Caged Laying Hen Well-Being: An Economic Perspective

1
Caged Laying Hen Well-BeingAn Economic
Perspective

• Allan P. Rahn, Ph.D.
• Poultry Economist
• Michigan State University

2
Floor and Feeder Space per Bird
3
Cage Space Allowances in U.S.(1999 NAHMS survey)
4
Effective Competition Nature of Commercial Egg
Industry

• Low entry/exit barriers
• No firm is dominant
• Firms don't engage in collusion
• Firms are under constant pressure to reduce
  production costs

5
Topics To Be Addressed

• Commerical Layer Well-Being Concerns
• Husbandry Practice "Guidelines"
• Guideline Resource Use Impacts
• Who Should Decide If, How and For Whom Commercial
  Eggs Should Be Produced

6
Commercial Table-Egg Industry Hen Well-Being
Concerns in the USA

• The use of cages
• The practice of beak trimming
• Inducing molt by feed water deprivation
• Transport and handling systems
• Slaughter incapacitation procedures
• The destruction of cockerel chicks
• Others

7
UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S Egg
Laying Flocks (2000 Ed)

• Provides recommendations for
• Housing and Cage Space Allowance
• Beak Trimming
• Molting
• Transportation and Handling

8
UEP Housing and Space AllowanceRecommendations

• Cage configuration will not permit manure to drop
  directly on birds in lower level cages
• Hen should be able to stand upright and the slope
  of the floor should not exceed 8 degrees
• Space allowance should be in 67 to 86 sq in range
• Feeder space should permit simultaneous eating
• All birds continuous access to clean drinking
  water
• Water pressure must be regulated carefully

9
UEP Housing and Space AllowanceRecommendations

• Birds inspected daily under sufficient light
  intensity
• No exposure to disturbing noises, visual stimuli,
  strong vibrations, wild birds, pets or other
  animals
• Environment permitting normal body temp
  maintenance without difficulty
• Continuous flow of fresh air for every bird
• Nutritionally adequate and accessible fresh feed
• Stand-by generators alarm systems a "must"

10
UEP Beak TrimmingRecommendations

• Trimmed at lt10 doa with precision automated
  cam-activated trimmer with a heated blade
• Crews trained and monitored for quality control
• Vit. K and sometimes Vit. C added to water 2 days
  before after to facilitate clotting relieve
  stress
• Increase feed water levels until beaks healed
• Adjust watering systems to facilitate drinking
• Feed high-density stress diet for about 1 week
  after

11
UEP Beak TrimmingRecommendations

• Blade guide holes should be cleaned regularly
• Second-Trim program -needed in some situations
• Do when pullets are 5 to 8 wks of age

12
UEP MoltingRecommendations

• Able to consume nutritionally adequate and
  palatable feed
• Body weight loss should not compromise hen
  welfare during postmolt period
• Mortality during molt should not substantially
  exceed normal flock mortality
• However, until these alternatives are available,
  the shortest feed withdrawal period should be
  used plus an egg quality assurance food safety
  program

13
UEP MoltingRecommendations involving feed
withdrawal

• Remove cull birds before molting
• Mortality and body weight loss should be
  monitored daily during the molt period and
  mortality minimized
• Resume feeding before body weights reach 70 of
  their pre-molt weight
• Mortality should not exceed 1.2 while off feed
• Water must be available at all times
• 8 hour light periods until back on normal layer
  diet

14
UEP Handling, Transport SlaughterRecommendation
s

• Catching crew knowledgeable and skillful in
  handling hens with care and dropping minimized
• Good handling methods include
• Removing one or two at a time by grasping both
  legs at hock
• Support the birds breast lifting over feed trough
• Maintain birds in an upright posture
• Use lowest light level possible

15
UEP Handling, Transport SlaughterRecommendation
s

• Minimize handling by using carts
• Cage, crate/cart doors and panels on trucks
  should be large enough to permit easy passage of
  birds
• Transport containers and vehicles should be clean
  and well maintained
• Water withdrawal and fasting for more than 24 hrs
  prior to slaughter is not recommended
• Minimize time to slaughter and excessive exposures

16
UEP Cage Stocking Density"Phase-In" Plan
guidelines
17
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Food and Water
• Laying hens will be protected from hunger, thirst
  and malnutrition by ready access to fresh water
  and a diet to maintain good health. Feed and
  water must be distributed in such a way that hens
  can eat and drink without undue competition
• Food
• Must be fed a wholesome diet in sufficient
  quantities
• Producers must have written record of feed
  nutrient content and make it available for review
  upon request
• Food must not be contaminated or stale
• Hand replenished feed track systems are
  prohibited

18
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Water
• Continuous access to clean, fresh drinking water
  at all times
• Water must not be contaminated or stale
• Minimum number of one water nipples per cage
• Drinkers will be placed at optimum height and of
  appropriate design

