Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens / Christine Nicol.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nicol, Christine, author.

Contributor:

Nicol, Christine, editor.

Series:

Burleigh Dodds series in agricultural science ; 91.

Burleigh Dodds Series in Agricultural Science ; 91

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Chickens.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (689 pages) : illustrations.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, [2020]

Summary:

"This collection summarises the rich body of research on understanding the behaviour of chickens and using this knowledge to optimise welfare management of broilers and layers. Part 1 of this volume reviews advances in research on key aspects of poultry behaviour and welfare monitoring. Chapters include the genetics and epigenetics of poultry behaviour, sensory perception, pain and stress responses, leaning and cognition as well as social behaviour. The section also includes coverage of wearable, video and acoustic technologies to monitor chicken behaviour and welfare as well as developments in welfare protocols. Part 2 discusses particular welfare issues affecting broilers and layers. Topics covered include welfare in hatcheries and during rearing, housing and management, the role of enrichment as well as optimising welfare during catching, transport and slaughter. It also reviews advances in understanding specific welfare issues such as injurious pecking, bone and skin health"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Intro

Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens

Contents

Series list

Introduction

Part 1 Behaviour

Chapter 1 Advances in understanding the genetics of poultry behaviour

1 Introduction

2 The genetics of behaviour

3 Mapping genes for behaviour

4 Behavioural types and their genetic basis

5 Pleiotropy and the potential for selection

6 Epigenetics and behaviour

7 Commercial aspects and research

8 Conclusions

9 Where to look for further information

10 References

Chapter 2 Understanding the sensory perception of chickens

2 Vision

3 Olfaction

4 Taste

5 Hearing

6 Touch

7 Welfare implications

8 Where to look for further information

9 References

Chapter 3 Understanding states of suffering with implications for improved management of poultry

2 Fear

3 Frustration

4 Pain

5 Other states of suffering

6 Conclusions and future trends

7 Where to look for further information

8 References

Chapter 4 Understanding chicken learning and cognition and implications for improved management

2 Early learning

3 Habituation and associative learning

4 Cognition

5 Improving management through an understanding of learning and cognitive abilities

6 Conclusion

Chapter 5 Understanding poultry social behaviour and its impact on animal welfare

2 Why do animals live in groups?

3 Imprinting and early-life experiences

4 Group size and social plasticity: implications for animal welfare

5 Managing social behaviour for better welfare

6 Understanding mating systems in poultry: implications for the welfare of breeding flocks

7 Strategies for better management of poultry flocks

8 References.

Chapter 6 Poultry welfare monitoring: wearable technologies

2 Radio-frequency identification technology

3 Wearable sensors and accelerometers

4 Case study: outdoor stocking density in free-range laying hens

5 Conclusion

6 Future trends in research

Chapter 7 Poultry welfare monitoring: group-level technologies

2 Types of automated assessment

3 Automated measures of welfare as part of precision farming

4 Why isn't automated welfare assessment more widely used?

5 Conclusions

6 Future trends

7 References

Chapter 8 Improving welfare assessment indicators and protocols for poultry

2 Welfare assessment protocols

3 Welfare assessment indicators

4 Examples of animal-based measures

5 Prioritising welfare indicators

7 Conclusion

Part 2 Welfare issues in breeding, management and housing

Chapter 9 Welfare issues affecting broiler breeders

2 Welfare issues in broiler breeders

3 Conclusion and future trends

4 Acknowledgements

5 Where to look for further information

6 References

Chapter 10 Opportunities to improve the welfare of young chickens

2 Welfare of parental stock and effects on offspring

3 Incubation practices to optimize chick welfare

4 Hatching practices to optimize chick welfare

5 Rearing practices to optimize pullet welfare

6 Conclusions

Chapter 11 Welfare issues in poultry housing and management: broilers

2 Broiler behaviour and space use

3 Welfare issues in broiler chicken production: leg health, heat stress and behavioural restrictions.

4 The relationship between growth rate and broiler welfare

5 Effects of environment and management on welfare

Chapter 12 Welfare issues in poultry housing and management: laying hens

2 Conventional cages

3 Enriched cages

4 Cage-free housing

6 Where to look for further information

Chapter 13 The role of perches in chicken welfare

2 Why do chickens perch?

3 Ontogeny of perching

4 Anatomic prerequisites for perching

5 Properties of perches: the chicken's view

6 Elevated structures in pullet and layer housing

7 Elevated structures in broiler housing

9 Future trends in research

Chapter 14 Improving welfare in catching and transport of chickens

2 Broiler chicken pre-slaughter phase and associated welfare concerns

3 Improving pre-slaughter welfare for broiler chickens

4 The pre-slaughter phase for laying hens

5 Conclusions and future trends

Chapter 15 Improving welfare in poultry slaughter

2 Lairage

3 Stunning methods

4 Conclusions

Chapter 16 Cause and prevention of injurious pecking in chickens

2 Identifying the underlying causes of injurious pecking

3 Practical attempts and management strategies to reduce injurious pecking

4 Conclusion

5 Future trends in research

Chapter 17 Bone health and associated problems in layer hens

2 Bone development, growth and remodelling

3 Identified bone health problems.

4 Contributory factors to poor bone health

5 Influence of poor bone health on productivity and welfare

6 Strategies for improving bone health

7 Future trends in research

Chapter 18 Poultry health monitoring and management: bone and skin health in broilers

2 Leg disorders and lameness

3 Contact dermatitis

4 Conclusion and future trends

Index.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-78676-425-3

1-78676-424-5