Instant Insights: Ensuring the Welfare of Broilers

Bas Rodenburg studied biology at Wageningen University and graduated in 1998. In 2003, he received his PhD from that same university, focusing his research on feather pecking behaviour in laying hens and how that is related with other behavioural characteristics, such as the ability to cope with fear and stress. After obtaining his PhD, he worked at Livestock Research in Lelystad and at the ILVO in Ghent, Belgium, focusing on research in the area of poultry behaviour and welfare. In 2006, he returned to Wageningen on a personal VENI-grant to investigate the effects of genetic selection and of early-life environment on behaviour of group-housed laying hens. He was recently project leader of a research program aiming to translate scientific knowledge on feather pecking to commercial practice.

• Chapter 1 - Ensuring the welfare of broilers: an overview: T. B. Rodenburg, Wageningen University, The Netherlands; 1 Introduction2 Genetic selection3 Stocking density4 Case study: hatching environment and early feeding5 Case study: alternative and free range systems6 Summary: how research can contribute to enhanced and sustainable broiler production7 Future trends in research8 Where to look for further information9 References Chapter taken from: Applegate, T. (ed.), Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat – Volume 3: Health and welfare, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2017, (ISBN 978 1 78676 072 2)Chapter 2 - Poultry health monitoring and management: bone and skin health in broilers: Gina Caplen, University of Bristol, UK; 1 Introduction2 Leg disorders and lameness3 Contact dermatitis4 Conclusion and future trends5 Where to look for further information6 References Chapter taken from: Nicol, C. (ed.), Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2020, (ISBN 978 1 78676 422 5)Chapter 3 - Welfare issues affecting broiler breeders: Anja Brinch Riber, Aarhus University, Denmark; 1 Introduction2 Welfare issues in broiler breeders3 Conclusion and future trends4 Acknowledgements5 Where to look for further information6 References Chapter taken from: Applegate, T. (ed.), Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat – Volume 3: Health and welfare, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2017, (ISBN 978 1 78676 072 2)Chapter 4 - Broiler breeding flocks: management and animal welfare: Ingrid C. de Jong and Rick A. van Emous, Wageningen Livestock Research, The Netherlands; 1 Introduction2 Housing conditions and management in the rearing period3 Housing conditions and management in the production period4 Welfare issues: restricted feeding and water restriction5 Welfare issues: excisions, mating behaviour and quality of feather cover6 Environmental enrichment7 Vaccinations8 Transgenerational effects9 Concluding remarks10 Where to look for further information11 References Chapter taken from: Nicol, C. (ed.), Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2020, (ISBN 978 1 78676 422 5)Chapter 5 - Poultry welfare monitoring: group-level technologies: Marian Stamp Dawkins and Elizabeth Rowe, University of Oxford, UK; 1 Introduction2 Types of automated assessment3 Automated measures of welfare as part of precision farming4 Why isnt automated welfare assessment more widely used?5 Conclusions6 Future trends7 References Chapter taken from: Nicol, C. (ed.), Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2020, (ISBN 978 1 78676 422 5)