Welfare of broilers on farm

Osmotic Stress-induced Gene Expression in the Diencephalon, Kidney, Liver, and Breast Muscle of Chicks

Endogenous water production is an important response for inducing water acquisition in birds, with proteins and lipids being major sources of endogenous water. However, the roles of protein and lipid metabolism-related gene expression in the regulation of their body fluid balance have not been investigated. This study aimed to clarify the roles of protein and lipid metabolism-related genes in osmoregulation in chicks. In Experiment 1, we examined the effects of 12 h of water deprivation on the mRNA levels of protein and lipid metabolism-related genes and feed intake in chicks. Feed intake was significantly decreased by water deprivation throughout the experimental period. The mRNA levels of vasotocin in the diencephalon were significantly increased by water deprivation. The mRNA levels of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), the rate-limiting enzyme of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, were significantly increased by water deprivation in the liver, breast muscle, and diencephalon of the chicks. The mRNA levels of atrogin-1, a regulatory enzyme of the ubiquitin proteasome-system, were significantly increased by water deprivation in the breast muscle of the chicks. In contrast, the mRNA levels of fatty acid synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme of fatty acid synthesis, were significantly decreased by water deprivation in the liver of the chicks. In Experiment 2, the effects of intraperitoneal administration of hypertonic saline were examined under feed and water-deprived conditions. The mRNA levels of renal aquaporin 1, breast muscle atrogin-1, and diencephalon CPT1A were significantly increased 1 h after hypertonic saline injection. These results suggest that osmotic stress may induce protein catabolism in the skeletal muscle and fatty acid catabolism in the diencephalon of the chicks.

A meta-analysis of the sources of variation in the environmental impacts of different broiler production systems

1. Shifting to higher welfare systems is expected to increase their environmental impact and mitigation strategies need to be identified. The environmental impacts associated with various broiler production systems (BPS: conventional, higher welfare indoors, free-range or organic) and the characteristics of BPS which contribute to these impacts were investigated via a literature review and meta-analysis.2. The impact metrics considered were global warming (GWP), acidification and eutrophication potentials, NH3 emissions, land use, water use, energy use (EU) and biodiversity. Due to the paucity of data, analysis was limited to the impacts of the characteristics of the BPS: stocking density (STD), slaughter weight (SW), feed conversion ratio (FCR), on GWP, NH3 emissions and EU.3. After correction for system boundaries and functional units, no statistical effects of BPS on GWP were found, while higher welfare systems were associated with higher EU. Reduced STD was associated with reductions in GWP and EU. The SW was positively associated with GWP and NH3 emissions, while higher FCR was associated with increased NH3 emissions and EU.4. Environmental impacts arose from feed-associated activities (>75%). Most of the GWP impacts were associated with land use change (LUC), especially when associated with 'unsustainable' soya. High variation in values for different environmental metrics within BPS indicated a lack of standardisation in the assessment of environmental impact across the industry.5. The results suggested that practices within a system contributed greatly to the environmental impact of the system. Rather than comparing systems, it may be more productive to focus on improving practices that have the potential to reduce environmental impacts within a system, without compromising animal welfare.

The assessment of litter quality in broiler chickens: validity, inter-assessor reliability, and intra-assessor repeatability of three visual scoring systems

1. This study evaluated the validity, inter-assessor reliability and intra-assessor repeatability of three visual scoring systems for litter quality, one known as the Welfare Quality Assessment Protocol© and two complementary systems for friability and humidity developed by the ClassyFarm initiative.2. In 6 rooms of an experimental barn, 2450 medium-growing broiler chickens were reared on coarse sawdust litter until they reached a body weight of 2.2 kg at 43 days of age, with a stocking density of 33 kg/m2.3. Sixty-six litter samples were analysed for litter moisture at two different time points during the broiler chickens' production cycle, and were visually scored using the three systems, two consecutive times, by 7 assessors to analyse their validity, inter-reliability and intra-repeatability according to the litter moisture level.4. The three resulting scores were correlated with the litter moisture (p < 0.001) and correlations were stronger when the litter moisture was above 35%. Similarly, inter-assessor reliability and intra-assessor repeatability were better for all three scoring systems when litter moisture was above 35% than when it was below 35%.5. The ClassyFarm Friability system was the most reliable regardless of litter moisture level. The ClassyFarm Humidity system was the least reliable and repeatable when the litter moisture was below 35%. The Welfare Quality scoring system lay between the two ClassyFarm systems considering inter-assessor reliability, but was as repeatable as the ClassyFarm Friability system.

