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1. The aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the prevalence of welfare-related cutaneous lesions in turkeys at the end of the rearing period and (ii) to study the correlations between lesions. 2. The percentage of lesions in each flock was determined by observation at the slaughterhouse. Sixty flocks were investigated in 13 slaughterhouses between April and July 2006. 3. All flocks showed a high proportion of turkeys with footpad lesions, with 40·7% of turkey flocks having severe footpad dermatitis. A significant number of feet had swelling of the footpad and deviated toes (60·0% and 21·4% respectively). Arthritis was observed in 25·4% of the carcases and an average of 30·1% had breast buttons on the keel. 4. Positive correlations were found between evidence of feather pecking and arthritis, toe deviations and swelling of the footpad. Deviated toes, swelling of the feet and feather pecking were negatively linked to the most severe scratches (P 0·001). 5. A method is proposed to assess turkey welfare at the slaughterhouse based on several criteria: footpad lesions, arthritis, severe scratches, deviated toes, swelling of the footpad and breast buttons.

This experiment was designed to determine the effect of litter provision and lining in nests and pecking and scratching areas on health and zootechnical performances. Research was carried out in furnished cages, each housing 60 beak-trimmed ISA Brown hens. Four different treatments were compared in a factorial arrangement, including 2 different nest linings (artificial turf versus plastic mesh), either used alone or combined with the use of litter (wheat bran) spread over the rubber mat in the pecking and scratching area (PSA). An additional treatment using artificial turf mat in the PSA and nests (as commonly used in commercial flocks) was used to compare the effect of PSA lining in the other treatments. Zootechnical performances (laying rate, egg weight, and feed intake) were unaffected by PSA lining or by nest lining. The use of artificial turf mats in the PSA resulted in less feather loss than rubber mats, especially on breast and cloaca/vent areas. No consequences were observed on BW or mortality. However, the use of plastic mesh in nests was seen to increase mortality in comparison with artificial turf mats, without affecting plumage condition and BW. Although wheat bran provision did not influence feed intake and laying rate, litter provision did result in slightly higher mean egg weight. Moreover, BW tended to be lower when litter was distributed in cages, and neck and breast plumage condition improved. The distribution of litter was not seen to have any effect on mortality. The provision of litter and the lining of the PSA and nests to improve the welfare of caged laying hens have an effect on mortality, plumage quality, and some zootechnical performances. These results show the importance of choosing the most suitable linings and litter to obtain the best possible compromise between the ethological needs of laying hens, zootechnical performance, and animal health.

This study investigates the influence of litter provision and linings used for nests and pecking and scratching areas on cage hygiene, laying location, and egg quality. Research was carried out in furnished cages, each housing 60 beak-trimmed ISA Brown hens. Four different treatments were compared in a factorial arrangement, including 2 different nest linings (artificial turf vs. plastic mesh), either used alone or combined with the use of litter (wheat bran) spread over the rubber mat in the pecking and scratching area (PSA). An additional treatment, using artificial turf mat in the PSA and nests (as commonly used in commercial flocks), was used to compare the effect of PSA lining in the other treatments. We observed laying location, the number of dirty and broken eggs, the microbiological contamination of eggshells according to laying location, and general cage hygiene. The use of nests for laying decreased when they were lined with plastic mesh. Eggs laid outside the nest were of lower quality than those laid inside it, and this was particularly true for eggs laid in the PSA. Although hygiene was low on artificial turf mats, eggs laid on PSA covered with a rubber mat were dirtier and had a higher count of mesophilic bacteria on the eggshell than those laid on PSA covered with an artificial turf mat. Rubber mats in PSA were rapidly destroyed and proved to be unsuitable. The provision of litter had no effect on cage hygiene but substantially increased wear on mats. This study shows nest lining and litter provision methods to be key factors that need to be taken into account to encourage the use of nest boxes for laying, and hence, to ensure good egg quality. Further research into new linings for PSA is needed for the future improvement of egg-laying conditions.

After a brief review of the legal framework of animal protection applicable to cattle--including Council of Europe and European Union legislation, as well as French law--the main features of husbandry systems used in the intensive husbandry of veal calves and young cattle are analysed. For veal calves, the standards proposed at the European level do not take into account major differences in the age, weight and quality of veal produced by different Member States. In the case of red meat, the production of baby beef in intensive units leads to some behavioural anomalies, which could be remedied within economic restrictions compatible with the interests of producers and consumers.

1. The aim was to assess eggshell contamination in various laying hen-housing systems and to identify factors influencing this contamination. 2. Fifty-eight laying hen farms in France were studied, including 21 flocks housed in conventional cages, 7 in furnished cages and 30 kept on-floor. 3. Sixty eggs per flock were analysed to obtain counts of the total mesophilic flora. Data on equipment and hen management were collected. 4. Mean bacterial count on eggshells tended to be higher in on-floor systems (4.82 +/- 0.51 log CFU/eggshell) than in cage systems (4.57 +/- 0.58 log CFU/eggshell, P = 0.09). 5. Contamination increased with age of the hens, airborne dust concentration, manual packing of the eggs, and packing in plastic rather than in recycled-pulp egg-flats. 6. The effect of the housing system on eggshell contamination, previously described in experimental assays, was confirmed under production conditions.

In order to investigate the influence of stocking density on broiler welfare, 17,616 Ross chickens were assigned to three different treatments: T1, T2 and T3 with a final stocking density of 27, 35 and 43 kg/m2, respectively (corresponding to an initial density of 12, 16 and 20 birds/m2). Animal welfare was assessed by measuring behavioural, physiological and productivity traits. Behavioural observations included the disturbance frequency of resting birds by other birds, the duration of the lying bouts and the standing/lying ratio. The heterophil/lymphocyte ratios were assessed from blood collected before departure to the slaughterhouse. Main productivity traits were the final live weight and carcass degradation due to foot and pad dermatitis and breast blisters. Most of the observed parameters were adversely affected by the highest density (P0.05). Between T1 and T2, some traits tended to demonstrate that a better degree of bird welfare existed in T1 (higher standing/lying postures ratio and final live weight, lower frequency of pododermatitis and hock lesions; P0.05) whereas other traits showed no differences (frequency of disturbances by other birds during resting, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio). In conclusion, a stocking density of 43 kg/m2 seemed to induce poor bird welfare whereas it was not clearly demonstrated that 27 kg/m2 was better than 35 kg/m2.

After a brief review of the legal framework of animal protection applicable to cattle--including Council of Europe and European Union legislation, as well as French law--the main features of husbandry systems used in the intensive husbandry of veal calves and young cattle are analysed. For veal calves, the standards proposed at the European level do not take into account major differences in the age, weight and quality of veal produced by different Member States. In the case of red meat, the production of baby beef in intensive units leads to some behavioural anomalies, which could be remedied within economic restrictions compatible with the interests of producers and consumers.