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Slow-grown chickens experience higher levels of welfare - study
"We hope that it will help to drive changes in supply chains and large companies to bring about real improvements to chicken welfare" - Dr Mullan, Bristol Vet School.
Finding could significantly improve the lives of chickens produced for consumption.

Slow-grown chickens experience better health and play more than conventional breeds of birds, according to new research.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, found that shifting away from fast-growing breeds 'would provide the most significant improvement for the lives of the 142 million chickens produced in Europe every week.'

Commenting on the finding, Dr Siobhan Mullan, a senior research fellow in animal welfare at Bristol Vet School, said: “We hope that it will help to drive changes in supply chains and large companies to bring about real improvements to chicken welfare."

Most birds produced for human consumption are known as conventional, fast-growing breeds. This research is the first of its kind to investigate the welfare differences between fast and slower-growing broilers in a commercial setting, using a comprehensive suite of positive and negative welfare indicators.

In the study, researchers applied the indicators to four production systems varying in stocking density and breed. One slower growing breed (the slowest) was stocked at a planned maximum density of 30 kg/m2, a second slower growing breed at planned densities of 30 kg/m2 and 34 kg/m2. The welfare outcomes were then compared to those of a standard fast-growing breed stocked at 34kg/m2.

The team found that, at the lower density, the slowest growing breed had slightly better welfare than the other slower-growing breed - as suggested by lower mortality, fewer rejections at processing and better walking ability.

Welfare differences of slower-growing breed stocked at two densities were small. Prominent differences were found, however, between the standard fast-growing birds stocked at 34kg/m2 and birds in the three other systems.

Researches note that the standard birds experienced poorer health as indicated by higher levels of mortality, hock burn and pododermatitis, as well as greater rejections at processing. Moreover, the conventional birds showed less perching on enrichment bales as well as fewer positive ‘play’ and ‘exploration’ behaviours.

Professor Ruth Newberry and Dr Judit Vas at The Norwegian University of Life Sciences Faculty of Biosciences said: "Until recently, play was hardly ever mentioned in studies of chickens. We found that, when you walk through a commercial flock, you just have to turn around and look behind you to see chickens frolicking in your footsteps. This was especially the case in the slower-growing flocks."

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.