Welfare of laying hens on farm
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Author
EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (AHAW)
Nielsen, Søren Saxmose
Alvarez, Julio
Bicout, Dominique Joseph
Calistri, Paolo
Canali, Elisabetta
Drewe, Julian Ashley
Garin-Bastuji, Bruno
Gonzales Rojas, Jose Luis
Gortázar Schmidt, Christian
Herskin, Mette
Miranda Chueca, Miguel Ángel
Padalino, Barbara
Pasquali, Paolo
Roberts, Helen Clare
Spoolder, Hans
Stahl, Karl
Viltrop, Arvo
Winckler, Christoph
Estevez, Inmaculada
Guinebretière, Maryse
Rodenburg, Bas
Schrader, Lars
Tiemann, Inga
Van Niekerk, Thea
Ardizzone, Michele
Ashe, Sean
Hempen, Michaela
Mosbach-Schulz, Olaf
Rojo Gimeno, Cristina
Van der Stede, Yves
Vitali, Marika
Michel, Virginie
Publication date
2023-02-21ISSN
1831-4732
Abstract
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.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
636 - Animal husbandry and breeding in general. Livestock rearing. Breeding of domestic animals
Pages
188
Publisher
Wiley Open Access
Is part of
EFSA Journal
Citation
Nielsen, Søren Saxmose, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, and Bruno Garin‐Bastuji et al. 2023. " Welfare of laying hens on farm". EFSA Journal 21 (2). doi:10.2903/j.efsa. 2023.7789.
Program
Benestar Animal
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2503]
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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/