Husbandry Conditions and Welfare Outcomes in Organic Egg Production in Eight European Countries

Jung, Lisa; Brenninkmeyer, Christine; Niebuhr, Knut; Bestman, Monique; Tuyttens, Frank; Gunnarsson, Stefan; Sørensen, Jan Tind; Ferrari, Paolo; Knierim, Ute

doi:10.3390/ani10112102

Cited by 15 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The distribution of hens on the range can depend on range features such as vegetation and other enrichments [17,22]. A lower use of the outdoor range at the flock level may lead to increased feather and injurious pecking [23,24] or crowding of hens closer to the shed may cause smothering problems leading to bird mortality [25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens’ Preferences for Shelters with Different Sunlight Filtering Percentages

Rana

Lea

et al. 2022

Animals

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Extreme sunlight might be aversive to free-range laying hens, discouraging them from going outside. Range enrichment with artificial shelters may protect hens from sunlight and increase range use. The preferences of 34–40-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens for artificial shelters were assessed by counting the number of hens under three densities of individual shelters (three replicates/density) from video recordings for 14 to 17 days for two flocks. The artificial shelters used shade cloth marketed as blocking 50%, 70%, and 90% of ultraviolet light, although other sunlight wavelengths were also reduced. Different sunlight spectral irradiances (ultraviolet radiation (UVAB) (288–432 nm), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) (400–700 nm), and total solar radiation (TSR) (285 nm–3000 nm), ambient temperature, and relative humidity were recorded with an on-site weather station. There was a significant interaction between sunlight-filtering shelter and time of day (both Flocks, p < 0.0001), i.e., hens preferred shelters with the highest amount of sunlight-filtering at most time points. Regression models showed that the most variance in shelter use throughout the day resulted from the ambient temperature in both flocks, while sunlight parameters had different degrees of effect depending on the shelter type and flock. However, fewer hens under the shelters during the midday period suggest that during periods of intense sunlight, hens prefer to remain indoors, and artificial structures might not be sufficient to attract more hens outside.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens’ Preferences for Shelters with Different Sunlight Filtering Percentages

Rana

Lea

et al. 2022

Animals

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“…These damages can lead to decreased bird welfare due to pain or immobility (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6) and economic losses (7,8). Therefore, the reliability and validity of keel bone damage (KBD) assessment is an intensively discussed topic in laying hen welfare research (9,10). In 2021, even the European ministers for agriculture discussed the issue of KBD in laying hens, and political support to mitigate the problem can be expected at least in Germany.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A tagged visual analog scale is a reliable method to assess keel bone deviations in laying hens from radiographs

2022

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Laying hens often suffer from keel bone damage (KBD) that includes pathologies with different etiologies, like diverse forms of fractures and deviations. Since KBD is a problem in all countries and housing systems, methods for the assessment of deviations are urgently needed. Comparisons between genetic lines and between studies are important to detect underlying mechanisms. Field researchers often use palpation as a low-cost and feasible technique for the assessment of KBD. In contrast to palpation, radiography is effective and highly precise at least in detecting keel bone fractures. The aim of this study was to: i) develop a scoring system to assess keel bone deviations from radiographs, ii) to assess inter- and intra-observer reliability of this scoring system, and iii) to investigate whether fractures and deviations of the keel are correlated. In total, 192 hens were used for the investigation. Digital radiographs were taken and evaluated for all hens after slaughter. We developed a tagged visual analog scale with two extreme images as anchors and four intermediate tags, resulting in six images representing the range from “no deviation” to “highly deviated” on a 10 cm line. Eleven participants scored 50 radiographs of keels with varying degree of severity, whereas five images were scored twice to assess intra-observer reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficient for inter-observer reliability was 0.979 with a confidence interval of 0.968 < ICC < 0.987 (F49,268 = 54.2, p < 0.0001). Intraclass correlation coefficient for intra-observer reliability was 0.831 with a confidence interval of 0.727 < ICC < 0.898 (F54,55 = 10.8, p < 0.0001). Individual intra-observer reliability ranged from 0.6 to 0.949. The Spearman correlation showed a strong positive correlation of fractures and deviations (sroh= 0.803, p < 0.001). The tagged visual analog scale could be a reliable instrument for the scoring of keel bone deviations. Our results support the assumption that the majority of highly deviated keels suffer from fractures as well. Further research is needed to investigate the correlation of palpation scores with the evaluation on radiographs.

