Each year ADAS arranges a series of Defra-funded stakeholder workshops on pertinent poultry welfare issues. With the proposed review of evidence in 2015 with a view to banning beak trimming of laying hens in 2016, the focus of the 2012 workshops will be on how to successfully manage non-beak trimmed egg laying pullets in rear to avoid injurious feather pecking later in lay.
The Beak Trimming Action Group (comprised of all the major egg laying sector stakeholders) has been looking at a number of ways of reducing the need to beak trim layers. Whilst there are representatives of the pullet rearing sector on BTAG, it was felt that the messages and work of the Group should be communicated to all pullet rearers and their staff and to get their input into what can be realistically done by rearers to reduce the risk of injurious pecking in lay.
Consequently, there will be six, in-house, pullet rearing workshops early next year, specifically targeted at, and hosted by, the six largest pullet rearers. (Additional meetings will take place at central venues for the smaller independent rearing companies). In addition to pullet rearing staff, a small number of the company’s customers will be invited along to aid the discussion.
Presentations will be given on a number of subjects including:
’ An update on the current position with regard to the ban
’ The terms of reference of BTAG
’ A review of the problem focussing on the practical, welfare and economic costs to the industry of injurious pecking
’ What does the customer want from the rearer and what does the rearer want from the customer
’ Opportunities for capitalising on competitive advantage for early adopters
’ Measures and interventions that might successfully be applied by pullet rearers and reference to current research, including the Bristol University injurious pecking project
Representatives from the BTAG and Bristol University will be present and the workshops will be chaired by ADAS.
A central part of the meetings will be to get feedback from pullet rearers on these issues and establish what works well and what doesn’t, what are the current gaps in current knowledge and/or practical experience and how can these be addressed.
Telephone 01284 763907