Developing appropriate environmental enrichment strategies for broiler breeders

There is a recognised need for environmental enrichment strategies to be developed for broiler parent stock. We evaluated the use and tested preferences for three forms of enrichment in commercial broiler breeder housing: (1) perches (platform perches, round metal perches, round rubber-coated metal perches), (2) pecking enrichments (silver reflective gazing balls, multi-coloured reflective gazing balls, non-reflective gazing balls), and (3) dust baths (oat hulls, sawdust, 50:50 mix). Observations from video footage were conducted during early, peak and late lay of a 44 week production phase on one farm. There was a clear preference for platform perches over both round perches, and for rubber-coated perches over metal perches until late lay. Perching was highest at night but reduced over the cycle. We found a drop off in perching once 23 cm of linear space per bird had been reached, suggesting this represented comfortable maximum capacity. All pecking enrichments attracted interest, with no difference between the three types, although pecking rate reduced across the cycle. House litter was well maintained and dustbathing was widely observed throughout the house, making additional dustbathing areas largely superfluous on this farm. We suggest platform perches and suspended gazing balls to be suitable environmental enrichments for commercial breeder housing.

Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Evaluation of the Effects of a Low-Input Diet on Different Chicken Breeds

Reducing the environmental impact of poultry farming aligns with the European Green Deal's goal of climate neutrality and sustainable food production. Local chicken breeds and low-input diets are promising strategies to achieve this goal. This study evaluated the effects of diet (standard vs. low-input, formulated with reduced soybean meal in favour of local ingredients) on the morphological characteristics of the jejunum in fast-growing chickens (Ross 308), local breeds (Bionda piemontese, BP; Robusta maculata, RM), and their crosses with Sasso (SA) hens (BP × SA, RM × SA). Histological samples from the jejunum were collected at slaughter (47 days for Ross 308, 105 days for others). Jejunal morphology was assessed focusing on villi height, crypt depth, goblet cell density, and immune markers (CD3+ and CD45+ cells). Local breeds, particularly RM, exhibited superior villus height-to-crypt depth ratios, related to better nutrient absorption compared to fast-growing genotypes. Ross chickens had higher goblet cell densities, reflecting greater sensitivity to environmental stress. Although the low-input diet reduced villi height and villus-to-crypt ratio, it tended to increase CD3+ cell density. These effects may be ascribed to the replacement of soybeans with fava beans and their antinutritional factors. These findings highlight the resilience of local breeds to dietary changes, supporting their suitability for alternative poultry production systems.

Effects of Increased Housing Space Without Altering Stocking Density on Body Weight, Stress, and Gut Microbiome in Broiler Chickens

Effective poultry management practices that promote chicken health are crucial for producing higher-quality chicken meat at a lower cost. This study examined the hypothesis that increasing space while maintaining stocking density may positively impact poultry health. We evaluated body weight (BW) as an indicator of growth, stress markers, and the composition of the gut microbiome by comparing two housing sizes: smaller (control) and larger (treatment) spaces, with 10 birds per space and a stocking density of 12.3 birds/m2. Chickens in the larger space had 15% higher BW (p = 0.06) compared to those in the smaller space when significance was evaluated at p < 0.10. Stress indicators such as blood cortisol (acute) and brain FKBP51 did not differ significantly. Faith's phylogenetic diversity was marginally higher in the larger space (p = 0.05), and microbial communities differed significantly between the two groups. The relative abundance of several genera, including Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 (p = 0.02), Lactobacillus (p = 0.03), and Paracoccus (p < 0.01), was greater in the larger space, whereas Turicibacter (p = 0.02), Escherichia-Shigella (p = 0.01), and Lysinibacillus (p = 0.01) were more abundant in the smaller space. The larger and smaller spaces were associated with a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the abundance of 39 and 25 MetaCyc pathways, respectively, involved in amino acid and nitrogen metabolisms. These findings suggest that increasing housing space without altering stocking density or additional treatments may improve both growth and gut microbiome health in broilers. Our results provide insights into the relationship between chicken housing environments and the gut microbiome.

