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The Gordon Memorial Lecture: Laying hen welfare.
1Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UKThe Gordon Memorial Lecture was given at the Spring Meeting of the WPSA UK Branch meeting held at the University of Nottingham, 13 April 2022.
British Poultry Science
|May 10, 2023
Summary
Laying hen preference tests reliably indicate welfare needs and cognitive abilities. Research suggests hens evaluate situations absolutely, informing improvements in cage-free systems and veranda designs for better welfare and sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Animal Welfare Science
- Avian Cognition
- Ethology
Background:
- Preference tests are crucial for assessing laying hen welfare and identifying needs for resources and enrichments.
- Hens exhibit stable preferences over time, making them valuable benchmarks for other welfare indicators.
- Understanding hen cognition, including their associative learning and context-specific knowledge application, is key to improving welfare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of preference tests in evaluating laying hen welfare.
- To investigate the cognitive underpinnings of hen preferences and decision-making.
- To inform the development of improved housing systems, such as cage-free and veranda systems, for enhanced hen welfare and sustainability.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing preference tests to gauge hen choices for various resources and environmental enrichments.
- Analyzing hen cognitive abilities, including associative learning and flexible knowledge application.
- Reviewing evidence on how hens perceive and react to different situations, potentially in absolute terms.
Main Results:
- Preference tests provide stable and reliable indicators of hen welfare needs.
- Hens possess sophisticated cognitive abilities, forming associations and applying knowledge flexibly.
- Evidence suggests hens may judge situations in absolute terms rather than evaluating changes.
Conclusions:
- Preference tests are a valid tool for assessing laying hen welfare and validating other welfare indicators.
- Continued research into hen cognition and preference provides insights for optimizing welfare.
- Improvements in cage-free systems and promising developments in veranda-based systems are contributing to better hen welfare and sustainability.
