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H2020Doctoral network2019–2023

CHICKENSTRESS · Variations in stress responsivity in hens: matching birds to environments

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2019-05-01 → 2023-04-30
EU contribution
€3,873,245
Participants
20
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Variations in stress responsivity in hens: matching birds to environments

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. Our project aimed to reduce the chronic stress experienced by hens. To this end, we investigated 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 was to identify these challenges and develop improvements for implementation by industry. We trained 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. We constituted an international network of groups with expertise in avian brain research, genetics, welfare and egg farming. The training was complemented by secondments in different laboratories of the network, workshops, and industrial secondments in the poultry industry. The new generation of professionals applied 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.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

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.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE · Newcastle Upon TyneCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
  • EIGEN VERMOGEN VAN HET INSTITUUT VOOR LANDBOUW- EN VISSERIJONDERZOEK · MerelbekeBelgium
  • HENDRIX GENETICS RESEARCH,TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES BV · BoxmeerNetherlands
  • INSTITUT DE RECERCA BIOMEDICA DE LLEIDA FUNDACIO DOCTOR PIFARRE · LleidaSpain
  • LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITET · LinkopingSweden
  • MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV · MUNCHENGermany
  • NOLDUS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BV · WageningenNetherlands
  • NORGES MILJO-OG BIOVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET · AsNorway
  • SRUC · EdinburghUnited Kingdom
  • TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY · Tel AvivIsrael
  • THE LAKES FREERANGE EGG COMPANY LTD · PenrithUnited Kingdom
  • THE OPEN UNIVERSITY · RAANANAIsrael
  • THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD, OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN · DublinIreland
  • THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS · ST ANDREWSUnited Kingdom
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH · EdinburghUnited Kingdom
  • UNIVERSIDAD DE LLEIDA · LleidaSpain
  • UNIVERSITAET BERN · BernSwitzerland
  • UNIVERSITEIT GENT · GentBelgium
  • UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT · UtrechtNetherlands
  • VETERINAERMEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN · WienAustria

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union