Research Note: Testing the validity of latency-to-lie tests without water for objective on-farm assessment of walking ability of broiler chickens

The latency-to-lie (LTL) test is an objective method for assessing walking ability of broiler chickens which has traditionally consisted of placing a bird into a tub of shallow water and measuring how long it takes the standing bird to sit, with duration being negatively associated with gait score. Unfortunately, this method is impractical for use on commercial farms. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the performance of LTL tests without the addition of water, making them more practical for use on farm. In total, 159 Ross 308 and 186 Rustic Gold broilers were assessed. Following receiving a gait score (Bristol scale), birds were placed individually into a litter lined clear plastic storage box and the LTL was conducted with a maximum test duration of 300 s. Following a 120 s period of rest, the bird was then placed on the litter near a group of flockmates, and the LTL test was repeated. This allowed for the assessment of whether containment of the bird was necessary. Latencies to lie were negatively correlated with gait score (With box: ρ=-0.44 , P < 0.001; Without box: ρ=-0.46 , P < 0.001). The latencies to lie (mean ± SD) when using a box were 129.0 ± 82.0, 114.0 ± 78.8, 71.9 ± 54.9, 45.8 ± 35.8, and 7.9 ± 14.0 s and without a box were 104.0 ± 97.2, 52.2 ± 53.8, 27.9 ± 29.9, 22.8 ± 27.0, and 14.0 ± 19.4 s for gait scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. There was no effect of hybrid on the performance of either of the tests. Results suggest that the LTL tests without water could serve as an objective and valid measure of walking ability on farm, with the LTL test with a box showing better ability at distinguishing between specific gait scores compared to the LTL test without a box, though possible impacts of fatigue due to study design should be considered.

Text mining approach in chicken meat welfare

The aim of the study was to analyze the aspects affecting broiler welfare with the use of Text Mining technique. This approach converts text into numerical data and analyzes word frequency distributions, enabling the extraction of useful information and the identification of relationships between elements. Text mining has limitations, i.e. ambiguity and context sensitivity, making it difficult to capture nuanced meanings. The search was carried out with Scopus using the term "Welfare" with the keywords "Chicken", "Broiler", "Broiler chicken", and "Chicken meat", to create a database of abstracts. Text Mining and Topic Analysis were performed on the abstracts (1228 documents) using the Software R 4.3.1., analyzing also the weight of bigram and trigram. Publications on broiler welfare are present in the bibliography since 1990's, but in the last 10 years, for the interest of public opinion, the numbers of publications significantly increased (76.5% of all documents published). USA, Brazil, and Europe-27 published 60% of the documents found. The works were published in a high number of journals, but 37% of them are published in only 4 journals (Poultry Science, Animals, Applied Animal Behavior Science and Animal Welfare). Text Mining analysis identified key terms related to the slaughter phase, housing management, and environmental conditions such as light quality and quantity. Moreover, a high correlation was found between some terms, underlying the importance of the effects of rearing, slaughter phases and litter management on broiler welfare. Most of the countries focused their research on some specific topics identified by Topic Analysis, mainly genetic selection, feeding, stocking density, slaughter, and consumer perceptions. Poultry Science published the highest number of papers (18%) and the topics more investigated were growing performance, transport and slaughter, and litter management. In conclusion, the high number of publications on chicken welfare underlines the importance of broiler welfare both in Europe and in other countries, even if it is difficult to identify common research topics among the geographic areas and the evolution over the time.

Impact of Growth Rate on the Welfare of Broilers

Selection for the more efficient production of broilers has resulted in rapid growth rates. The aim was to review the existing knowledge on the effect of growth rate on broiler welfare. Genotypes with faster growth rates consistently demonstrate poorer gait scores and increased prevalence of disorders affecting their legs than slower-growing genotypes. Reduced mobility places faster-growing broilers at an increased risk of developing contact dermatitis, as they spend increased durations sitting in contact with litter. Poor walking ability, heavy body weights, and conformational differences such as proportionally larger breast muscle in genotypes with faster growth can impact a bird's ability to walk and navigate the environment, making it difficult to access resources and express natural behaviors. Faster growth has also been associated with poor cardiovascular health, increased susceptibility to heat stress, increased prevalence of mortality, ascites, as well as multiple breast muscle myopathies. Feed restriction, a practice associated with hunger and frustration, may be used to control the growth of broiler breeders, with birds having higher growth potential typically experiencing higher restriction levels. Overall, there is strong evidence that fast growth rates negatively impact welfare, and that slower-growing genotypes show significantly improved welfare. Furthermore, some evidence suggests that even minor reductions in growth rate can lead to welfare improvements.

