welfare of laying hens

8/8/2019 Welfare of Laying Hens

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Welfare Inspection Of Laying

Hens- Caged & Alternative

Jarlath O Connor VIJarlath O Connor VI

Animal Health AndAnimal Health And

Welfare DivisionWelfare Division


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SystemsIrish Egg Industry

Cage Systems75%

Free-Range

20%

Barn

5%

Organic


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Where in Ireland? Main playersMain players

Monaghan (37%)Monaghan (37%)

Cavan (14%)Cavan (14%)

Rest (49%)Rest (49%)

Production System Distribution

CAVAN

CORK

GALWAY

MEATH

MONAGHAN

OTHER


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System Distribution? Main playersMain players


Cavan (1%)?Cavan (1%)?

Cage System

1%

12%

66%

21% CAVAN

CORK

MONAGHAN

REST


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System Distribution? Main playersMain players

Cavan (21%)Cavan (21%)


Rest (39%)Rest (39%)

Alternative Systems

21%

6%

6%

8%20%

39%

CAVAN

CORK

GALWAY

MEATH

MONAGHAN

REST


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Alternative Systems S.I. 98/2002S.I. 98/2002

All built/rebuilt/reAll built/rebuilt/re--instated > 01/01/2002instated > 01/01/2002

For all > 01/01/2007For all > 01/01/2007

FacilitiesFacilities

NestsNests

One nest/ 7 hensOne nest/ 7 hens

Group nestsGroup nests--1m1m22/120 hens/120 hens


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Alternative Systems PerchesPerches

No sharp edgesNo sharp edges

Not above litterNot above litter

15 cm/hen15 cm/hen 30 cm horiz. b/t perches30 cm horiz. b/t perches

20 cm horiz. b/t perch and20 cm horiz. b/t perch andwallwall

LevelsLevels

No more than 4 levelsNo more than 4 levels < 54 cm headroom b/t< 54 cm headroom b/t

levelslevels

Equal food and waterEqual food and wateraccessaccess

DroppingsDroppings


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Cage Systems UnUn--enrichedenriched

(conventional) Cages(conventional) Cages

From 01/01/2003 butFrom 01/01/2003 butnot > 01/01/2012 hensnot > 01/01/2012 hensmay be kept in unmay be kept in un--enriched cagesenriched cages

550 cm550 cm22/hen/henunrestrictedunrestricted

Height >40 cm overHeight >40 cm over65% of cage65% of cage oror not < 35not < 35cm at any pointcm at any point


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From 01/01/2003 on:From 01/01/2003 on:

Floor supportFloor support

forward facingforward facing

clawsclaws

Slope of floor not >Slope of floor not >

14% or 8 degrees14% or 8 degrees


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Cage Systems CAGE SLOPECAGE SLOPE

Cage depth (R)Cage depth (R) 50 cm50 cm

Cage Height at back (P)Cage Height at back (P) 33 cm33 cm

Cage height at front (S)Cage height at front (S) 40 cm40 cm

Floor slope (8Floor slope (800)) 7.97.900

(To Calculate: Tan x(To Calculate: Tan x00 = Q/R)= Q/R)

(Therefore slope = x(Therefore slope = x00 = Tan= Tan--11[(S[(S--P)P)

/ R] )/ R] )

P

Q

R

S


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From 01/01/2003From 01/01/2003on:on:

Cage fitted withCage fitted with

suitablesuitable clawclaw

shortenershortener


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Cage Systems Enriched CagesEnriched Cages

From 01/01/2003 on:From 01/01/2003 on:

Total area of >Total area of >2000 cm2000 cm22

750 cm750 cm22/hen (at/hen (at

least 600 cmleast 600 cm22usuable/ hen)usuable/ hen)

Height > 20 cm atHeight > 20 cm atevery pointevery point


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Cage Systems Enriched CagesEnriched Cages

From 01/01/2003 on:From 01/01/2003 on:

NestNest

LitterLitter

15 cm15 cmperch/hen/cageperch/hen/cage

Claw shortenerClaw shortener


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Is ventilation satisfactory? VentilationVentilation

Keep temp., gas, dustKeep temp., gas, dust

and rel. humidityand rel. humiditywithin healthy limitswithin healthy limits

Maximum Vent. RateMaximum Vent. Rate

Minimum Vent. RateMinimum Vent. Rate

Air circulationAir circulation UniformUniform

DraughtDraught--freefree


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Is ventilation satisfactory? Noxious gas buildNoxious gas build--up?up?

