Thank you for sharing and good luck with incubating these latest ideas! Could you share a bit more about why you feel positive about the keel bone fracture topic, even though Healthier Hens has not been very successful in addressing this so far (to my knowledge)? Is it because this new recommendation takes a different angle, not focusing on feed fortification? Or what is your reasoning behind this?
Hey Moritz! Thanks for your question and sorry for my belated response, I was on leave last week and I am the author of the relevant report so the team left the question for me to answer.
Yeah your suggestion is basically exactly right. We think that keel bone fractures are a very important welfare issue that needs to be tackled in cage-free hens and are still very excited about someone working in this space despite the difficulties that Healthier Hens have faced. We think that this new approach we have recommended has promise as it takes a different angle (which doesn’t focus on feed fortification) which allows farmers to implement whatever intervention works best on their farm* to reduce KBFs to the required level (≤25% prevalence in the flock). We think that not being as prescriptive here will give farms the flexibility to implement what works for them which will hopefully see more success than choosing a specific intervention that everyone has to implement. I think that this will also help to increase the evidence base on what works to reduce KBF as farmers implement different combinations of interventions to reduce KBF to the required level.
* We do also have some interventions that we are excited about that we could help farmers to implement if they needed guidance: Incorporating structural features with impact-absorbing padding to increase exercising behavior that strengthens cortical bone and mineralisation, and to reduce impact during collisions while trying to occupy perching spots or during falls; Adding ramps to facilitate safer access to perching areas; and maybe Delaying the onset of lay from 18 weeks to 22 weeks.
Thanks Vicky and no worries at all about the response time!
That makes sense. The footnote makes me realize again how little I know about the practicalities of cage free farming (and other farming systems). I’m glad someone is doing the research on it!
Seems reasonable to try out something new, given that it’s a major welfare issue. Fingers crossed!
Thank you for sharing and good luck with incubating these latest ideas!
Could you share a bit more about why you feel positive about the keel bone fracture topic, even though Healthier Hens has not been very successful in addressing this so far (to my knowledge)? Is it because this new recommendation takes a different angle, not focusing on feed fortification? Or what is your reasoning behind this?
Hey Moritz! Thanks for your question and sorry for my belated response, I was on leave last week and I am the author of the relevant report so the team left the question for me to answer.
Yeah your suggestion is basically exactly right. We think that keel bone fractures are a very important welfare issue that needs to be tackled in cage-free hens and are still very excited about someone working in this space despite the difficulties that Healthier Hens have faced. We think that this new approach we have recommended has promise as it takes a different angle (which doesn’t focus on feed fortification) which allows farmers to implement whatever intervention works best on their farm* to reduce KBFs to the required level (≤25% prevalence in the flock). We think that not being as prescriptive here will give farms the flexibility to implement what works for them which will hopefully see more success than choosing a specific intervention that everyone has to implement. I think that this will also help to increase the evidence base on what works to reduce KBF as farmers implement different combinations of interventions to reduce KBF to the required level.
* We do also have some interventions that we are excited about that we could help farmers to implement if they needed guidance: Incorporating structural features with impact-absorbing padding to increase exercising behavior that strengthens cortical bone and mineralisation, and to reduce impact during collisions while trying to occupy perching spots or during falls; Adding ramps to facilitate safer access to perching areas; and maybe Delaying the onset of lay from 18 weeks to 22 weeks.
Thanks Vicky and no worries at all about the response time!
That makes sense. The footnote makes me realize again how little I know about the practicalities of cage free farming (and other farming systems). I’m glad someone is doing the research on it!
Seems reasonable to try out something new, given that it’s a major welfare issue. Fingers crossed!