The use of partially slatted floor designs as an alternative to littered systems in broiler chickens. I. The effects on the performance, slaughter and carcass traits

In this study, the effects of fully littered, slatted and their varying combinations on growth, performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics in broiler chickens were investigated. In the experiment, five treatment groups were formed as fully littered (FL), fully slatted (FS), 1/3 littered + 2/3 slatted (2/3 SF), 1/2 littered + 1/2 slatted (1/2SF), 2/3 littered + 1/3 slatted (1/3 SF). Each treatment group included 5 replicates (24 chicks in each) and a total of 600 male-female mixed fast growing broiler chicks (Ross-308) were used during 6 weeks. Weekly body weight (BW, g), feed intake (FI, g), feed conversion ratio (FCR, g.feed intake/g.weight gain), livability (%) and EPEF (European Production Efficiency Factor) were determined as performance characteristics. Carcass yield (CY, %), and the percentages of abdominal fat (AFP, %), edible internal organs (EIOP, %), gizzard (GP, %), breast (BRP, %) and thigh (TP, %) meat were the carcass characteristics. Meat quality measured by pH and color (L*: lightness, a*: redness, b*: yellowness) of breast and thigh meat, and occurrence of white striping and hemorrhaging in breast meat. The weekly BW differences among the floor treatments were significant (P < 0.01), and 1/3SF broilers were the heaviest at slaughter age (3311.6 g). The 6-week FCR in FS broilers was significantly worse than the others (1.471), but FI, livability and EPEF were similar among treatments. AFP tended to be higher in FL birds (P = 0.066), while CY, EIOP, GP, BRP and TP did not differ between groups. Breast pH was similar between treatments, with 1/2SF showing the highest (6.34) and FL the lowest (6.24) breast pH (P < 0.01). The partially slatted systems caused lighter, redder and yellower color values in breast meat (P < 0.01) than the fully littered or slatted systems, but did not change the color of the thigh meat. White striping and hemorrhaging in breast meat were not affected by the floor treatments. This study suggests that the use of partially slatted systems in broiler chickens improves meat color without compromising performance traits (body weight, feed efficiency, EPEF), litter moisture and slaughter traits and these systems could be an alternative to fully littered systems.

The potential of decision trees as a tool to simplify broiler chicken welfare assessments

To simplify fast-growth broiler welfare assessments and use them as a benchmarking tool, decision trees were used to identify iceberg indicators discriminating flocks passing/failing welfare assessments as with the complete AWIN protocol. A dataset was constructed with data from 57 flocks and 3 previous projects. A final flock assessment score, previously not included in the dataset, was calculated and used as the benchmarking assessment classifier (pass/fail). A decision tree to classify flocks was built using the Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) criterion. Cost-complexity pruning, and tenfold cross-validation were used. The final decision tree included cumulative mortality (%), immobile, lame birds (%), and birds with back wounds (%). Values were (mean ± se) 2.77 ± 0.14%, 0.16 ± 0.02%, 0.25 ± 0.02%, and 0.003 ± 0.001% for flocks passing the assessment; and 4.39 ± 0.49%, 0.24 ± 0.05%, 0.49 ± 0.09%, and 0.015 ± 0.006% for flocks failing. Cumulative mortality had the highest relative importance. The validated model correctly predicted 80.70% of benchmarking assessment outcomes. Model specificity was 0.8696; sensitivity was 0.5455. Decision trees can be useful to simplify welfare assessments. Model improvements will be possible as more information becomes available, and predictions are based on more samples.

Pecking up Optimism: Learning Opportunities Improve Mood for Sanctuary-Living Cornish Cross Chickens

Understanding what influences mood (optimism/pessimism) is crucial in determining whether environments are conducive to positive welfare. This study explores the impact of learning opportunities on mood in Cornish Cross chickens (also known as "broiler chickens"), of which over nine billion individuals are raised annually for meat in the United States. We predicted that access to learning opportunities promotes optimism in these chickens. We conducted yoked-control design experimental trials and two judgment bias tests (baseline and post-experimental) with eight adult sanctuary-living hens. There were significant post-experimental between-group differences in mood, with those who had access to learning opportunities experiencing greater optimism than those who did not. These results suggest that learning and the ability to control access to rewards may contribute positively to the welfare of Cornish Cross chickens.

