Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being DOI Creative Commons
Suresh Neethirajan

Poultry, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 4(2), P. 20 - 20

Published: April 29, 2025

The relentless drive to meet global demand for poultry products has pushed rapid intensification in chicken farming, dramatically boosting efficiency and yield. Yet, these gains have exposed a host of complex welfare challenges that prompted scientific scrutiny ethical reflection. In this review, I critically evaluate recent innovations aimed at mitigating such concerns by drawing on advances behavioral science digital monitoring insights into biological adaptations. Specifically, focus four interconnected themes: First, spotlight the complexity avian sensory perception—encompassing vision, auditory capabilities, olfaction, tactile faculties—to underscore how lighting design, housing configurations, enrichment strategies can better align with birds’ unique worlds. Second, explore novel tools gauging emotional states cognition, ranging from cognitive bias tests developing protocols identifying pain or distress based facial cues. Third, examine transformative potential computer bioacoustics, sensor-based technologies continuous, automated tracking behavior physiological indicators commercial flocks. Fourth, assess data-driven management platforms, underpinned precision livestock deploy real-time optimize broad scale. Recognizing climate change evolving production environments intensify challenges, also investigate breeds resilient extreme conditions might open new avenues welfare-centered genetic approaches. While adoption cutting-edge techniques shown promise, significant hurdles persist regarding validation, standardization, acceptance. conclude truly sustainable progress hinges an interdisciplinary convergence ethology, neuroscience, engineering, data analytics, evolutionary biology—an integrative path not only refines assessment but reimagines ethically scientifically robust ways.

Language: Английский

The Influence of Cecal Microbiota Transplantation on Chicken Injurious Behavior: Perspective in Human Neuropsychiatric Research DOI Creative Commons
Yuechi Fu, H.W. Cheng

Biomolecules, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(8), P. 1017 - 1017

Published: Aug. 16, 2024

Numerous studies have evidenced that neuropsychiatric disorders (mental illness and emotional disturbances) with aggression (or violence) pose a significant challenge to public health contribute substantial economic burden worldwide. Especially, social disorganization inequality) associated childhood adversity has long-lasting effects on mental health, increasing the risk of developing disorders. Intestinal bacteria, functionally as an endocrine organ second brain, release various immunomodulators bioactive compounds directly or indirectly regulating host’s physiological behavioral homeostasis. Under challenges, stress-induced dysbiosis increases gut permeability causes serial reactions: releasing neurotoxic compounds, leading neuroinflammation neuronal injury, eventually aggressive, violent, impulsive behavior in humans animals via complex bidirectional communication microbiota–gut–brain (MGB) axis. The dysregulation MGB axis also been recognized one reasons for prevalence injurious behaviors (feather pecking, aggression, cannibalistic pecking) chickens. However, existing knowledge preventing treating these both chickens is not well understood. In previous studies, we developed non-mammal model abnormal investigation by rationalizing microbiota Based our earlier success, perspective article outlines possibility reducing through modifying cecal transplantation, potential providing biotherapeutic rationale among individuals restoring diversity function.

Language: Английский

Citations

5
Integrated Microbiome and Metabolomics Analysis Reveals Altered Aggressive Behaviors in Broiler Chickens Showing Different Tonic Immobility DOI Creative Commons
Jiang Gao,

Xiaoxian Cheng,

Xuanfu Wu

et al.

Animals, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(4), P. 601 - 601

Published: Feb. 19, 2025

Tonic immobility (TI) serves as an indicator of innate stress response recovery in poultry. Broilers with different TI phenotypes exhibit varying levels aggressive behavior, which can significantly impact their welfare. However, the influences on broiler aggression remain largely unexplored. In this study, chickens were stratified into two distinct phenotypic groups based duration: short (STI) and long (LTI). The impacts investigated by analyzing cecal intestinal morphology, bacteria, plasma metabolites, corticosterone levels. Compared to LTI broilers, STI broilers showed reduced (CORT) (p < 0.05) a decreased frequency behaviors, including dominant subdominant types 0.01). Histological analysis revealed that have increased duodenal villus height villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio 0.01), jejunal crypt depth ileal 0.01) compared broilers. 16S rDNA sequencing Linear discriminant effect size (LefSe) identified differential bacterial abundance, notably genus cc115 belonging Firmicutes. Specific microbiota exhibited significant positive correlations behavior corticosterone, while those negative correlations. Untargeted metabolomics 21 downregulated 17 upregulated metabolites between phenotypes. Correlation 10 positively correlated whereas 8 negatively correlated. higher content more intense than behavioral physiological profiles observed are strongly specific gut metabolite profiles. microbial signatures serve key biomarkers for regulating represent potential early indicators detecting issues poultry farming.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Gut–X Axis and Its Role in Poultry Bone Health: A Review DOI Creative Commons

Lu Yanan,

Tian-Xiang Yue,

Wen-Li Ding

et al.

Microorganisms, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13(4), P. 757 - 757

Published: March 27, 2025

The normal development and growth of bones are critical for poultry health. With the rapid increase in rates achieved over last few decades, juvenile meat-type exhibit a high incidence leg weakness lameness. These issues significant contributors to poor animal welfare substantial economic losses. Understanding potential etiology bone problems will aid developing treatments diseases. gut microbiota represents largest micro-ecosystem animals is closely related many metabolic disorders, including disease. It achieves this by secreting secondary metabolites coordinating with various tissues organs through circulatory system, which leads concept gut–X axis. Given its importance, modulating influence axis presents new opportunities understanding innovative therapeutic approaches In light extensive literature on topic, review focuses effects density strength poultry, both directly indirectly, regulation Our aim provide scientific insights into health faced poultry.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being DOI Creative Commons
Suresh Neethirajan

Poultry, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 4(2), P. 20 - 20

Published: April 29, 2025

The relentless drive to meet global demand for poultry products has pushed rapid intensification in chicken farming, dramatically boosting efficiency and yield. Yet, these gains have exposed a host of complex welfare challenges that prompted scientific scrutiny ethical reflection. In this review, I critically evaluate recent innovations aimed at mitigating such concerns by drawing on advances behavioral science digital monitoring insights into biological adaptations. Specifically, focus four interconnected themes: First, spotlight the complexity avian sensory perception—encompassing vision, auditory capabilities, olfaction, tactile faculties—to underscore how lighting design, housing configurations, enrichment strategies can better align with birds’ unique worlds. Second, explore novel tools gauging emotional states cognition, ranging from cognitive bias tests developing protocols identifying pain or distress based facial cues. Third, examine transformative potential computer bioacoustics, sensor-based technologies continuous, automated tracking behavior physiological indicators commercial flocks. Fourth, assess data-driven management platforms, underpinned precision livestock deploy real-time optimize broad scale. Recognizing climate change evolving production environments intensify challenges, also investigate breeds resilient extreme conditions might open new avenues welfare-centered genetic approaches. While adoption cutting-edge techniques shown promise, significant hurdles persist regarding validation, standardization, acceptance. conclude truly sustainable progress hinges an interdisciplinary convergence ethology, neuroscience, engineering, data analytics, evolutionary biology—an integrative path not only refines assessment but reimagines ethically scientifically robust ways.

Language: Английский

Citations

0