19
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Environment
• The environment in which the hens are kept must
  be designed to protect them from physical and
  thermal abuse
• Buildings a checklist must prominently be
  displayed that shows
• Total number of cages
• Average size of cages
• Targeted air quality parameters
• Lighting levels and regimes
• Emergence procedures in case of fire, flood or
  equipment failure

20
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Cages
• Interiors must be designed, constructed and
  maintained so there is no sharp edges or
  protrusions likely to cause injury or distress
• McDonald's requires a minimum of 72 sq2 (465 cm2)
  of cage space and 4 in (10.2 cm) of cage front
  feeder per bird housed
• Lighting
• Minimum of 13 hr and maximum of 18 hr in each 24
  hr period
• Lighting patterns must be recorded and available
  for review
• Daytime levels must allow birds to be inspected
  without difficulty and a minimum of 10 lux
  (0.93fc) maintained throughout the house

21
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Air Quality and Temperature Control
• Aerial contaminants must not reach a level at
  which they are noticeably unpleasant to an
  observer
• Ventilation systems, natural or forced, must be
  designed to maintain the following air quality
  parameters at bird head height
• Ammonia 25ppm
• Carbon dioxide 5000ppm (0.5)
• Carbon monoxide 50ppm
• Inhalable dust lt5mg/m3 averaged over 8 hrs
• (These levels, where possible, should be
  automatically recorded and available upon
  request)

22
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Welfare Management
• Managers and those in contact with birds must be
  thoroughly trained, skilled and competent in
  husbandry and welfare plus have a good working
  knowledge of their system and hens
• Managers must be competent to
• Recognize signs of common diseases and know
  treatments
• Recognize signs of normal and abnormal behavior
• Understand environmental requirements for hens
• Handle hens in a positive and compassionate
  manner
• Euthanize hens when necessary

23
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Managers must have available records for
• Incoming and outgoing stock
• Culling (reasons should be indicated)
• Feed consumption
• Water consumption
• Maximum and minimum temperatures
• Ventilation ensuring proper air flow
• All hens must be inspected at least three times a
  day using a procedure that will identify sick,
  injured, abnormally behaving or dead and records
  maintained and available for review

24
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Each farm must have provisions for humane
  slaughter without delay and be carried out by a
  named and trained or licensed person
• The recommended method for on-farm emergency
  euthanasia is neck dislocation

25
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Beak Trimming
• McDonald's will not support the unregulated
  practice of "beak trimming" as it violates our
  guiding principle for animal welfare
• Producers are required to comply with the
  standards established by the Scientific Advisory
  Committee of the UEP
• Induced Molting
• McDonald's does not support the withdrawal of
  food or water to facilitate molting as it
  violates our guiding principles
• Dedicated facilities will discontinue this
  practice not later than the end of Q1, 2001

26
McDonalds CorporationEgg Laying Hens Guidelines
(7/28/00)

• Transport
• Hen transport systems must be designed and
  managed to ensure hens are not caused unnecessary
  distress or discomfort. Transport and handling
  must be kept to a minimum
• All personnel involved must be properly trained
  and competent
• Managers must provide full and detailed written
  instructions to each catching staff member so
  they are aware of their duties
• One catching crew member should be made
  responsible for supervising, monitoring and
  maintaining high welfare standards
• Hens must not suffer from prolonged hunger
  (gt24hr), thirst or deprivation of rest
• Hens not destined for slaughter must be humanely
  euthanized

27
Burger King CorporationEgg Laying Hens
Guidelines (6/28/01)

• 75 in2 of usable floor space per bird
• 2 water drinkers per cage
• Conveyor feed system
• Cage space must allow bird to stand fully upright
• No feed restricted induced molting
• Ammonia lt25ppm over any consecutive 7 day period
  
• Beak trimming done before 10 doa and practice
  should be eliminated

28
McDonald's Guidelines Impacts On Resource Use
29
McDonald's Guidelines Impacts On Resource Use
30
McDonald's Guidelines Impacts On Resource Use
31
McDonald's Guidelines Impacts On Resource Use
32
16" x 20" Cages Performance
33
(No Transcript)
34
(No Transcript)
35
Egg Net Return Impacts (/cage) of bird density
36
Guidelines

• Would require that more of societies resources be
  allocated to commercial egg production activities
• A 1 cent/dozen increase in commercial egg prices
  increases consumer expenditures for eggs in the
  U.S. by approximately 60 mil.

37
Guidelines

• Currently are inconsistent
• Subject to interpretation disputes
• Interfere with allocative and could interfere
  with resource productive efficiencies
• Thwart technological progressiveness as they
  become institutionalized

38
Marketplace Product Labeling and Certification

• Would meet economic efficiency and societal
  welfare maximization criteria
• Is consistent with the precepts of capitalism

39
Conclusions

• Proper product labeling and certification would
  permit consumers to express their collective
  desire for eggs from commercial layers with
  specific well-being associated attributes or
  properties
• Costs should not be imposed on consumers by
  advocate driven committee pronounced guidelines