04:29
Most new and emerging human diseases come from animal populations, and among these, viruses - especially influenza viruses - are the most dangerous. Viral transmission and mortality can be very high. Influenza pandemics have previously killed many millions of people. Pigs and poultry are readily infected and can transmit disease to people. Intensive pig and poultry farms include large animal groups of low genetic diversity, who are crowded together, often in unhygienic conditions. Resultant chronic stress compromises immune systems. These environments are fertile breeding grounds for the em...
05:35
A quick introduction to our report examining the animal welfare problems and disease risks created by intensive meat chicken farming, including the risks of future global pandemics. It also highlights action supermarkets can take to address these risks.
The full report is: Open Cages, Knight A and Wiebers D (2020). A British Pandemic: the Cruelty and Danger of Supermarket Chicken. UK: Open Cages. https://rebrand.ly/2020/supermarket-c....
04:12
Over 70 billion chickens are slaughtered globally each year. Almost all are meat breeds, typically housed in very large barns with a litter floor. Recently however, modern cage systems have been developed which provide very limited space and stack several tiers high. There is debate about the impacts of such modern cage systems on chicken welfare. Accordingly, we systematically reviewed studies assessing the welfare of meat chickens kept in either modern cage systems or littered barns. Overall, 23 studies were reviewed, and none of the experimental studies reviewed incorporated a full behav...
05:27
Summarises animal welfare concerns associated with the production of eggs, ‘meat’ chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and other poultry, including spatial and behavioural restrictions, and painful husbandry procedures.
04:43
Governmental and industry representatives have repeatedly claimed that Aotearoa New Zealand leads the world on animal welfare. Unfortunately, however, it is clear that substantial welfare problems remain prevalent within the farming of all main species within New Zealand. My article at https://rebrand.ly/2020/AW-in-NZ (also at https://AndrewKnight.info) and summarised here, also provides recommendations about how animal welfare could be improved in NZ, and why it should be.
05:02
Describes the origins of intensive animal farming, and the animal welfare harms and benefits this incurs. These include severe spatial and behavioural restrictions, widespread antibiotic use, and the subsequent development of antibiotic resistance.