Dietary supplementation with Chlorella vulgaris in broiler chickens submitted to heat-stress: effects on growth performance and meat quality

Heat stress can greatly challenge growth and meat quality of broiler chickens where research is looking for sustainable ingredients, such as microalgae, that could also alleviate its negative impacts. Thus, in the present study, 576 1-D-old chicks (Ross 308) were housed until commercial slaughtering (42 D) in 36 pens in 2 rooms of a poultry house, according to a full factorial design encompassing 2 room temperatures (standard vs. high), 2 sexes (females vs. males), and 3 dietary treatments, that is, diet C0 (control diet), diet C3, and diet C6 containing 0, 3, and 6%, respectively, of C. vulgaris meal replacing the same quantities of soybean meal. The highest inclusion level of C. vulgaris decreased feed intake (P < 0.001) and body weight (P < 0.0001) compared to the control diet; it increased yellow and red indexes (P < 0.0001) of the breast muscle, besides the proportion of n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (P = 0.028). Heat stress decreased feed intake (P = 0.001), breast (P = 0.001) and p. major yields (P = 0.036), and increased meat pH (P= 0.008) and cooking losses (P < 0.001), umami (P = 0.021) and brothy flavor (P < 0.001), and the proportion of n3 PUFA rates (P = 0.027), while reducing the contents of several amino acids in the breast meat (P ≤ 0.05). Compared to females, males displayed higher feed intake and growth, and more favorable feed conversion (P < 0.001). Carcass and p. major yields were greater in females (P < 0.001) which also showed a higher occurrence of spaghetti meat compared to males (P < 0.001). In conclusion, C. vulgaris can be used to replace until 3% of soybean meal in diets for broiler chickens without negative implications, while positively affecting breast meat color according to consumers' preferences. However, the microalgae inclusion did not mitigate the negative effects of a chronic heat stress on growth performance nor reduced the occurrence of any myopathies.

Comparative Analysis of Broiler Housing Systems: Implications for Production and Wellbeing

This study compares the effects of modern colony cage systems and traditional floor systems on the production and welfare of broiler chickens. Through two trials spanning 35 days each, we evaluated various physiological parameters, including growth performance, bone health, stress responses, and meat quality. Colony cages demonstrated superior thermal regulation and growth performance compared to traditional floor systems, but also exhibited higher frequencies of leg deformity and reduced standing ability. Conversely, the broilers in traditional floor systems experienced heat stress-related challenges, impacting the meat quality. Our findings underscore the need to balance productivity with animal welfare in broiler farming practices. By understanding the distinct impacts of different housing systems, we can work towards improving broiler rearing methods to ensure optimal welfare and production outcomes.

The main genetic locus associated with the evolution of gamecocks is centered on ISPD

Chickens were domesticated >4,000 years ago, probably first for fighting them and only later as a source of food. Fighting chickens, commonly known as gamecocks, continue to be bred throughout the world, but the genetic relationships among geographically diverse gamecocks and with nongame chickens are not known. Here, we sequenced the genomes of 44 geographically diverse gamecocks and 62 nongame chickens representing a variety of breeds. We combined these sequences with published genomes to generate the most diverse chicken genomes dataset yet assembled, with 307 samples. We found that gamecocks do not form a homogeneous group, yet they share genetic similarities that distinguish them from nongame chickens. Such similarities are likely the result of a common origin before their local diversification into, or mixing with nongame chickens. Particularly noteworthy is a variant in an intron of the isoprenoid synthase domain containing gene (ISPD), an extreme outlier present at a frequency of 89% in gamecocks but only 4% in nongame chickens. The ISPD locus has the strongest signal of selection in gamecocks, suggesting it is important for fighting performance. Because ISPD variants that are highly prevalent in gamecocks are still segregating in nongame chickens, selective breeding may help reduce its frequency in farm conditions in which aggression is not a desired trait. Altogether, our work provides genomic resources for agricultural genetics, uncovers a common origin for gamecocks from around the world and what distinguishes them genetically from chickens bred for purposes other than fighting, and points to ISPD as the most important locus related to fighting performance.

Assessing Animal Welfare Risk in Fibre-Producing Animals by Applying the Five Domains Framework

Nearly 5 billion farm animals, including waterfowl, cattle, sheep, goats, and alpacas, are being affected by the fashion industry. There is an urgent need for a system that evaluates their welfare. The rise in public interest on the topic of animal welfare is leading to the creation of different textile standards or certification schemes, which can give us an overview of the general state of expectations in terms of animal welfare within the textile industry. We therefore created a risk assessment tool and applied it to 17 different textile standards. Our results showed that only one of the standards reached a score in the "Acceptable" animal welfare risk category, and the rest of the standards had even lower scores of risks for animal welfare. In general, industry standards have not demanded sufficient requirements for higher levels of animal welfare. While the current risk assessment gave us a good idea of what is considered acceptable within the industry, it is also not necessarily representative of the risks for the majority of farm animals that are part of the textile industry. Only a small number of animal-derived materials are certified with some form of animal welfare standards, even though these standards can play an important role in improving the standard of care for animals. To evaluate the actual welfare states of the animals in fibre production, further research is needed to apply the proposed tool to actual farms.

