Lecture 22

Question 1

What are the codes of practice in canada for poultry?

3pt

Answer 1

• Pullets and Laying Hens
• Chickens, Turkeys & Breeders
• Transportation (under revision)

Question 2

How are the codes of practice addressed in poultry species?

3pt

Marketing Boards Welfare Requirements

Answer 2

• Egg Farmers of Canada
• Chicken Farmers of Canada
• Turkey Farmers of Canada

Question 3

What kinds of housing systems do egg preduction hens have?

3pt

Answer 3

• Conventional
• Enriched
• Free run (more expensive eggs)

Question 4

What are the advantages of conventional cages?

4pt

Answer 4

• Small groups - can form a dominance hieararchy (reduced aggression)
• Better Health
• Lower Mortality
• Lower Ammonia

Question 5

What are the advantages of enriched cages?

4pt

Answer 5

• All of cages plus
• Better health - more room to move around
• Furniture
• Increased space

Question 6

What are the advantages of free run system?

4pt

Answer 6

• Space
• perform normal Behaviour
• Exercise
• Furniture

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of conventional cages?

3pt

Answer 7

• Limited space
• Behavioural restriction
• Bone quality

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of enriched cages?

1pt

Answer 8

• Less space than cage free but more than conventional

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of free run cages?

5pt

Answer 9

• Risk of cannibalism
• Disease
• Parasites
• Environment
• Bone breaks

Question 10

How do you choose a housing system?

3pt

Answer 10

• Not a clear-cut decision!
• Conventional cages will be eliminated
• Enriched vs free run – advantages and disadvantages for BOTH

Question 11

What is beak treatment and who gets it?

2pt

Answer 11

• Beak treatment – commercials and pets
• Sharp pointed tip of the beak is removed

Question 12

Why do we do beak treatments?

2pt

Answer 12

• Reduces cannibalism and injury
• Improves livability, reduces fear

Question 13

What are the methods for beak treatment? which is used?

2pt

Answer 13

• Literature primarily hot-blade - can cause chronic pain in older animals
• North America – primarily infrared (<10 years) - numbing effect little to no pain

Question 14

What should you never say about chickens?

1pt

Answer 14

Debeaked

say beak treatment instead

Question 15

What happened in Germany regarding beak treatments?

5pt

Answer 15

• 2017: Beak treatment prohibited in layers
• 2015: Plans on prohibiting beak treatments in turkey hens in 2019 (did not happen)
• Different projects to find options to keep turkeys with untrimmed beaks
• Using everything that had a positive effect :
  * 2.5% fibre in feed
  * Breaks during the day
  * Emergency kit
  * Separating pecked birds
  * Covering wounds with zinc spray and baby powder
• No matter what was tried, still a Higher mortality by a factor of 4 in untrimmed beaks and worse injuries

Question 16

What kind of Environmental enrichment do broilers get?

2pt

Answer 16

• Litter floors (free run) (wood shavings)
• Barren environment (Limited behaviour expression)

Question 17

What natural behaviours can and cannot broilers do in their environment?

5pt, 3pt

Answer 17

Can do:
* move freely
* pecking
* scratching
* dust bathing
* wing flapping

Cannot do:
* rest undisterbed
* sleep undisterbed
* reach elevated structures

Question 18

Why are there no enrichment recommendations for broilers?

1pt

Answer 18

They are killed before they reach maturity (short period of time)

Question 19

What are the advantages of environmental enrichment?

7pt

Answer 19

Positive effect on health
* reduced Contact dermatitis (foot, hock, breast)
* reduced Lameness

Positive effect on behaviour
* Expression of a larger behaviour repertoire
* Less fear reaction

• Resting and sleeping undisturbed
• Better distribution in the barn
• Stimulating activity

Question 20

What are the disadvantages of environmental enrichment?

8pt

Answer 20

Expensive
* Investment costs
* Labour-intensive

Workload
* Installation
* Service/Repairs
* Cleaning and disinfection

• Challenges while bird control
• Biosecurity risks for organic materials
• It may have negative performance effects

Question 21

What are slow growth birds?

1pt

Answer 21

• Grow approx. 23% slower than conventional breeds (GAP)

allows body organs to keep up

Question 22

What are the pros and cons of slow growth birds?

5pt

Answer 22

Pros
* Reduced leg issues
* Reduced cardiac issues

• These may also be accomplished with lighting programs, nutrition and management in conventional production

Cons
* Longer time with greater chance for dust/ammonia
* Foot pad lesions etc

Question 23

How much would it cost to convert over to slow growth birds and what would you need?

7pt

Answer 23

• 20 thousand more barns
• 1.5 billion extra birds for same meat amt
• 72.4 million additional on-farm mortality
• 7.6 million additional acres for crops
• Additional 5 billion gallons water
• 27.5 x more manure to dispose of
• 9 billion additional production costs