TY - JOUR

T1 - Welfare of laying hens on farm

AU - EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Animal Welfare, null

AU - Nielsen, Søren Saxmose

AU - Alvarez, Julio

AU - Bicout, Dominique Joseph

AU - Calistri, Paolo

AU - Canali, Elisabetta

AU - Drewe, Julian Ashley

AU - Garin-Bastuji, Bruno

AU - Gonzales Rojas, Jose Luis

AU - Gortázar Schmidt, Christian

AU - Herskin, Mette

AU - Miranda Chueca, Miguel Ángel

AU - Padalino, Barbara

AU - Pasquali, Paolo

AU - Roberts, Helen Clare

AU - Spoolder, Hans

AU - Stahl, Karl

AU - Velarde, Antonio

AU - Viltrop, Arvo

AU - Winckler, Christoph

AU - Estevez, Inmaculada

AU - Guinebretière, Maryse

AU - Rodenburg, Bas

AU - Schrader, Lars

AU - Tiemann, Inga

AU - Van Niekerk, Thea

AU - Ardizzone, Michele

AU - Ashe, Sean

AU - Hempen, Michaela

AU - Mosbach-Schulz, Olaf

AU - Rojo Gimeno, Cristina

AU - Van der Stede, Yves

AU - Vitali, Marika

AU - Michel, Virginie

N1 - https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7789

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of laying hens, pullets and layer breeders on farm. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal-based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. The highly relevant welfare consequences based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence are bone lesions, group stress, inability to avoid unwanted sexual behaviour, inability to perform comfort behaviour, inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour, isolation stress, predation stress, resting problems, restriction of movement, skin disorders and soft tissue lesions and integument damage. The welfare consequences of non-cage compared to cage systems for laying hens are described and minimum enclosure characteristics are described for laying hens, pullets and layer breeders. Beak trimming, which causes negative welfare consequences and is conducted to reduce the prevalence and severity of pecking, is described as well as the risks associated with rearing of non-beak-trimmed flocks. Alternatives to reduce sharpness of the beak without trimming are suggested. Finally, total mortality, plumage damage, wounds, keel bone fractures and carcass condemnations are the most promising ABMs for collection at slaughterhouses to monitor the level of laying hen welfare on farm. Main recommendations include housing all birds in non-cage systems with easily accessible, elevated platforms and provision of dry and friable litter and access to a covered veranda. It is further recommended to implement protocols to define welfare trait information to encourage progress in genetic selection, implement measures to prevent injurious pecking, rear pullets with dark brooders and reduce male aggression in layer breeders.

AB - This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of laying hens, pullets and layer breeders on farm. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal-based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. The highly relevant welfare consequences based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence are bone lesions, group stress, inability to avoid unwanted sexual behaviour, inability to perform comfort behaviour, inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour, isolation stress, predation stress, resting problems, restriction of movement, skin disorders and soft tissue lesions and integument damage. The welfare consequences of non-cage compared to cage systems for laying hens are described and minimum enclosure characteristics are described for laying hens, pullets and layer breeders. Beak trimming, which causes negative welfare consequences and is conducted to reduce the prevalence and severity of pecking, is described as well as the risks associated with rearing of non-beak-trimmed flocks. Alternatives to reduce sharpness of the beak without trimming are suggested. Finally, total mortality, plumage damage, wounds, keel bone fractures and carcass condemnations are the most promising ABMs for collection at slaughterhouses to monitor the level of laying hen welfare on farm. Main recommendations include housing all birds in non-cage systems with easily accessible, elevated platforms and provision of dry and friable litter and access to a covered veranda. It is further recommended to implement protocols to define welfare trait information to encourage progress in genetic selection, implement measures to prevent injurious pecking, rear pullets with dark brooders and reduce male aggression in layer breeders.

KW - laying hens

KW - on-farm welfare

KW - husbandry systems

KW - welfare consequences

KW - animal-based measures

KW - end the cage age

KW - beak trimming

U2 - 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7789

DO - 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7789

M3 - Journal article

VL - 21

SP - 1

EP - 188

JO - E F S A Journal

JF - E F S A Journal

SN - 1831-4732

IS - 2

M1 - e07789

ER -