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Variations in stress responsivity in hens: matching birds to environments

Projektbeschreibung

Welche Faktoren sind für Stress bei Hühnern verantwortlich?

Tieren in der Geflügelindustrie muss es gut gehen, wenn die Qualität der Eier, die Produktivität und das Wohl der Hühner nicht in Mitleidenschaft gezogen werden sollen. Auch Verbraucher kaufen lieber Eier von Hühnern, die unter guten Bedingungen gehalten werden. Fachleuten zufolge können konventionell gehaltene Legehennen aber durch Bedingungen im Stall, die unerwünschte Folgen wie vermehrte Brustbeinverletzungen und Federpicken mit sich bringen, chronischem Stress ausgesetzt sein. Im EU-finanzierten Projekt CHICKENSTRESS soll jetzt untersucht werden, welche Faktoren für die Stressbelastung der Hühner verantwortlich sind und wie die Tiere stressresistent werden können. Dazu soll im Projekt ein internationales Expertennetzwerk für Vogelhirnforschung, Genetik, Legehennengesundheit und Geflügelindustrie entstehen. Es vermittelt dann anderen Forschenden den neuesten Kenntnisstand zu Legehennenhaltung, Umweltfaktoren der Legeleistung und Hühnerwohl.

Ziel

Because of the high demand for eggs, large numbers of hens are farmed in modern egg production. Because of the intensity of this form of farming, the public has justifiably been concerned about the welfare of these birds. Higher welfare also leads to higher quality eggs, higher productivity, and lower incidence of disease and therefore lower need for antibiotics.
We aim to reduce the chronic stress experienced by hens. To this end, we will investigate the neurobiological, genetic and developmental factors that lead to higher stress resilience, and the environmental (housing) factors that lead to chronic stress. Europe has led the world in hen welfare with the complete ban of battery cages (European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC). However, the replacement housing systems have their own potential welfare challenges. Our goal is to identify these challenges and develop improvements for implementation by industry.
We will train a new generation of innovative and entrepreneurial early-stage researchers, able to face different challenges related to poultry farming and to apply scientific knowledge and ideas to products and services for economic and social benefit. To do this, we will constitute an international network of groups with expertise in avian brain research, genetics, welfare and egg farming. The training will be complemented by secondments in different laboratories of the network, workshops, and industrial secondments in the poultry industry.
The new generation of professionals will apply this knowledge and experience to improve poultry housing systems, welfare, and product quality, which will grow the sector's resilience in addressing growing societal demands for higher animal welfare and healthier diets. Moreover, they will contribute to strengthen Europe's human capital in R&I, increase Europe's attractiveness as a leading research destination, improve Europe's competitiveness and growth, and engage in an improved knowledge-based economy and society.

Koordinator

UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Netto-EU-Beitrag
€ 303 172,56
Adresse
KINGS GATE
NE1 7RU Newcastle Upon Tyne
Vereinigtes Königreich

Auf der Karte ansehen

Region
North East (England) Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Tyneside
Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Gesamtkosten
€ 303 172,56

Beteiligte (11)

Partner (8)