Eggs are an increasingly significant source of protein for human consumption, and the global poultry industry is the single fastest-growing livestock sector. In the context of international concern for food security and feeding an increasingly affluent human population, the contribution to global greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from animal protein production is of critical interest. We calculated …
The US egg industry has evolved considerably over recent decades by incorporating new technologies and production practices. To date, there has been no comprehensive assessment of the resource demand and environmental effects of these changes. This study quantifies the environmental footprint of egg production supply chains in the United States for 2010 compared with 1960 …
The environmental impacts of 2 alternative UK broiler production systems that aim to improve bird welfare (a lower stocking density indoor system and the same system combined with heat exchangers for ventilation air) were compared with the baseline standard indoor system of broiler production. Furthermore, the environmental impacts of egg production in the conventional battery …
This article presents a tool and data for calculation of the carbon footprint of rendering operations in North America, quantifying Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) greenhouse gas emissions. Scope 3 (life cycle) emissions are not included. According to the sample data, in one year an average-size rendering plant in North America processes 100,000 …
Agricultural workers, and pig and poultry farmers in particular, are exposed to airborne contaminants including organic dusts, gases, fungi, bacteria, and endotoxins that can have adverse effects on their respiratory health. To date, data comparing the aerial dust concentrations in the different hen-housing systems used by commercial poultry farmers are scarce. An epidemiological study was …
Chemical communication is used by diverse organisms in a variety of contexts and can have strong fitness consequences for the individuals involved. However, despite the extensive use of birds as models for many research areas in biology, avian olfaction has been poorly investigated. Studies on bird species that lack well-developed olfactory organs and those investigating …
The ‘reward cycle’ conceptualises reward acquisition as a cyclic phenomenon divided into three motivational stages with related emotional or affective states. For feeding behaviour such a cycle consists of an appetitive stage characterised by foraging and exploration linked to emotions such as wanting and anticipation, a consummatory stage with eating behaviour linked to liking and …
Åkerberg et al. (2012) remind us that sometimes important research questions are sitting right in front of us. Laboratory dogs have been the focus of much research for years, but few people have asked how variable their behavior is. There is no reason to assume that laboratory dogs do not exhibit variable behavioral phenotypes and that …
Studies using classical conditioning have shown that hens display high frequencies of dopamine-controlled cue-induced anticipatory behaviours in the cue-reward interval when signalling mealworm rewards. However, it is not known whether anticipatory behaviours are reward specific, and whether the opioid system is involved in their control. The purpose of the present study was to investigate (1) …
Although, the incidence of frustration-related behaviours is influenced by frustration-provoking social and environmental conflicts, the occurrence of particular frustration-related behaviours associated with discriminatory learning remains controversial. For example, the assumption that frustration is associated with stress and stress may interfere with learning and memory is well established, but if the incidence of particular frustration-related behaviours …
Unique markings or body-mounted sensors facilitate data collection from individuals in large groups of similar-looking conspecifics but may have unintended consequences on behavior. A wireless sensor attached to the back of laying hens via a harness has been developed to monitor space use and activity. Prior to collecting experimental data, effects of the sensor on …
Commercial laying hens in North America are typically beak trimmed to prevent injury and mortality caused by feather pecking and cannibalism. Beak trimming is most commonly performed on day-old chicks at the hatchery, either by hot blade (HB) or infrared (INF) techniques. The differences between these 2 methods and the potential variability within each method …
To determine the risk of infection associated with exposure to low-pathogenic avian influenza (AI) virus-contaminated poultry litter, the tenacity of low pathogenic A/Ck/CA/431/00(H6N2), A/Mallard/MN/355779/00(H5N2), and A/turkey/ Ohio/313053/04(H3N2) was evaluated. Viral stocks were incubated with poultry litter from commercial flocks at 25°C. Three types of poultry litter, wood shavings, shavings plus gypsum, and shavings plus peanut …
Avian influenza (AI) is considered an exotic disease in the Brazilian poultry industry, according to the National Avian Health Program (PNSA), with permanent monitoring of domestic, exotic and native avian species. Brazil presents privileged environmental conditions of reduced risk. In addition, all commercial poultry and conservation holdings are registered in state or national inventories and …
Avian influenza viruses (AIV) are highly susceptible to all disinfectants because they are enveloped viruses. Disinfectants effective against AIV have optimum efficacies at temperatures above 20°C. Very few studies on effective disinfectants at low temperatures have been done. Disinfectants were investigated at 4 different temperatures (25, 4, 0, and −10°C) and 2 contact times (1 …
Aerosol Transmission of an Avian Influenza H9N2 Virus with a Tropism for the Respiratory Tract of Chickens
A study was carried out in French breeder duck flocks in 2008 and 2009 to identify practices and events related to the introduction of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). The status of flocks was assessed using serological methods for all subtypes of AIV without typing. Flocks managed with both natural mating and artificial insemination were investigated …
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