Since the publication of Animal Machines (Harrison, 1964), there has been widespread public pressure in Europe—supported by European institutions—to “ban the battery cage.” The European Union (EU) and national governments (particularly in Northern Europe) funded research on noncage systems for egg production and enriched cages. In 1986, theEUpassed a Directive specifying a minimum size for …
There are many different characteristics of housing systems which affect the welfare of laying hens, particularly because welfare itself has many diverse aspects. When cause and effect relationships between systems and welfare are assessed, it is evident that no system currently under consideration is ideal. Of those priorities listed by UK authorities such as the …
The balance between genetic modification and welfare may be as old as the chicken and egg debate. Meeting welfare needs of farm animals has become an integral part of animal agriculture. Until recently, environmental and management modifications have been the methods of choice for meeting welfare needs of animals. Genetic selection has improved growth, livability, …
The success of welfare legislation for nonhuman animals rests upon primary producer compliance that, in turn, is affected by public willingness to pay (WTP) for such initiatives. Although the topic of the welfare of animals on farms (and relevant legislation) is becoming increasingly important to the Australian public, there remain relatively few recent assessments of …
1. On-farm quantification of sustainability indicators (SI) is an effective way to make sustainable development measurable. The egg production sector was used as a case study to illustrate this approach. 2. The objective was to select SI for economic, ecological and societal issues, and to analyse the performance on selected SI of different production systems. …
The commercial, welfare and environmental impacts of rearing small colonies of free-range chickens in newly planted woodland at two sites in the UK, during the first 2 years of the enterprise, were investigated. Newly planted rather than established trees were used so that commercially viable species could be planted in a way that would suit …
Corn and soyabeans may not be available in many countries particularly those which do not have sufficient foreign currency or …
This study was a 3 × 8 factorial arrangement of 3 nutrient densities (low, medium, and high) and 8 commercial …
An adequate supply of all nutrients, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water, has to be provided to support …
Insufficient feeder space for laying hens could increase competition at the feed trough, leading to disrupted feeding, inadequate nutrient intake, stress, and reduced productivity. The effects of feeder space allocation (FSA) on physiology and productivity were evaluated in beak-trimmed Hy-Line W-36 hens (n = 480). They were obtained at 16.5 wk of age and housed …
1. An experiment was carried out to examine the suitability of using maize silage, barley—pea silage and carrots as foraging …
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Rovabio, dietary energy, and protein on performance, egg composition, egg solids, …
The feather condition and behaviour of laying hens in modified cages with elevated (28 cm above floor) and conventional (6 cm above floor) height feed troughs was measured at 32–34 and 56–59 weeks of age. Feather cover was generally better at the younger age than the older, and in cages with the elevated trough as …
Maximum daily temperatures in excess of 30ºC are common in many table egg producing regions of the world. Such temperatures …
The level of a single essential amino acid that is either deficient or in excess of requirement may result in …
The effect of drinking water source (well vs. city water) on laying hen performance was evaluated using 48 commercial layers …
The present study was conducted to determine the adverse effects of high temperature and humidity not only on live performance …