coming from birds with intact beaks. This welfare provenance issue could usefully be assured to consumers by the introduction of a mandatory, single, accredited EU-wide welfare-standards labelling scheme.

Implications for Welfare, Productivity and Sustainability of the Variation in Reported Levels of Mortality for Laying Hen Flocks Kept in Different Housing Systems: A Meta-Analysis of Ten Studies.

Data from ten sources comprising 3,851 flocks were modelled to identify variation in levels of mortality in laying hens. The predicted increase with age was curvilinear with significant variation between the seven breed categories. Mortality was higher in loose housing systems than in cages and variable within system, confirming previous reports. Cumulative mortality (CM) was higher in flocks with intact beaks (χ2 = 6.03; df 1; p = 0.014) than in those with trimmed beaks. Most data were available for free-range systems (2,823 flocks), where producer recorded CM at 60–80 weeks of age averaged 10% but with a range from 0% to 69.3%. Life cycle assessment showed that the main effect of increased levels of hen mortality is to increase the relative contribution of breeding overheads, so increasing environmental burdens per unit of production. Reducing CM to levels currently achieved by the 1st quartile could reduce flock greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 25%. Concurrently this would enhance hen welfare and better meet the expectation of egg consumers. More research to understand the genetic x environment interaction and detailed records of the causes of mortality is required so that improved genotypes can be developed for different systems and different breeds can be better managed within systems.

Comparison of plumage condition of laying hens with intact and trimmed beaks kept on commercial farms

Summary Feather pecking and cannibalism are wide spread problems in the egg production. To prevent or reduce damages due to these behavioural disorders, beak trimming is a common method applied. Due to the associated pain, there is an ongoing discussion on beak trimming prohibition in Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, while Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Austria (optional) already renounced on beak trimming. The aim of the present study was to evaluate to which extent the status of beak influences the plumage condition in laying hens. Ten flocks (five flocks with intact beaks, five flocks with trimmed beaks) on five commercial farms were examined regarding the plumage damage at the end of the rearing period. During the laying period, twelve flocks (six flocks with intact beaks, six flocks with trimmed beaks) on six commercial farms were visited regularly for scoring loss of plumage. An aggravation of the plumage damage was detected with the advancing age of layers. Overall, birds with untrimmed beaks showed significantly more plumage damage at the end of the rearing period as well as during the whole laying period than birds with trimmed beaks.