In response to concerns about animal welfare, food assurance schemes are now incorporating standards for animal welfare. This is particularly important in the poultry industry, where much attention has focused on the welfare of broilers (meat birds). However, there is as a result a greater need for scientifically-based methods for the measurement and auditing of welfare.This book brings together papers by international experts from the academic, professional and industrial sectors. It examines practical ways of measuring and auditing broiler welfare on-farm, during transit and pre-slaughter. Related marketing issues and future developments such as automation, are also discussed.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on ensuring the welfare of laying hens. The first chapter highlights the key welfare issues in poultry housing and management, focussing on the use of conventional cages to house laying hens. The chapter then explores the emergence of enriched cages and cage-free housing, as well as the benefits and risks of each system on bird health and welfare. The second chapter reviews the range of welfare issues affecting free range laying hens. The chapter also highlights the need to improve current understanding of how laying hens behave in free range systems to be able to adequately meet their health and welfare needs. The third chapter discusses the use of beak trimming methods, as well as the welfare concerns that arise as a result of their use. The chapter highlights alternative strategies to reduce the need for these practices which are known to incur acute pain. The fourth chapter reviews the impact of housing and management systems on the skeletal and cognitive development of laying hens. It discusses how nutrition and housing can be optimised to reduce the occurrence of bone health issues. The final chapter reviews current research on the genetics of behavioural traits in poultry, focussing on how breeding can be optimised to reduce aggressive behaviour in laying hens.

World egg consumption is increasing, particularly in developing countries. This creates new challenges, particularly for more intensive systems which have played a major role in increasing production and productivity. Intensive systems face a continuing threat from zoonoses. At the same time, consumer expectations about both safety, sensory and nutritional quality have never been higher. There is also increasing concern about the environmental impact of and animal welfare issues in egg production. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews key research addressing these issues. Part 1 looks at advances in understanding and improving the welfare of hens, from welfare standards to nutrition and other aspects of husbandry. Part 2 discusses sustainability issues, from ways of measuring the environmental impact of egg production to ways of improving sustainability such as improved waste management. Achieving sustainable production of eggs Volume 2: Animal welfare and sustainability will be a standard reference for poultry and food scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in egg production. It is accompanied by Volume 1 which reviews safety and quality issues.