In this chapter, the major breeding goals for each of the poultry products (eggs and meat) are discussed. An outline on how the breeding and selection methods have been developed appropriately on chicken meat (broiler) and chicken egg sectors was also presented.

This chapter describes the common painful husbandry practices in cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry and other livestock. It explains why the procedures are done, how they are done and methods to alleviate pain both during and after the procedure. The procedures covered are dehorning, disbudding,...

This chapter describes the available technology for improving poultry welfare, including monitoring and sensing technologies, robots and non-sensing technologies. The importance of ease of use and data security issues are also discussed. Technology will facilitate the monitoring and management of...

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the topics discussed in the book, including welfare at slaughter, ways to improve existing equipment, numerical animal-based measurements of welfare, how to achieve good animal welfare and welfare issues that originate on the farm.

US and EU legislation require that an animal must be rendered insensible to pain before invasive dressing procedures start. If an animal shows any of the following clinical signs, it must be immediately restunned: (i) righting reflex or retains the ability to stand; (ii) species-specific...

In this chapter the physiology of the brain of animals intended for slaughter was discussed and highlights the major parts of the brain associated with consciousness, learn basic principles of stunning, determine unconsciousness and death, learn differences between animal species, understand loss...

In this chapter the factors that can cause meat quality problems during handling and transport of meat animals were discussed as well as on the importance of low-stress handling to maintain meat quality. Topics that were also given emphasis includes how on-farm conditions have an effect on meat...

This chapter describes the contributions of the International Livestock Research Institute's (ILRI) to animal breeding. The specific topics include the genetic characterization and history of livestock, breeding technologies, genetic improvement of indigenous livestock, tools and methods for...

Animal breeding for welfare and sustainability requires improving and optimizing environmental impact, productivity, robustness and welfare. Breeding is a long-term exercise at the start of the food chain with permanent cumulative outcomes, disseminated widely. This chapter explains, with a focus...

This chapter presents different examples of animal behavioural studies done in a housed setting, emphasizing the non-test situation and what we can learn from this for use in behavioural tests. Some of the behaviour which were highlighted are locomotion activity (chicks) and feeding behaviour...