Antimicrobial Use in On-Farm Hatching Systems vs. Traditional Hatching Systems: A Case Study

On-farm hatching is a relatively new method in the broiler industry, in which fertilized broiler eggs are transported to the farms at the stage of 17-19 days of incubation. Once hatched, the broiler chicks have direct access to feed and water. Previous studies have shown on-farm hatching to increase animal welfare and intestinal development. However, no studies have yet aimed to quantify and compare the antimicrobial use in on-farm hatched flocks with that of traditionally hatched flocks. In this study, information on antimicrobial use (AMU) was collected from 211 Belgian conventional broiler farms, including data from 2244 traditionally hatched flocks and 227 on-farm (NestBorn) hatched flocks. On-farm hatched flocks had significantly (p < 0.001) more antimicrobial-free flocks (n = 109, 48.01%) compared to traditional flocks (n = 271, 12.08%) and a 44% lower (p < 0.01) treatment incidence (TI) at flock level (TI 8.40 vs. TI 15.13). Overall, the farms using traditional hatching had 5.6 times (95% CI 3.6-8.7) higher odds to use antimicrobials than the farms using on-farm hatching. Treated on-farm hatched flocks received three times less lincomycin-spectinomycin (linco-spectin) and less (routine) treatments at the start of the production round. However, both traditional and on-farm flocks experienced outbreaks later in the production round. These results show that on-farm hatching can contribute to the reduction in antimicrobial use in conventional broiler production.

Exploratory Study on Individual Locomotor Activity in Local Dual-Purpose and Commercial Breeder Pullets

Improving animal welfare is a prerequisite for the societal acceptance of poultry production. Support for improvements requires practical tools to quantify animal welfare and identify predispositions at the individual level, where possible. In this study, the activities and behavior of dual-purpose chickens (N = 245) and commercial breeders (N = 224) were analyzed. The general locomotor activity (GLA) data were collected using an RFID system over five days with 9-to-14-week-old animals. The results show that the animals of comparable age and stocking density differed from each other in their activity (p ≤ 0.001) according to breed, but no sex differences were observed (p = 0.159). No correlations were found between GLA and plumage condition (p > 0.05). The individual variations within the breeds are presented and discussed on an animal-by-animal level, providing new insights into the individual behavioral variability of chickens. The RFID systems can reliably generate GLA data that help to understand the potential interplay between behavior and animal welfare. The technology is also suitable for creating individual (personality) profiles that can be used for breeding. With a better understanding of the role of activity, husbandry and management practices can be adapted to improve animal welfare.

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (AHAW Panel), Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin‐Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Schmidt CG, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Padalino B, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Stahl K, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Berg C, Edwards S, Knierim U, Riber A, Salamon A, Tiemann I, Fabris C, Manakidou A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Van der Stede Y, Vitali M, Velarde A. Welfare of ducks, geese and quail on farm

This Scientific Opinion concerns the welfare of Domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus), Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata domesticus) and their hybrids (Mule ducks), Domestic geese (Anser anser f. domesticus) and Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) in relation to the rearing of breeders, birds for meat, Muscovy and Mule ducks and Domestic geese for foie gras and layer Japanese quail for egg production. The most common husbandry systems (HSs) in the European Union are described for each animal species and category. The following welfare consequences are described and assessed for each species: restriction of movement, injuries (bone lesions including fractures and dislocations, soft tissue lesions and integument damage and locomotory disorders including lameness), group stress, inability to perform comfort behaviour, inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour and inability to express maternal behaviour (related to prelaying and nesting behaviours). Animal-based measures relevant for the assessment of these welfare consequences were identified and described. The relevant hazards leading to the welfare consequences in the different HSs were identified. Specific factors such as space allowance (including minimum enclosure area and height) per bird, group size, floor quality, characteristics of nesting facilities and enrichment provided (including access to water to fulfil biological needs) were assessed in relation to the welfare consequences and, recommendations on how to prevent the welfare consequences were provided in a quantitative or qualitative way.