This book provides a detailed overview of the current welfare issues affecting broiler production. Chapters review the role of intensive poultry production systems in the development of welfare issues, such as lameness, dermatitis and feather-picking.
Chapter 1 - Ensuring the welfare of broilers: an overview: T. B. Rodenburg, Wageningen University, The Netherlands; 1 Introduction 2 Genetic selection 3 Stocking density 4 Case study: hatching environment and early feeding 5 Case study: alternative and free range systems 6 Summary: how research can contribute to enhanced and sustainable broiler production 7 Future trends in research 8 Where to look for further information 9 References Chapter 2 - Poultry health monitoring and management: bone and skin health in broilers: Gina Caplen, University of Bristol, UK; 1 Introduction 2 Leg disorders and lameness 3 Contact dermatitis 4 Conclusion and future trends 5 Where to look for further information 6 References Chapter 3 - Welfare issues affecting broiler breeders: Anja Brinch Riber, Aarhus University, Denmark; 1 Introduction 2 Welfare issues in broiler breeders 3 Conclusion and future trends 4 Acknowledgements 5 Where to look for further information 6 References Chapter 4 - Broiler breeding flocks: management and animal welfare: Ingrid C. de Jong and Rick A. van Emous, Wageningen Livestock Research, The Netherlands; 1 Introduction 2 Housing conditions and management in the rearing period 3 Housing conditions and management in the production period 4 Welfare issues: restricted feeding and water restriction 5 Welfare issues: excisions, mating behaviour and quality of feather cover 6 Environmental enrichment 7 Vaccinations 8 Transgenerational effects 9 Concluding remarks 10 Where to look for further information 11 References Chapter 5 - Poultry welfare monitoring: group-level technologies: Marian Stamp Dawkins and Elizabeth Rowe, University of Oxford, UK; 1 Introduction 2 Types of automated assessment 3 Automated measures of welfare as part of precision farming 4 Why isnt automated welfare assessment more widely used? 5 Conclusions 6 Future trends 7 References
Bas Rodenburg studied biology at Wageningen University and graduated in 1998. In 2003, he received his PhD from that same university, focusing his research on feather pecking behaviour in laying hens and how that is related with other behavioural characteristics, such as the ability to cope with fear and stress. After obtaining his PhD, he worked at Livestock Research in Lelystad and at the ILVO in Ghent, Belgium, focusing on research in the area of poultry behaviour and welfare. In 2006, he returned to Wageningen on a personal VENI-grant to investigate the effects of genetic selection and of early-life environment on behaviour of group-housed laying hens. He was recently project leader of a research program aiming to translate scientific knowledge on feather pecking to commercial practice.