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“…Non-beak-trimmed hens may be kept without major outbreaks of SFP if their housing and management conditions are adequate. In recent years, many influencing factors of this multifactorial problem have been identified [ 3 , 4 , 27 , 29 , 31 ] and incorporated into husbandry guidelines [ 19 , 24 , 74 ]. The experiences in some European countries, such as Austria and Germany, show that SFP in non-beak-trimmed flocks can be prevented if housing and management are adequate [ 62 , 69 , 75 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some authors found an influence of these factors [ 23 , 24 ]; others did not [ 25 , 26 ]. Although the provision of a litter area and a winter garden or free range may have a positive effect on reducing SFP [ 27 ], these areas must be attractively designed [ 28 ]. A study of 26 organic farms in the Netherlands indicated that SFP did not occur anymore if two thirds of the hens used the free range [ 29 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feather Pecking in Non-Beak-Trimmed and Beak-Trimmed Laying Hens on Commercial Farms with Aviaries

Schwarzer¹,

Plattner²,

Bergmann³

et al. 2021

Animals

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Severe feather pecking (SFP) is a major animal welfare problem in layers. It results in pain and injuries in the affected animal. It was the aim of this study to gain insight into the actual pecking behavior of laying hens kept on commercial farms with flock sizes common in practice. We observed aggressive pecking and SFP in non-beak-trimmed and beak-trimmed flocks of laying hens and investigated possible influencing factors. The study took place on eight conventional farms in Germany with aviaries, including three farms with a free range and a winter garden, one with a free range and one with a winter garden. Pecking behavior was observed during three observational periods (OPs): OP 1, at the peak of the laying period between the 28th and 33rd week of life; OP 2, in the middle of the laying period between the 42nd and 48th week of life; and OP 3, at the end of the laying period between the 63rd and 68th week of life in one laying period. Videos were analyzed using behavior sampling and continuous recording. We found that SFP occurred in all flocks, but the pecking rate differed significantly between the flocks. SFP correlated positively with the number of hens per square meter of usable area, with statistical significance in the litter area (r = 0.564; p = 0.045). The multivariate analysis revealed that access to a winter garden or free range significantly reduced the SFP rate on perches (p = 0.001). The stocking density (number of birds per usable square meter) had a significant influence on the SPF rate in the nest-box area (p = 0.001). The hybrid line had a significant effect on the SFP rate on perches and in the nest-box area (p = 0.001 each). Lohmann Brown hens in mixed flocks had a higher SFP rate (significant in OP 2) than those in homogeneous flocks, indicating that mixed flocks may be a risk factor for SFP. Lohmann Brown hens pecked significantly less than Dekalb White hens in the litter area (p = 0.010) and in the nest-box area (p = 0.025) and less than Lohmann Selected Leghorn hens in the litter area (p = 0.010). Lohmann Brown and Lohmann Selected Leghorn hens showed increasing SFP rates during the laying period. All hybrid lines had significantly higher SFP rates in the litter area, followed by the nest-box area and perches. These findings emphasize the importance of providing enough litter, litter areas and environmental enrichment. We found a significant positive correlation between aggressive pecking and SFP—in OP 1: rho (Spearman) = 0.580, p < 0.001; OP 2: rho = 0.486, p = 0.002; and OP 3: rho = 0.482, p = 0.002 (n = 39) —indicating that SFP may lead to a higher stress level in the flock. Beak trimming reduced pecking rates but did not entirely prevent SFP. Instead of subjecting chicks to this potentially painful procedure, reasons for SFP should be addressed. In conclusion, our data suggest a positive influence of a lower stocking density and the provision of a winter garden or free range for additional space. The hybrid line had a significant influence on the feather-pecking rate on perches and the nest-box area. Aggressive pecking and severe feather pecking correlated positively. We assume that vigorous and painful AP were an additional stress factor, especially in non-beak-trimmed flocks, leading to more SFP in due course. Beak trimming had a reducing effect on SFP. However, our results showed that non-beak-trimmed flocks could be kept without major outbreaks of SFP.

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Husbandry Conditions and Welfare Outcomes in Organic Egg Production in Eight European Countries

Cited by 15 publications

References 57 publications

Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens’ Preferences for Shelters with Different Sunlight Filtering Percentages

Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens’ Preferences for Shelters with Different Sunlight Filtering Percentages

A tagged visual analog scale is a reliable method to assess keel bone deviations in laying hens from radiographs

Feather Pecking in Non-Beak-Trimmed and Beak-Trimmed Laying Hens on Commercial Farms with Aviaries

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