Poor VentilationPoor Ventilation

Low ambient temp.Low ambient temp.

Waste removalWaste removal

Wet litterWet litter

AmmoniaAmmonia

55--15: Detectable by15: Detectable bysmellsmell

1010--20: Adverse effects20: Adverse effectson humanson humans

2525--50: Increased risk50: Increased riskof resp. dis.of resp. dis.

50+: Direct effect on50+: Direct effect on

layers R.R/eyeslayers R.R/eyes


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Is ventilation satisfactory? What to look for?What to look for?

ThermometersThermometers

AutomatedAutomated

thermostatsthermostats

Air quality in shedAir quality in shed Litter qualityLitter quality

Faeces disposalFaeces disposal


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How long is rest period where artificial

light is used? LightingLighting

Darkness is deprivationDarkness is deprivation

S.I. 98/2002S.I. 98/2002

Light sufficient to allowLight sufficient to allowhens see eachother, behens see eachother, beseen, to investigate and actseen, to investigate and actnormallynormally

24 hr cycle with twilight24 hr cycle with twilightand 8 hours uninterruptedand 8 hours uninterrupteddarknessdarkness

3535--65 lux65 lux

Stage of cycleStage of cycle

Lower tiers of cagesLower tiers of cages

AggressionAggression

Localised bunchingLocalised bunching

Forced moultingForced moulting


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Litter adequacy/condition? S.I. 98/2002S.I. 98/2002

MaterialsMaterials

HealthHealth

MitesMites

WormsWorms

BehaviourBehaviour

ForagingForaging

ScratchingScratching

Enriched cages?Enriched cages?

Adequate litter to allowAdequate litter to allowpecking/scratching/henpecking/scratching/hen


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Equipment Maintenance Questions?Questions?

How regularly isHow regularly isautomated equipmentautomated equipment

checked?checked? > once/day> once/day

What alternatives areWhat alternatives arepresent should feedingpresent should feedingor environmentalor environmentalequipment breakdown?equipment breakdown?

Action planAction plan

Is there a functioningIs there a functioningalarm system andalarm system andgenerator?generator?

Must be presentMust be present


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Are the hens provided with adequate

feed and water? FeedersFeeders

S.I. 98/2002S.I. 98/2002

AlternativeAlternative

Unrestricted accessUnrestricted access

10 cm linear10 cm linearfeeder/henfeeder/hen

4 cm circular4 cm circularfeeder/henfeeder/hen

UnUn--enrichedenriched

10 cm feeder/hen10 cm feeder/hen

EnrichedEnriched

12 cm feeder/hen12 cm feeder/hen


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feed and water? Water supplyWater supply

S.I. 98/2002S.I. 98/2002

AlternativeAlternative

Unrestricted accessUnrestricted access

2.5 cm/hen continous2.5 cm/hen continousdrinkersdrinkers

1 cm/hen circular1 cm/hen circulartroughtrough

One nippleOne nipple--drinker ordrinker orcup/ 10 henscup/ 10 hens

Plumbed drinkingPlumbed drinkingpointspoints 2 nipple2 nipple--drinkers or cupsdrinkers or cupswithin reach of eachwithin reach of eachhenhen


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feed and water? Water supplyWater supply

S.I. 98/2002S.I. 98/2002

UnUn--enrichedenriched

Unrestricted accessUnrestricted access 10 cm linear10 cm linear

trough/hentrough/hen

Plumbed drinkingPlumbed drinkingpointspoints 2 nipple2 nipple--drinkers or cups/cagedrinkers or cups/cage

EnrichedEnriched Unrestricted accessUnrestricted access

Plumbed drinkingPlumbed drinkingpointspoints 2 nipple2 nipple--drinkers ordrinkers orcups/hen/cagecups/hen/cage


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The End

welfare of laying hens

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