egg production welfare concerns

Question 1

why is there pressure to change

Answer 1

• social responsibility (freeing hens from cages, animal welfare)
  consumers demand cage free eggs

Question 2

what is welfare

Answer 2

• biological functioning - health
• affective states - fear, pain, positive emotions, negative emotions
• natural living

Question 3

what are some advantages of cages over barn systems

Answer 3

• environmental control and air quality
• less dust and ammonia - manure is removed better
• reduces injuries and disease (viral, bacteria, coccidiosis mites) (keel fractures)
• lower canabolism
• better economics
• better egg cleanliness

Question 4

what are disadvantages over barn systems

Answer 4

• lack of space
• behaviour restriction
• bone quality (weak bones)
• lacks the facilities for behavioural activities (nests perches, dustbathing, scratching)
• hyperkeratosis (excessive claw growth)
• bumble foot

Question 5

what are some advantages of furnished cages

Answer 5

• lower mortality
  -reduced infectious disease, lower canabolism and improve bone strength
• more space per bird
• additional equipment (nests roosts, dustbathing and or scratch pads

Question 6

what are disadvantages to furnished cages

Answer 6

• less space - for behavioural functions and reduced bone strength

Question 7

what are advantages of barn systems over cage systems

Answer 7

• improves bone strength
• varied physical equipement allowing normal behaviour expression
• nests roosts dustbaths scratching area
• increased space - ability to escape agression

Question 8

what are some disadvantages of barn systems over cage systems

Answer 8

• higher mortality - canabolism, smothering and increase risk of disease and paracite - mites and bed bugs
• difficult to control air quality
• broken bones
  bumblefoor
• ergonomics - difficult for people to work with
• economics- eggs more expensive
  egg cleanliness may differ

Question 9

what is GAP

Answer 9

global animal partenership
- plans for pork, beef, poultry, and have to follow them to be GAP certified
- poultry needs windows

Question 10

what are free range advantages

Answer 10

• freedom to move and express natural behaviours
• opportunity to graze on vegetation and varied diet
• opportunity to dust bathe in soil
• improved bone strength

Question 11

what are disadvantages to free range

Answer 11

• feather pecking and cannibalism
• risk of predators
• disease risk due to access to droppings and contact with wild birds
• adverse climate outdoors
• increase risk of paracites
• cost of production (feed cost)